Google plans to start testing a full-length in Google Chrome that it calls IP Protection. It is designed to protect user IP addresses through the use of proxy servers.
The IP write may reveal much well-nigh a user. Alone, it may reveal the injudicious location and information well-nigh the network operator. It may moreover reveal the owner of an Internet connection, for instance in police investigations.
IP addresses may moreover be used for tracking purposes online. The effectiveness of this depends on how often new IP addresses are prescribed to a device.
Proxy servers, VPNs or services like Tor are used to protect user IP addresses. It appears that Google is well-nigh to introduce a native option in its Chrome web browser.
IP Protection in Chrome
Google defines IP Protection in Chrome in the pursuit way: "IP Protection is a full-length that sends third-party traffic for a set of domains through proxies for the purpose of protecting the user by masking their IP write from those domains"
The full-length will be opt-in during the initial testing and it will roll out gradually over time to client's with US-based IP addresses. Google does reveal that a "small percentage of clients will be automatically enrolled", which seemingly contradicts the initial opt-in promise.
The first phase limits the functionality to a proxy that Google owns and domains that Google owns as well. In other words: when users opt-in, some Google traffic is tunneled through the proxy in Chrome using Google's own proxy server.
This is washed-up to test the infrastructure and ensure that other companies are not impacted negatively by the introduction of the feature.
Google mentions several other requirements in the initial post on the Chromium Dev forum. Users, those with US-based IP addresses initially, need to be signed-in to Google Chrome to test the feature. Since there is the endangerment for abuse, Google's server uses authentication. Testers receive a quota of wangle tokens to use the proxy in Chrome.
Chrome is not the only web browser with an IP Protection feature. Apple's Safari web browser has a Intelligent Tracking Protection feature, which hides the IP write of Apple users, when enabled. Apple uses a two-hop tideway to modernize privacy. Google plans to switch to a two-hop system in a later phase of the test.
Two hops ways that two proxy servers are used. This ensures that no proxy server knows both the user's IP write and the destination. Tor uses three hops by default to modernize security plane further.
Closing Words
Internet users have a number of options when it comes to protecting the IP write of their device. VPN servers are one of the most popular options. All have in worldwide that they transpiration the IP write to flipside one for all communication. Apple's Hide IP Write full-length and Google Chrome's upcoming IP Protection full-length transpiration it only for unrepealable tracking requests.
Requests spritz through Google servers, if IP Protection is enabled, which may have its own privacy consequences.
Now You: would you use IP Protection if your browser would support it? (via Bleeping Computer)
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