diff --git a/Permissions.md b/Permissions.md index 236ce59..cba6888 100644 --- a/Permissions.md +++ b/Permissions.md @@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ Related permission: `dns`. Since [version 1.25.0](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/releases/tag/1.25.0) (Firefox 60+ only). -This warning is triggered by the `dns` permission, which allows to use the [`browser.dns` API](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/dns). The purpose is for uBO to gain the [ability to reveal the canonical name of aliased hostnames](https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBlock-issues/issues/780). +This warning is triggered by the `dns` permission, which allows using the [`browser.dns` API](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/dns). The purpose is for uBO to gain the [ability to reveal the canonical name of aliased hostnames](https://github.com/uBlockOrigin/uBlock-issues/issues/780). Note that even without this permission, uBO has the ability to see IP address and hostname information, through the [`browser.webRequest API`](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Add-ons/WebExtensions/API/webRequest) which uBO already requires. @@ -104,19 +104,19 @@ This is necessary to be able to: - Disable _"Prefetch resources to load pages more quickly"_ - This will ensure no TCP connection is opened **at all** for blocked requests: **It's for your own protection privacy-wise.**[1] - - For pages with lots for blocked requests, this will actually remove overhead from page load (if you did not have the setting already disabled). + - For pages with lots of blocked requests, this will actually remove overhead from page load (if you did not have the setting already disabled). - When uBlock blocks a network request, the expectation is that it blocks **completely** the connection, hence the new permission is necessary for uBlock to do **truthfully** what it says it does. -- Disable [hyperlink auditing/beacon](http://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/hyperlink-auditing-aka-a-ping-and-beacon-aka-navigator-sendbeacon.364904/) (0.9.8.5) +- Disable [hyperlink auditing/beacon](https://www.wilderssecurity.com/threads/hyperlink-auditing-aka-a-ping-and-beacon-aka-navigator-sendbeacon.364904/) (0.9.8.5) -uBlock's primary purpose is to block **network connections**, not just data transfer. Not blocking the connection while just blocking the data transfer would mean uBlock is lying to users. So this permission will stay, and sorry for those who do not understand that it actually allows uBlock to do its intended job more thoroughly[2]. A blocker which does not thoroughly prevent connections is not a real blocker. +uBlock's primary purpose is to block **network connections**, not just data transfer. Not blocking the connection while just blocking the data transfer would mean uBlock is lying to users. So this permission will stay, and sorry for those who do not understand that it actually allows uBlock to do its intended job more thoroughly[2]. A blocker that does not thoroughly prevent connections is not a real blocker. **Privacy Badger also requires exactly the same permissions.** I want uBlock to also serve privacy-minded users first. -If _prefetching_ had been disabled by default, this new permission would not be needed, but _prefetching_ is unfortunately enabled by default, and under _Privacy_ heading, which is itself hidden by default under _"advanced settings"_, and even at this point, you would still have to dig to find out the [negative side effects of prefetching](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_prefetching#Issues_and_criticisms) (related: [dark patterns](http://darkpatterns.org/)). +If _prefetching_ had been disabled by default, this new permission would not be needed, but _prefetching_ is unfortunately enabled by default, and under _Privacy_ heading, which is itself hidden by default under _"advanced settings"_, and even at this point, you would still have to dig to find out the [negative side effects of prefetching](https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Link_prefetching#Issues_and_criticisms) (related: [dark patterns](https://www.darkpatterns.org/)). ![c](https://cloud.githubusercontent.com/assets/585534/7914528/924b9314-0845-11e5-8012-f67e4b1814cd.png) -Also, the benefits of _prefetching_ are probably marginal, and in the context of a blocker, the benefits could be negative, since a lot of useless connections would be made, just to be discarded after the browser find out the requests won't be made anyway. So do not fall for the _"lost of major performance boost"_ claim I read elsewhere, this is just a silly and baseless claim. +Also, the benefits of _prefetching_ are probably marginal, and in the context of a blocker, the benefits could be negative, since a lot of useless connections would be made, just to be discarded after the browser find out the requests won't be made anyway. So do not fall for the _"loss of major performance boost"_ claim I read elsewhere, this is just a silly and baseless claim. **Edit:** actually, prefetching is worst than I first thought, I had tested that it was just a connection issue, but [as per Google](https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/1385029): @@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ See code: - [browser.privacy.network](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/commit/e65c2939757f09db646d277b82da8690aaf3adbc) -[1] Merely opening a TCP connection leaks your IP address to the remote server -- this is incompatible with an extension which primary purpose is to **completely** prevent connections to remove server, not just merely prevent the transfer of data. For instance, [see what can be found](https://www.browserleaks.com/whois) with a just that connection being established (IP, OS Fingerprinting, IP Address Location). +[1] Merely opening a TCP connection leaks your IP address to the remote server -- this is incompatible with an extension whose primary purpose is to **completely** prevent connections to remove server, not just merely prevent the transfer of data. For instance, [see what can be found](https://www.browserleaks.com/whois) with a just that connection being established (IP, OS Fingerprinting, IP Address Location). -[2] In version 0.9.8.3, there will be [a setting to allow re-enabling prefetching](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/issues/274), default will still be to disable it though. +[2] In version 0.9.8.3, there will be [a setting to allow re-enabling prefetching](https://github.com/gorhill/uBlock/issues/274), default will still be to disable it though. \ No newline at end of file