Google, Mozilla working on letting web apps edit files despite warning it could be abused

guest · Nov 23, 2018

Google, Mozilla working on letting web apps edit files despite warning it could be 'abused in terrible ways'
November 23, 2018
https://www.techrepublic.com/articl...spite-warning-it-could-be-abused-in-terrible/

A group led by Google and Mozilla is working to make it easy to edit files using browser-based web apps but wants advice on how to guard against the "major" security and privacy risks.

The idea is to allow users to save changes they've made using web apps, without the hassle of having to download new files after each edit, as is necessary today.
"Today, if a user wants to edit a local file in a web app, the web app needs to ask the user to open the file," said Google developer advocate Pete LePage.

Chrome developer Google and Firefox developer Mozilla, is working on developing the new Writable Files API, which would allow web apps running in the browser to open a file, edit it, and save the changes back to the same file.
Click to expand...

However, the group says the biggest challenge will be guarding against malicious sites seeking to abuse persistent access to files on a user's system.

"The API provides a lot of scary power to websites [...]"
"There are both major privacy risks (websites getting access to private data they weren't supposed to have access to) as well as security risks [...]"
Click to expand...

Rasheed187 · Nov 24, 2018

Sounds like a bad idea, but you should always block the browser from getting access to private folders with a file/folder protection tool.

guest · Aug 23, 2019

Google moves closer to letting Chrome web apps edit your files despite warning it could be 'abused in terrible ways'
Using the new Native File System API, web apps would be able to read and save files, as well as gather info on files stored on your device
August 23, 2019
https://www.techrepublic.com/articl...-warning-it-could-be-abused-in-terrible-ways/

Google has taken another step towards letting web apps in Chrome edit and gather information about your files.

Using the new Native File System API, web apps would be able to read and save files, as well as gather info on the number and names of files stored on your device.
To offset the risks, Google says it is putting in place controls that would only allow the feature to be used on "secure" sites and web apps, and only with express user consent.

Google developer advocate Pete Le Page detailed how the API is available to test locally in Chrome 77, hidden behind a developer flag, and will be available for more widespread testing by developers in the forthcoming Chrome 78.
Click to expand...

guest · Nov 3, 2019

Chrome 78 allows sites to edit local files
November 1, 2019
https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/...l-files-read-verification-sms-texts-and-more/

Native File System
Web pages have never been able to directly access your computer's (or phone's) file system, unless there was a plugin like Java or ActiveX involved somewhere. The new Native File System API, now available as an Origin Trial in Chrome 78, changes this.

Before you start freaking out that web sites can now alter your files, there are a lot of security precautions built into this already, and the Chrome team will likely add more before the feature is ready for widespread use. Sites can only see the files you specifically select, they can only save changes back to those files if granted permission [...]
We could get online code editors that can actually work with several local files at once, or maybe Google Docs could edit Word files directly on your PC without uploading/converting them first.
Click to expand...

Log in or Sign up

Google, Mozilla working on letting web apps edit files despite warning it could be abused

guest Guest

Rasheed187 Registered Member

guest Guest

guest Guest

Log in or Sign up

Google, Mozilla working on letting web apps edit files despite warning it could be abused

guest Guest

Rasheed187 Registered Member

guest Guest

guest Guest

Useful Searches