Google Chrome campaign against anti-malware software

[polonus]

We really here a bit between a rock and a hard stone, aren't we, folks?

polonus

[loungehake]

The Opera.com website says nothing about that. The domain registrant is in Oslo.

[Asyn]

We really here a bit between a rock and a hard stone, aren't we, folks?

Well, not really, (as said) just switch to Firefox.

[Asyn]

The Opera.com website says nothing about that. The domain registrant is in Oslo.

Seems, you're a bit late to the party. But ok, here we go...
-> https://www.reddit.com/r/operabrowser/comments/5st2v5/is_opera_now_owned_by_chinese_golden_brick_still/
-> https://www.reddit.com/r/tech/comments/62kr6d/is_opera_really_safe_now_that_its_owned_by_a/

[DavidR]

The Opera.com website says nothing about that. The domain registrant is in Oslo.

The domain registration doesn't necessarily reflect the Owner.  I would guess there are many similar instances when a company is bought out and becomes part of a bigger company.

[loungehake]

I have run Opera and Google Chrome and have thoroughly examined the Firewall records (Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 9.3) for each browser viewing the same website.  The Firewall record for the different browers shows much the same data.  I am unable to see anything which looks suspicious from the comparisons.  Outpost created very similar Application Rules for Opera and Google Chrome.  No Firewall activity is apparent for either browser process when either is idle.

Good old Agnitum Outpost Firewall.  Is there an equivalent available that can run under Windows 10?

[bob3160]

I have run Opera and Google Chrome and have thoroughly examined the Firewall records (Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro 9.3) for each browser viewing the same website.  The Firewall record for the different browers shows much the same data.  I am unable to see anything which looks suspicious from the comparisons.  Outpost created very similar Application Rules for Opera and Google Chrome.  No Firewall activity is apparent for either browser process when either is idle.

Good old Agnitum Outpost Firewall.  Is there an equivalent available that can run under Windows 10?

I've been quite happy with the default Windows firewall.

[loungehake]

Agnitum Outpost Firewall Pro offers great control of and information about individual process behaviour. Among quite a lot of very useful things it facilitates prevention of DNS hijacking by enabling creation of pertinent system wide network rules. I will probably avoid Windows 10 until after April 2023 because Windows 8.1 still allows the use of Outpost.

Much has been said implying the untrustworthiness of Opera because of Chinese ownership. Agnitum was operating during the post-Yeltsin era and yet no suggestion of untrustworthiness was ever made against Agnitum, a very honourable and trustworthy firm.

RIP Outpost 

[Claudiu7]

What goes with Avast and this campaign by Google? My understanding is that some anti-malware producers are disabling monitoring of Google Chrome.

Can you provide info on this statement?

Yes, malwarabytes  Exploit protection doesn't monitor Chrome anymore!

[loungehake]

Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit 1.12.1.109 continues to monitor Google Chrome (I have suppressed Anti-Exploit updates by blocking the update domain entry using HOSTS).  I am curious to see what problems might beset Anti-Exploit/Google Chrome after forthcoming Google Chrome version updates. It remains to be seen if making the SWReporter folder inaccessible will continue to defeat Software Reporter's efforts to weaken security.  So much for layers of defence.  It is bizarre that Google should deliberately deprive its browser's users of tried and tested defences.

I am happy using Opera despite the concerns of some about the influences of the new owners of Opera on that product.  It allows the use of the experimental Strict Site Isolation feature of Chrome.

What protection is there for users from Google's complacency if it prevents third-party expert anti-malware software designers from being Devil's Advocates?  We should all be concerned that user security and privacy is more likely to be jeopardised by Google's change of policy.

It appears that there is no obvious way to communicate user unhappiness to arrogant Google. Google seems to wish to bury its head in the sand. This is not good for Google or user.

Mozilla announced in August that Firefox will integrate anti-tracking later this year.  Anti-tracking strips out any third-party trackers that follow you around the internet.  Mozilla is providing what users actually want by listening to them. Unlike Google.