Firefox sends file download data to google

[Callender]

Firefox sends downloaded file information to Google.

How to disable if you have any concerns:

Prevent Firefox from sending downloaded file info to Google

Also affects Firefox variants.

 

[ThrashZone]

Thanks for the heads up,
Seems Firefox has made a deal with the devil

 

[andrew129260]

Thanks for the heads up,
Seems Firefox has made a deal with the devil

Yes it is very horrible that downloads are being scanned for threats. Whew, call the cops. :sarc:

Google in conjunction with https://www.stopbadware.org/ tries to identify malware out there on the web and report on it-preventing users from downloading bad stuff in the first place. Mozilla recently became more of a involved partner, it just happens that Google is a major partner in it. Check out there website for info.

And you use internet explorer, so smartscreen filter does the same thing....

 

[Tookeri]

I use the manual check instead for Google's Safe browsing before I start using a new site, to get some malware history for the site etc. Use this URL: http://www.google.com/safebrowsing/diagnostic?site= (and add the site after the =)

Example: Google Safe Browsing diagnostic page for majorgeeks.com

 

[Callender]

Opinions vary

Well apparently it can cause problems by blocking some legitimate downloads:

RESOLVED - Firefox v31 - New Malware idea is BAD ? mozillaZine Forums

Personally I've disabled the feature but kept safe browsing enabled. I'm one of those people who strives to keep as much of my data as possible away from Google although I do use their email and Google Docs services.

I'd agree that for most users it's a decent enough additional security feature that's been added to Firefox but I would rather rely on other methods in order to determine if a site is safe to visit and block connection to known bad sites or file downloads.

 

[ThrashZone]

Google knows nothing about privacy so it's safety features are just another way to poke a nose where it doesn't belong to sell what it can in the name of safety

 

[4wd]

Firefox sends downloaded file information to Google.

Only if enabled in Options > Security, can be enabled \ disabled.

 

[andrew129260]

Why anyone would want to turn that off makes no sense to me, but to each his own.

 

[OvenMaster]

I followed the instructions as shown in the article and the parameter browser.safebrowsing.appRepURL does not exist.
If this was in the Nightly builds, it appears on the surface that the regular release does not have this parameter.

 

[andrew129260]

Google knows nothing about privacy so it's safety features are just another way to poke a nose where it doesn't belong to sell what it can in the name of safety

Do you use virustotal? same thing. Google owns that. Looks like you should not use that too.

 

[ThrashZone]

Willingly not that I know of :/

 

[Callender]

Something similar for Chrome users

I've just had a quick look at this:

Chrome Malware Alert Blocker Tool : Free Tool to Enable or Disable Malicious File Warning in Google Chrome | www.SecurityXploded.com

Quote: "Recently Chrome has introduced new feature (also called 'Safe Browsing') to alert you on malicious internet downloads. However due to faulty implementation, this feature often mark good files as malicious and block you from downloading it. On top of that, this annoying feature is useless as most of us already have antivirus on our system to get rid of those malicious files."

Anyway I'm not trying to knock it. The original post was intended to provide information that users can act on if they wish hence - "How to disable if you have any concerns"

The feature has been described by some as "like the behavior of spyware"

Note: Image shows Google translation. I'm not totally anti-Google but if you take into account the 14 privacy enhancing browser extensions that I use plus a few other privacy enhancing methods then in my mind it's a bit sneaky to include this feature in Firefox without it being widely known by most users.



Overall my point is that for most it's probably a good feature but those of us who value what little privacy we have when surfing the internet will not want to make use of it!