Google Chrome - Spyware? Confirmed?
September 6, 2008
Now this is getting more and more interesting. Guys made a nice post on how Google Chrome is a spyware, indeed.
What was tested? Apparently, they have monitored Google Chrome behavior with network protocol analyzer tool and here are the results:
After typing Microsoft.com in the address field, all calls were addressed to IP 74.125.43.100 (host: bw-in-f100.google.com) which is Google’s for sure.
http://74.125.43.100/complete/search?client=chrome&output=chrome&hl=en-US&q=…
For example:
Session Protocol
----------------
GET /complete/search?client=chrome&output=chrome&hl=en-US&q=h
["h",["http://www.hm.com/","hotmail","home depot","hsbc"],["Hx26M","430,000,000 results","32,300,000 results","27,800,000 results"],[],{”google:suggesttype”:["NAVIGATION","QUERY","QUERY","QUERY"]}]GET /complete/search?client=chrome&output=chrome&hl=en-US&q=htt
["htt",["http://www.facebook.com/","httpservletrequest","httrack","http 500"],["Facebook","1,000,000 results","554,000 results","87,500,000 results"],[],{”google:suggesttype”:["NAVIGATION","QUERY","QUERY","QUERY"]}]
Post continues…
This shows nicely how each and every character, when entered in slow speed, gets transmitted to Google whereupon the Google system returns its suggestions that will not be modified further, the more complete your final address string becomes.
It is important to note that we are analyzing the browser’s address field here, not a Google query field
Conclusion? With its Chrome browser Google is actually monitoring your entire surfing behavior, not merely the searches you may conduct via their search engine
From Wikipedia:
… Software that secretly monitors the user’s behavior… Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habit, sites that have been visited…
Source: fantomaster
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That’s FUD you have there, not “research”
http://www.mattcutts.com/blog/google-chrome-communication/
Yeah, FUD…
I’m not suprised by this. Chrome auto updates itself without my consent (although I did consent for it to autoupdate in the EULA :P ) and the installation is so force (like not being able to customize anything…). Things like that are usually signs that the company’s attitude towards the costumer is less that perfect.
Big corporations, that’s what you get. At least it’s open source, so it’ll probably fare well (if google doesn’t manage to tank the whole thing). It’s not like browsers that don’t have a operating system to support them have many chances in the market without open source…
When you install Chrome you are asked if you want Chrome to automatically send usage statistic reports to google. Isn’t it what it is all about??? you can disable this function. So where’s the problem ???? Are you suggesting that Chrome is sending informations to google even when you disable the auto report option???? Are suggesting that Google is lying???
I am quoting the source ;)
oops sorry…
It’s the Google suggest mechanism, which has been touted as one of Chromes main features… and if you read the link I posted you can find out how to disable it. It’s the same thing that is used for the (separate) search field in Firefox.
I don’t see anything bad with keeping your guard up when it comes to privacy and such, but this is really just misinformation
Also, could you please add some newlines to that wall of text you have there in the middle?
Stick to Firefox and you won’t have such problems. The speed difference is not that great and the upcoming Fx 3.1 shows that it’s even faster than Chrome.
I’ve never trusted a lot in Google.
OK guys, i tried it, but it is not spyware or something, it is just the functionality of the auto complete feature in the address bar, so while you are typing “www.micro”
the browser sends and auto complete request to Google to get most popular websites starting with “www.micro”.
Does this happen when you are browsing “incognito”?
I just started using Chrome about an hour ago, but it seems like in “incognito” mode it only suggests pages from your history, so I wonder if it is sending anything back to Google at the same time?
I don’t believe Chrome is spyware. You opt in when you install the software and you can disable any reporting via the Options > Under the Hood tab. It also goes back to Google for updates every day and also downloads malware and phishing sites throughout the day. That’s my take which is written up on my site. JMHO.
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If you look for something in such paranoid fashion, you deserve what you get.—Doug
Someone obviously has no idea what “spyware” is. Spyware is software that is installed without the user’s consent and takes control of the user’s interaction with the computer.
Explain how Chrome is spyware.
Hi, I found your blog on this new directory of WordPress Blogs at blackhatbootcamp.com/listofwordpressblogs. I dont know how your blog came up, must have been a typo, i duno. Anyways, I just clicked it and here I am. Your blog looks good. Have a nice day. James.
@Yuusha your a dumb ass its spy ware that monitors and its Add ware that takes control of a computer.
Someone just kicked his own ass it seems
Spyware secretly monitors the user.
Adware displays ads, some while the program is being used others pops up in, for example, a browser window. Some of them also download ads from a server.
What you’re thinking about, “kross”, is called “Malware” , or more specifically rootkit or a trojan horse.
IF all that info gets stored on a central server and gets processed, then yes you have something to worry about. Or let’s just say that Google will be making some money out of their open source browser ;)
It’s interesting to try and find if the same thing happens when surfing “incognito”, and if you can turn “incognito” always on, or if you can simply disable the autocomplete feature in the preferences. “Hacking” it away does not count, as most people would be able to complete the task.
Google also monitors Gmail, mind you, so I really don’t see what’s all the fuss about… Most of your (and mine) private data has already been compromised…
Long live 3ch3lon :P
*would be unable. not able. My bad :)
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