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submitted 2 months ago by sunglocto@lemmy.zip to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

Did you know? Despite claiming to block all cross-site cookies out of the box, Firefox automatically allows Google to use them in your browser should you log in to one of their services.

The browser only lets you know about this once it happens, and it's on you to notice the permissions icon appearing in the URL bar. There is a link to a paragraph on a help page explaining this behaviour, but it seemingly goes unmentioned pretty much everywhere else on the internet.

This surprised me, especially considering Firefox's stance on privacy. I was even more surprised that this is done without consent. If this is for usability, Firefox should at least warn the user before this happens.

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[-] RamdomSlaphead@feddit.uk 217 points 2 months ago

Take it you didn't click "learn more"?

To sign into YouTube, you need to sign into Google.Com. that's the cross site script. Nothing scary, or unexpected.

[-] candyman337@sh.itjust.works 138 points 2 months ago

What's with the influx of anti Firefox posts here? Really weird. Especially since yes everything is in their learn more stuff.

[-] IAmNotACat@lemmy.world 77 points 2 months ago

It is a bit odd that there’s an influx of anti Firefox and AMD stuff after Google and Intel were in the news for major things.

[-] candyman337@sh.itjust.works 36 points 2 months ago

Yeah feels a bit intentional

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 28 points 2 months ago

People have been up in arms for every new "flavor of the month" browser that boasts better security, or some new privacy thing, and Firefox not offering it. Also, the freakout about Mozilla enabling "ad-tracking" was wildly misunderstood and overblown by the privacy nuts, but started a slew of these "WELLFFDIDTHISTHINGBLETRRGGHWAAAHHHHHHH"

It's all overblown in my opinion.

[-] narc0tic_bird@lemm.ee 17 points 2 months ago

"flavor of the month" browser

"flavor of the month" ~browser~ Chromium

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Well I would have just said Chromium then, but that's not what I said.

I think they meant that they are chromium based.

[-] just_another_person@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Yeah, I got the sarcasm. Just saying that wasn't my point at all.

[-] HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com 15 points 2 months ago

the moment I saw login im like um yeah I bet same with microsoft or any other login that is across. wait for it. sites. login to outlook.com and then go to 0365

[-] GolfNovemberUniform@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 months ago

But that's one of the most dangerous trackers afaik. There should at least be an option to disable it.

[-] Fisch@discuss.tchncs.de 64 points 2 months ago

If they wouldn't allow this, signing into YouTube wouldn't work

[-] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 15 points 2 months ago

If you access Google sites only in a special Firefox container, that still isolates your Google cookies from the rest of your tabs? Or does it just add a “you don’t get this from me” flag when it gives Google your user cookie, so it can pretend to not recognise you as it adds your web-browsing history to your ad-targeting profile (flagged appropriately as to keep it deniable, of course)?

[-] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 10 points 2 months ago

Yes.
I have a google container for one account.
If I open a google site in another container it will be as if the account didn't exist.
The containers are all partitioned.
You can also partition off the cookie/storage per site by proxy used (in about:config).
So, you could create a container for google account 1 using proxy 1 and another container for google account 2 using proxy 2 and they will never have access to the data stored by either.

[-] ngwoo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 months ago

Out of curiosity, do you know if these containers also obfuscate browser and device fingerprinting? Separating cookies is important but unless it also blocks fingerprinters (in a different way for each container) the site will instantly know the same person is using both accounts.

[-] masterofn001@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

FF doesn't really enable full fingerprint resistance by default. But it can.

These settings are some of what I usually use. All fingerprint values (that are able to be are randomised on every reload of a page.

Set secutity setting to custom, select known AND suspected fingerprinting > select from dropdown 'In ALL tabs'

Also: Because it's of no value / use to me, and (IMHO) a giant gaping privacy and security issue, I also disable webgl and webrtc, and navigator completely in about:config

Set the following:

WebGL webgl.disabled true
WebGL2 webgl.enable-webgl2 false
WebRTC media.peerconnection.enabled false
Navigator media.navigator.enabled false
RFP privacy.resistFingerprinting true

RFP options like bounce protection etc can also be enabled in config.

Check fingerprints on browserleaks.com, coveryourtracks.EFF.org, etc

Should be 100% unique fingerprint every time.

[-] refalo@programming.dev 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

I think the "rest of your tabs" would have to be sites that already include google js (e.g. for "sign in with google" type stuff) to even know you have a google cookie (otherwise what's the point of FPI/ETP/TCP/network partitioning/no-3rd-party-cookies/etc.), but I could be wrong.

[-] Broken_Monitor@lemmy.world 7 points 2 months ago

So google is a privacy nightmare. Google pays firefox. There’s not a lot more dots to connect here. How is anyone surprised at things like this?

[-] DirkMcCallahan@lemmy.world 3 points 2 months ago

Is it sufficient to set the Enhanced Tracking Protection to "Strict" (which claims to block cross-site cookies in all windows), or is there something else you have to do?

this post was submitted on 11 Aug 2024
217 points (100.0% liked)

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