Do Not Track Plus

  • Thread starter Thread starter Bear
  • Start date Start date
B

Bear

This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of interest
to some here)

Do Not Track Plus is a free online tracking protection that blocks
trackers before they get your information. Protects you from over 125
tracking technologies and updates itself automatically to catch new
trackers. PC and Mac, Firefox, Safari, & Chrome! You won't find this
extension in the FireFox Add-ons or Chrome Web Stores. An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension - say
to your desktop, it automatically runs and asks for you to install or
cancel. If you do nothing, it removes itself from the desktop. If you
click install, it installs in your default browser and removes itself
from the desktop. If you click cancel, it removes itself from the desktop.

http://donottrackplus.com/

Parent Web Site:
http://abine.com/products.php

Video
http://goo.gl/g6z9i
 
Updated description:

Do Not Track Plus is a free online tracking protection that blocks
trackers before they get your information. Protects you from over 125
tracking technologies and updates itself automatically to catch new
trackers. PC and Mac, Firefox, Safari, & Chrome! You won't find this
extension in the FireFox Add-ons or Chrome Web Stores. After installing,
when you visit a website tracking attempts are register in the extension
and blocked. It keeps track of total number of blocked tracking attemts.
It allows one to allow tracking at any particular site by clicking the
On/Off button on the upper right side of the DNTP screen when you click
the extension icon. An interesting behavior about this extension is
after you download the extension - say to your desktop, it automatically
runs and asks for you to install or cancel. If you do nothing, it
removes itself from the desktop. If you click install, it installs in
your default browser and removes itself from the desktop. If you click
cancel, it removes itself from the desktop.
 
Bear said:
Do Not Track Plus is a free online tracking protection that blocks
trackers before they get your information. Protects you from over
125 tracking technologies

How is this different (from an end-user pov) than using a HOSTS file?

I find that these tracking domains or host-names rarely change,
especially those run by doubleclick, google, yahoo, facebook, twitter,
etc. And hence if they rarely change, then a static hosts file should
prove just as effective at preventing this "online tracking" - no?
 
How is this different (from an end-user pov) than using a HOSTS file?

I find that these tracking domains or host-names rarely change,
especially those run by doubleclick, google, yahoo, facebook, twitter,
etc. And hence if they rarely change, then a static hosts file should
prove just as effective at preventing this "online tracking" - no?

How do you know when you go to a site what service it is using to track
you that isn't in your hosts file?

I find it much more convenient than editing a host file. DNTP
automatically manages it. I also like the ability to select certain
sites to allow their tracking...say google analytics so the site can
better gauge its visitors.
 
Bear said:
How do you know when you go to a site what service it is using to
track you that isn't in your hosts file?

Because 90% of the time, that site will be using google. When you add
the known hosts for the other big trackers, you've got 99% of them
covered.
I find it much more convenient than editing a host file.

Have you heard of or seen the MVPS hosts file?

Download it once, add a handful of google and facebook hosts that the
authors of MVPS are too timid to include, and you've got 100% coverage
against known trackers.
 
Because 90% of the time, that site will be using google. When you add
the known hosts for the other big trackers, you've got 99% of them
covered.


Have you heard of or seen the MVPS hosts file?

Download it once, add a handful of google and facebook hosts that the
authors of MVPS are too timid to include, and you've got 100% coverage
against known trackers.

What if you wish to allow a site?...and of course I'm well acquainted
with the hosts file.

http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/system_information.html

has a great tool...it's BearWare :)
 
Bear said:
This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of
interest to some here)

Do Not Track Plus is a free online tracking protection that blocks
trackers before they get your information. Protects you from over 125
tracking technologies and updates itself automatically to catch new
trackers. PC and Mac, Firefox, Safari, & Chrome! You won't find this
extension in the FireFox Add-ons or Chrome Web Stores. An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension -
say to your desktop, it automatically runs and asks for you to
install or cancel. If you do nothing, it removes itself from the
desktop. If you click install, it installs in your default browser
and removes itself from the desktop. If you click cancel, it removes
itself from the desktop.

http://donottrackplus.com/

Parent Web Site:
http://abine.com/products.php

Video
http://goo.gl/g6z9i
Does this app uninstall cleanly"
Curious,
Buffalo
 
Updated description:

Do Not Track Plus is a free online tracking protection that blocks
trackers before they get your information. Protects you from over 125
tracking technologies and updates itself automatically to catch new
trackers. PC and Mac, Firefox, Safari, & Chrome! You won't find this
extension in the FireFox Add-ons or Chrome Web Stores. After installing,
when you visit a website tracking attempts are register in the extension
and blocked. It keeps track of total number of blocked tracking attemts.
It allows one to allow tracking at any particular site by clicking the
On/Off button on the upper right side of the DNTP screen when you click
the extension icon. An interesting behavior about this extension is
after you download the extension - say to your desktop, it automatically
runs and asks for you to install or cancel. If you do nothing, it
removes itself from the desktop. If you click install, it installs in
your default browser and removes itself from the desktop. If you click
cancel, it removes itself from the desktop.
Very nice extension for Chrome (add-on Ffx) which is very simple and
management free and does what it claims. As new trackers are found, it
automatically updates itself. The type of 'helper' I like - does all the
work. I've already selected several websites I visit in which I elected
to turn off blocking as it helps their analytics.

It shows how many, type and who it blocked from tracking you on each
individual website you visit. You may elect to unblock(turn it off on
that site)
 
This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of interest
to some here)
An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension - say
to your desktop, it automatically runs

That, if true, is extremely ON-TOPIC
What exploit does it use to run without user intervention ?
Scared the s%$&&t out of me.

[]'s
 
Bear said:
This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of interest
to some here)
An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension - say
to your desktop, it automatically runs

That, if true, is extremely ON-TOPIC
What exploit does it use to run without user intervention ?
Scared the s%$&&t out of me.

[]'s

LOL...it surprised me too...however after thorough evaluation, it's
harmless. I guess everything could be called an exploit by those standards.
An exploit with a harmless payload is still an exploit.

I can imagine it being a normal thing for an HTML w/Script to act like
that on an active desktop, and if coming from an e-mail (or even a
normal download channel) the local zone (desktop) is not the place to
land such a file, but if this is happening while using proper procedures
for handling downloads it is scary.

IIRC some media player was once being exploited because it had such a
function for its 'skins' - drop the file on the desktop and the player
automatically consumes the file and installs the new skin.
 
This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of interest
to some here)
An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension - say
to your desktop, it automatically runs

That, if true, is extremely ON-TOPIC
What exploit does it use to run without user intervention ?
Scared the s%$&&t out of me.

[]'s

LOL...it surprised me too...however after thorough evaluation, it's
harmless. I guess everything could be called an exploit by those standards.
 
Bear said:
This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of interest
to some here)

An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension - say
to your desktop, it automatically runs

That, if true, is extremely ON-TOPIC
What exploit does it use to run without user intervention ?
Scared the s%$&&t out of me.

[]'s

LOL...it surprised me too...however after thorough evaluation, it's
harmless. I guess everything could be called an exploit by those
standards.
An exploit with a harmless payload is still an exploit.

I can imagine it being a normal thing for an HTML w/Script to act like
that on an active desktop, and if coming from an e-mail (or even a
normal download channel) the local zone (desktop) is not the place to
land such a file, but if this is happening while using proper procedures
for handling downloads it is scary.

IIRC some media player was once being exploited because it had such a
function for its 'skins' - drop the file on the desktop and the player
automatically consumes the file and installs the new skin.

Check it out and tell us what you think. Maybe even Dustin could apply
his expertise here and enlighten the uncodeworthy.
 
Bear said:
On 1/30/2012 7:13 AM, Shadow wrote:
This may be argued as off-topic: (however I think it may be of
interest
to some here)

An interesting
behavior about this extension is after you download the extension -
say
to your desktop, it automatically runs

That, if true, is extremely ON-TOPIC
What exploit does it use to run without user intervention ?
Scared the s%$&&t out of me.

[]'s

LOL...it surprised me too...however after thorough evaluation, it's
harmless. I guess everything could be called an exploit by those
standards.
An exploit with a harmless payload is still an exploit.

I can imagine it being a normal thing for an HTML w/Script to act like
that on an active desktop, and if coming from an e-mail (or even a
normal download channel) the local zone (desktop) is not the place to
land such a file, but if this is happening while using proper procedures
for handling downloads it is scary.

IIRC some media player was once being exploited because it had such a
function for its 'skins' - drop the file on the desktop and the player
automatically consumes the file and installs the new skin.

Check it out and tell us what you think. Maybe even Dustin could apply
his expertise here and enlighten the uncodeworthy.
Actually what it does is download the file and automatically displays an
install screen which you have to click install or cancel. After it
installs, it deletes the download. Kinda nice to be frank.
 
Updated description:

Do Not Track Plus is a free online tracking protection that blocks
trackers before they get your information. Protects you from over 125
tracking technologies and updates itself automatically to catch new
trackers. PC and Mac, Firefox, Safari, & Chrome! You won't find this
extension in the FireFox Add-ons or Chrome Web Stores. After installing,
when you visit a website tracking attempts are register in the extension
and blocked. It keeps track of total number of blocked tracking attemts.
It allows one to allow tracking at any particular site by clicking the
On/Off button on the upper right side of the DNTP screen when you click
the extension icon. An interesting behavior about this extension is
after you download the extension - say to your desktop, it automatically
runs and asks for you to install or cancel. If you do nothing, it
removes itself from the desktop. If you click install, it installs in
your default browser and removes itself from the desktop. If you click
cancel, it removes itself from the desktop.

I installed the program and AVG popped up warning me that a tracking
cookie had been installed. Namely, cookies.sqlite.

I uninstalled the program.

??
 
I installed the program and AVG popped up warning me that a tracking
cookie had been installed. Namely, cookies.sqlite.

I uninstalled the program.

??

I should have added that AVG never alerted on this file before. Only
after installing Do Not Track Plus did this happen immediately.
 
....
Didn't happen for me. You can copy the file and send it to virus total
etc. as I did...all clean. I also sent it to a tech friend to analyze,
but haven't heard back from him yet. If he says anything nefarious is
there, I'll post it.

The sqlite is a data file. It would not set off the virustotal
scan. It would be like sending them a text file with your phonebook on
it.
What this donottrack program uses it for would be more
important. Maybe its just a non writable file ? So that cookies cannot
be stored ?
[]'s
 
Bear said:
How do you know when you go to a site what service it is using to track
you that isn't in your hosts file?

How do you know the software is catching all of them?

Ghostery + Adblock Plus + MSMVPS HOSTS works for me.
 
I should have added that AVG never alerted on this file before. Only
after installing Do Not Track Plus did this happen immediately.

Didn't happen for me. You can copy the file and send it to virus total
etc. as I did...all clean. I also sent it to a tech friend to analyze,
but haven't heard back from him yet. If he says anything nefarious is
there, I'll post it.
 
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