Spyware Level: Extremely High
Firstly, what is Spyware? We define spyware as anything that contains telemetry, calling home, automatic updates, or is eavesdropping without the user's knowledge or consent.
Google Chrome: A Web Browser Developed and Distributed by Google, the biggest spy company in history.
Is not Fully Open Source
Google Chrome, whilst largely open source, does not fully adhere to the principles of open-source software. This partial openness restricts the ability to thoroughly examine the software for any undisclosed spyware features.
Keeps Track of the User's Search History
A fact confirmed by the language used in the privacy policy, which sheds light on the spyware features reliant on this data.
One such spyware feature is Google Chrome's integration with the "Google Account" platform, a known spyware system.
According to the privacy policy:
"If you are signed in to a Google site or signed in to Chrome and Google is your default search engine, searches you perform using the address bar in Chrome are stored in your Google account."
Another spyware feature present in Google Chrome is the "Search prediction service". The policy explains:
"When you search using the address bar in Chrome, the characters you type (even if you haven’t hit "enter" yet) are sent to your default search engine. If Google is your default search engine, predictions are based on your own search history, topics related to what you’re typing and what other people are searching for."
Furthermore, there exists a spyware feature dubbed "Navigation Assistance". This feature is described as follows:
"When you can’t connect to a web page, you can get suggestions for alternative pages similar to the one you're trying to reach. In order to offer you suggestions, Chrome sends Google the URL of the page you're trying to reach."
Google Chrome Profiles your Computer Usage
In the privacy policy, Google elaborates on the extreme spyware characteristic it designates as "Usage Statistics and Crash Reports". What this entails is the transmission of highly detailed information regarding your hardware and computer utilisation, which substantiates that it undeniably encompasses the following spyware attributes:
- A monitor that chronicles mouse input over time
- A monitor that catalogues memory utilisation.
Google Payments
Google Payments represents a spyware amenity that documents your banking particulars and dispatches them to Google. This amenity is incorporated into the Google Chrome browser, thereby rendering it another opt-in spyware characteristic within the software.
Google Chrome Encompasses a Keylogger
This has been corroborated in numerous sources. Fundamentally, whenever you input text into the search bar, said information is relayed to Google. You can ostensibly deactivate it by opting out of the "suggestion service".
Records your Voice
It has been confirmed that Google Chrome is perpetually listening to any open microphones on your computer. This information can be found in this statement in a privacy publication:
"Voice & audio information may be collected. For example, if your ***** uses audio activation commands (e.g., "OK, Google" or touching the microphone icon), a recording of the following speech/audio, plus a few seconds before, will be stored to their account…"
This feature is opt-in if you are utilising the "Google Accounts" spyware platform and specifically instruct Google to construct a profile of your *****. It remains unverified whether or not Google uploads the information it listens to its servers outside of this feature.
Chrome Saves User Passwords on Google Servers
Any password stored in Google Chrome's "password management" feature is uploaded to Google if you sign into the "Google Accounts" platform.
Profiles Users in Other Various Ways
In accordance with the privacy policy, Google Chrome profiles the types of web forms you complete, as well as the primary language of the content you consume. Furthermore, Google Chrome generates a unique identifier for each installation you perform. This identifier is transmitted to Google whenever you launch the browser, enabling Google to establish a consistent user identity for you, thus compromising your anonymity. Moreover, when utilising the "Google Accounts" feature, Google stores all of your settings on its official servers.
Is Self-updating Software
Google Chrome incorporates an updater that continuously operates in the background, synchronising with Google servers to check for updates. When updating Google Chrome, the updater will download and execute unverified binaries from Google. It is implausible for an automatic updater service of this nature to verify that the updates are devoid of spyware and/or do not incorporate additional spyware features.
CONCLUSION
The comprehensive surveillance functionalities of Google Chrome, coupled with its capacity to jeopardise user confidentiality and security, render it a perilous selection for individuals involved in hacking and carding endeavours. The browser's data accumulation, profiling, and self-updating attributes present considerable hazards that may result in the divulgence of sensitive information and the impairment of illicit undertakings.
