__/ [ BT ] on Sunday 24 September 2006 18:55 \__
> "Roy Schestowitz" <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:1356404.JHbyR2ov5B@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> __/ [ Paul ] on Saturday 23 September 2006 12:13 \__
>>
>> > On Sat, 23 Sep 2006 12:08:37 +0100, Roy Schestowitz
>> > <newsgroups@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> >
>> >>Could sniff user-agent and deliver different content
>> >
>> > Doesn't that come under black hat ?
>>
>> Maybe for the Web site (well, it's the Webmaster that risks banishment),
> but
>> not for the surfer. I make special efforts to never report my browser type
>> and O/S properly because there is too much discrimination and poor
>> development on the Web. Not to mention privacy invasion (e.g. Google
>> Analytics, which is a good reason to disable scripts). If a site is
> behaving
>> badly, I wish to be denied access and move on to more interesting
> content --
>> that which is managed by content creators that are better informed.
> *smile*
>
> Hi
> I was considering using G Analytics on my site , what's wrong with it ?
In short, it is more intrusive than standard usual usage logs. It uses the
full capacity available that is available with JavaScript to gather a lot of
details. Then, the data is taken off-server (cross-site scripting) to reside
in Google's datacentre. Google is notorious for never flushing its data. It
guards it like a hawk, hoping that it would be handy one day (e.g. Google
Suggest and Google Trends). That's where all the 'fun' begins.
Now, you see, the governments have got access to your surfing habits, as well
as plenty of other interesting information (e.g. screen resolution). If many
sites adopt Google Analytics and surfer naively let the XSS be run, then the
nanny country/company risk becomes a reality. If you look at some mainstream
news Web sites, you will find that they XSS with many sites that gather all
sorts of details about you, probably creating a profile. How that data gets
sold and exchanged, who knows? Be sure, it does. There's a whole industry
behind it. Let the server that you visit record your IP, request, etc. Don't
broadcast your cyberspace life to the entire world (think about AOL logs
that got leaked). Wait a few years and you'll see what happens. Don't be
part of that game either, by sending information about your valued
visitors/customers to third parties.
Recent example: a Chinese man has just sued Yahoo. Why? Because Yahoo made
his E-mails available to the government, which had him jailed. You think
that's bad? We have only gotten started... and Yahoo showed little or no
regrets when facing a Federal court hearing (where _all_ major search
engines were harshly accused and criticised).
Best wishes,
Roy
--
Roy S. Schestowitz, Ph.D. Candidate (Medical Biophysics)
http://Schestowitz.com | SuSE Linux | PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
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