Veil System: Researchers Make Private Browsing More Private

All modern browsers now have private browsing, a function that ensures that the surfing behavior is not stored on the computer. However, the information that is accessed during private browsing can still be retrieved from the computer by a motivated attacker. Reason for researchers from MIT and Harvard to develop a new system called Veil that should make private browsing more private.

Browsers should delete all stored data after closing a private browsing session. However, modern memory management is complex and can ensure that data is left in the memory somewhere. Veil tries to tackle this problem by encrypting all data that the browser loads into memory until it is displayed on the screen.

The use of Veil

To use Veil, the Veil user goes to the Veil website and enters the url of a website. A special "blinding server" then sends a version of the requested page in the Veil format. The Veil page is similar to a normal web page, but contains code that executes a decryption algorithm. The data on the page is unreadable until it is decrypted by the algorithm. Once the data has been decrypted, it must be loaded into the computer's memory to be displayed on the screen. This temporarily stored data should be much harder to trace when the browsing session is over.

In order not to give attackers a chance, Veil takes an additional security measure. The blinding server adds meaningless code to every loaded page. This code has no effect on how the page before the user looks, but does change the underlying source file. Every page that is loaded by a blinding server, even if it is the same page, looks different. An attacker who manages to obtain part of the decrypted code after closing a Veil session is therefore unlikely to say which website the user visited.

When these measures are not enough, Veil also offers the option to have the blinding server take a picture of the requested page. In this case, the blinding server opens the requested page, makes a screenshot of it and sends it to the user. This prevents executable code from ending up on the user's system. If the user then clicks on the image somewhere, the browser registers this and sends the new request to the blinding server, which then loads a new zoomed image and sends it back to the user.In order to use the system, websites do have to create a Veil version of their website, but the researchers have developed a compiler for this that automatically performs the conversion. A bigger challenge is hosting the blinding servers, which can be done by volunteers, as is the case with the Tor network, or by companies that, for example, want to offer their visitors more privacy. No adjustments to the browser are required for the implementation of Veil.

Anti-virus Company AVG Switches To Windows 10-Like Model

The Czech anti-virus company AVG has announced a new series of products that will be updated automatically when new versions are available, as is done with Windows 10. Also, there is now full support for Windows 10 added.

The new update model has to provide updates on a continuous basis and ensure that users always have the latest version. According to AVG this is the first step of the company towards "Security as a Service". It succeeds Microsoft that Windows 10 direction "Windows as a Service goes." The anti-virus software AVG offers both free and paid versions and is available for different platforms.

Recently, the company was still under fire for its new privacy policy, which states that the virus fighter must collect all sorts of data from users. AVG responded by stating that it will not sell users' personal data.

Anti-Virus Company AVG: We Will Not Sell Personal Data

The past few days was the Czech anti-virus company AVG because of the new privacy a storm of criticism to endure. In the Privacy Policy, which begins on October 15, AVG says that the non-personal data collected in order to continue to offer free of charge to the Hotel.

This relates to surf and search history, including metadata. Used Internet service or mobile network provider are also stored, and information on other software that users have installed on their computer or device. The privacy policy states that AVG may share non-personal data with third parties and may publish or collected anonymous information. Because all the fuss AVG now has a statement been published. It'll let you know which collect most software programs and Web usage data. In this way, the products can be improved and new products are being developed.

AVG says consumers can decide for themselves whether they will join the anonymized data collection program. The option which ensures that usage data will be collected is added to the consumer free of charge of the company. "And we can confirm that data is not being shared until our clients have been able to make this choice," said the virus fighter.Thereby allows the anti-virus company know that no personally identifiable data will be selling and that currently can not do.

Fuss About New Privacy Policy Anti-virus Company AVG

This week published anti-virus company AVG a new privacy policy which will take effect next month, but on the Internet there is the fuss about arisen because the virus fighter surfing habits will collect and can sell it to third parties. The privacy policy of AVG contains only one page, which it describes itself as a model for the software industry.

The anti-virus company called on other companies also to formulate a similar brief privacy policy. Internet users on Reddit questions about the content of the Privacy Policy. AVG says that the non-personal data collected in order to continue to offer free of charge to the Hotel. This relates to surf and search history, including metadata. Used Internet service or mobile network provider are also stored, and information on other software that users have installed on their computer or device.

"Sometimes contain browsing history or search history terms that you can identify. If we find that some of your browsing history you identify possible, we'll part as a personal treat information and anonymise this information," know as late as the anti-virus company. Users worry as AVG only intervenes if it detects that identifying private data are stored. The privacy policy states that AVG may share non-personal data with third parties and may publish or collected anonymous information.

Users do have the option to opt-out of the collection and use of certain data, including personal and non-personal data.For this, pointing the privacy policy to a page, but the page only contains instructions on how to unsubscribe from newsletters.