PC Flank Browser Test and Look'n'Stop

Hi there

I've done most of the PC Flank tests and Look'n'Stop passes admirably. However, the browser test gives this result -

Danger! While visiting web sites your browser reveals private information (called 'referrer') about previous sites you have visited.

Recommendation
We advise you to get personal firewall software. If you already have a firewall program adjust it to block the distribution of such information (referrer)

Is this important to resolve and if so what settings do I need to change in L'n'S ?

Cheers

Jon

 

Hi Jon,

This is a browser privacy issue. Unfortunately, Look 'n' Stop doesn't provide a way to block that.
If you are concerned about that, our recommendation would be to use another browser that includes directly this kind of feature (like opera, firefox...).

Frederic

 

Thanks once again for your quick response Frederic - great support.

The test was conducted using Firefox so I'll wait for Firefox users for more feedback on this issue and perhaps post on a different Wilders forum.

Cheers

Jon

 

Thanks Don Diego.

 

Get your hands on Naviscope
http://f5.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/YBpCQ_...Fbj8ZBLdZlIlhTPQSsk8GlMJJB5Vp7r/naviscope.exe

This program is no longer being developed, but it does a lot of good neat things

 

Link is down.

 

Thanks Ronjor, MickeyTheMan

Will try that extension Ron.

Is this the same product that the broken link refers to ?

http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Other-Internet-Related/Naviscope.shtml

 

A local proxy like proxomitron could do the trick. It can filter ANY information that is provided in the http filters.

I don't know if LnS supports local proxys, some firewalls do not (Sygate).

For Firefox there is a UAswitcher extension from Chris Pederick which lets you override (=fake) the built in browser detection. That will trick 99% of all scan sites into thinking that you use a rare browser with BeOS or anything you want.

These things are NOT real privacy issues. The browser and Sun Java will simply TELL the site your OS etc on purpose. They are not tricked into doing so.

 

Hi Amano

Thanks for your feedback - I'll look at your recommendations as well.

Sorry, by this are you saying that the PCFlank browser test failure is not really a security concern as such ? This is unfamiliar teritory for me at the moment.

Cheers

Jon

 

Sorry, I meant "http headers" in the first sentence.

No, it is NOT really a security/privacy concern. Websites know your OS, your browser and the sites where you came from because the browser tells this information and it doesn't leak it.

Some websites will break if there is an incorrect information or no information at all. If the websites assume that you have a special browser, they might show you modified version that is known to display well. And some sites rely on getting a very special referrer. Some detail sites may want that you come from the main site etc.

 

Hi amano

Thanks for your clarifiaction on that. Appreciate your help and I'll try and learn from the posted links.

Cheers

Jon

 

Yes for naviscope 8.70
Proxomitron will also do

These take care of privacy issues not really the job of a firewall despite some bloated ones doing it.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MickeyTheMan/files/ (you neeed yahoo ID to access)