Topic 'Re: How to block google-analytics' in forum 'Security' - dslreports.com

Re: How to block google-analytics

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 18:37:54 EDT

Mele20 posted : Have you installed Google Sharing? That one is very important to stop Google from amassing a file on you when you use its search engine. Google Sharing will work on both Fx and Sea Monkey.

»addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox···c=search

I found RequestPolicy very difficult to use and did not keep it. I have installed NoScript two times and, again, it is extremely irritating to use and almost all webpages are messed up by it. I probably will uninstall it again. Its GUI is terrible...it is very difficult to read ....italicized grayish font list. Should be regular font, black and bolded for easy and quick reading.

I think the Proxomitron is far better to use. I use, and love, Ghostery but I detest the new GUI...very cumbersome to use and takes three times the number of clicks that the classic GUI takes. Lots of complaints about the new GUI in Ghostery's forum.

ShareMeNot won't work on Fx4 or 10 ESR so I can't try it. But I just block Facebook and Twitter via the hosts file. I don't need the buttons at all because I would never go to either site.
--
When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson

Re: How to block google-analytics

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:13:01 EDT

Bobby_Peru posted :

said by grega711:

I think maybe I've gone a little overboard with privacy software. I've installed:

Adblocker Plus
NoScript
ShareMeNot and
Ghostery.

Now I'm considering adding RequestPolicy (»www.requestpolicy.com/privacy.html), but I think maybe it would duplicate what these other programs are already doing.

Actually, I'm wondering if I really need all four.

Any comments would be appreciated...

Thanks --

Speaking strictly as a non-expert, there is overlap, and extra work involved in getting some/many sites to function as you want*, and the trade-off is a personal choice.

I am not familiar with ShareMeNot, and it's benefits may well be available with the other mentioned extensions.

For RequestPolicy and NoScript:
»www.requestpolicy.com/faq.html#faq-noscript

What is great about RP, is that it allows you to Whitelist, or Blacklist calls FROM specific sites TO specific sites. NoScript allows for the Whitelisting/Blacklisting of the call TO specific sites, but not FROM specific sites. With RP, you can make exceptions for BOTH the sites which the calls are FROM, AND for the sites TO which the calls are made. Example: Photobucket is allowed only at the three sites that you frequent that you want the images, but not at any and all of the rest of the sites that you might just happen to check out that have a photobucket hosted image.

Consider running RP, with it's "Request Log" selected at the bottom of your browser window for a few days, as an easy way to see just how prevalent this third-party cross-web tracking really is. Google (and others) is (almost) everywhere!

As these extensions continue to be improved, the overlap will probably become greater, and so, like you mention, the "need" all of them would decrease. For this user, for now, AbP, NS, Ghostery and RP, are all running.

Here's a thread that might be of some use in your deciding what to run:
»Ghostery not blocking Taboola..

* Now if I could just figure out how to view ComedyCentral/MTV hosted video content, and one or two other sites.... , all would be golden... :)

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 11:05:13 EDT

Dude111 posted :

quote:
I think maybe I've gone a little overboard with privacy software.

Nothing wrong with wanting to protect yourself bud :)

Re: How to block google-analytics

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:08:28 EDT

Buddel posted : I use my HOSTS file and Ghostery. This should be enough to block google-analytics.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 06:14:06 EDT

grega711 posted : I think maybe I've gone a little overboard with privacy software. I've installed:

Adblocker Plus
NoScript
ShareMeNot and
Ghostery.

Now I'm considering adding RequestPolicy (»www.requestpolicy.com/privacy.html), but I think maybe it would duplicate what these other programs are already doing.

Actually, I'm wondering if I really need all four.

Any comments would be appreciated...

Thanks --

Re: How to block google-analytics

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 15:05:13 EDT

siljaline posted : You're welcome :)

Re: How to block google-analytics

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 10:35:47 EDT

Bobby_Peru posted :

said by Juggernaut:

I also use AdBlockPlus in conjunction with NoScript. It's very effective.

Consider also checking out Request Policy ( »www.requestpolicy.com/ »www.requestpolicy.com/privacy.html ). It gives users originating-site-specific-calls black and white listing, including temporary permissions. Plus Ghostery, as others have mentioned.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 03:07:45 EDT

grega711 posted :

said by siljaline:

See: »SpyBot Heads UP
For SpyBot's Hosts file chocking your DNS.

Mucho Gracias. Very helpful link.

Didn't know about that setting in Spybot where I could tell it to innoculate but leave hosts alone.

I finally found it and unchecked the box. Spybot Innoculate is still putting around 15,000 entries into Firefox, so I'll see if that slows Firefox down. If it does, I'll undo Innoculate again and then uncheck the Firefox entries, too.

Thanks again --

Re: How to block google-analytics

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:37:01 EDT

siljaline posted : See: »SpyBot Heads UP
For SpyBot's Hosts file chocking your DNS.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Thu, 25 Oct 2012 02:29:36 EDT

grega711 posted : Wow! Spybot Search and Destroy (Innoculate/Tea Timer, I think) had added *thousands* of entries into my hosts file. And Firefox was running very poorly.

I've now deleted those entries from my hosts file and added Ghostery, Adblock+, NoScript, and Sharemenot. Didn't know those little Twitter/Facebook etc share buttons were tracking my surfing whether I clicked on them or not. And now Firefox is running *much* faster. Thanks!!!

Re: How to block google-analytics

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:34:31 EDT

Name Game posted :

For Google Analytics, Google introduced asynchronous JavaScript code in December 2009 to reduce the risk of slowing the loading of pages tagged with the ga.js scrip

Due to its ubiquity, Google Analytics raises some privacy concerns. Whenever someone visits a website that uses Google Analytics, if Javascript is enabled in the browser then Google tracks that visit via the user's IP address in order to determine the user's approximate geographic location. (To meet German legal requirements, Google Analytics can anonymize the IP address.[23])
Note that the opt-in Google Account privacy policy[24] is quite different from the Google privacy policies as applied to Google AdWords, or the terms of service for users of Google Analytics—which forbid the storing of PII (Personally-Identifiable Information).[25][26]
If a website visitor uses a Google Account as ID when entering a comment or uploading to a Google property such as Blogger or YouTube, then Google receives sufficient information to identify the user and thus associate the details of the website visit with that user. Google has announced an updated privacy policy which will allow Google to specifically identify and track users of any website that uses a Google Account, if that user is also a user of any other Google product (Gmail, Picasa, YouTube, BlogSpot,etc.) to which the same privacy policy applies.[24][27][28] Much of this Google Account profile information is optional and private (viewable only by Google) by default, and the user may update or remove it.[29][30] But, as described above, it is against Google's privacy policies and the Google Analytics Terms of Service to store personally-identifiable information without a user's consent—though some people claim otherwise.[31]
Google has also released a browser plugin that turns off data about a page visit being sent to Google.[32][33] Since this plug-in is produced and distributed by Google itself, it has met much discussion and criticism. Furthermore, the realisation of Google scripts tracking user behaviours has spawned the production of multiple, often open-source, browser plug-ins to reject tracking cookies.[34] These plug-ins offer the user a choice, whether to allow Google Analytics (for example) to track his/her activities. However, partially because of new European privacy laws, most modern browsers allow users to reject tracking cookies, though Flash cookies can be a separate problem again.
It has been anecdotally reported that behind proxy servers and multiple firewalls that errors can occur changing time stamps and registering invalid searches.[35]
Webmasters who seek to mitigate Google Analytics specific privacy issues can employ a number of alternatives having their backends hosted on their own machines. Until its discontinuation, an example of such a product was Urchin WebAnalytics Software from Google itself.

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Analytics
--
Gladiator Security Forum
»www.gladiator-antivirus.com/

Re: How to block google-analytics

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 09:25:21 EDT

Mannus posted : I run Ghostery and NoScript in Palemoon X64. I also run Peerblock for what it's worth.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 23:42:16 EDT

mmainprize posted : I run Firefox with Noscript, SharMeNot, and Ghostery. This will block most Google tracking without needing to edit the HOST file.

You can easily control what sites it blocks them on, so if you need it to work on a site you can allow it, only that site and block them on all others.

Links
»www.ghostery.com/
»sharemenot.cs.washington.edu/
»noscript.net/

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 23:35:20 EDT

siljaline posted : Google and other social networking sites are fully blocked in many EMEA countries by virtue of those countries not wanting the population to use those tools in lieu of state-sponsored sites such as Baidu.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:58:01 EDT

fartness posted : In Soviet Russia, Google blocks you.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 22:47:11 EDT

Name Game posted :

said by OZO:

Keep in mind, that if you run a browser, made by Google (e.g. latest versions of Chromium), it will connect to Google analytic servers even if you block them with your hosts file.

They use directly hardcoded IP addresses (no name resolution needed). Moreover, to make the blocking harder, they require to use some of those servers to sign in into Google online accounts too... So, if you block those IP with firewall on your router, you'll not be able to sign in to your accounts. Bastards... :(
Need an example? Here it is - 74.125.129.106. Try to block it and then sign in.

BTW, to add extra confusion they assign different direct and reverse name resolutions (watch for 74.125.129.106):

D:\>nslookup ...Name:    google-analytics.comAddresses:  74.125.129.106, 74.125.129.105, 74.125.129.147, 74.125.129.99          74.125.129.104, 74.125.129.103

Then check the 74.125.129.106 IP for it's name:

D:\>nslookup 74.125.129.106...Name:    pd-in-f106.1e100.netAddress:  74.125.129.106

And this time the IP comes with a different name - pd-in-f106.1e100.net

That's why if you want to block analytics servers from unsolicited tracking connections you have to make your own special build and remove those hardcoded IP's (quite big subset actually) directly from the browser or simply use Iron browser instead of Chromium/Chrome...

I run google chrome..never log into any google account stuff. I block google-analytics.com and more with hosts file..and net monitor never comes up with those "hardcoded IP's" you mentioned. Where do you see that..or better yet tell me how I could.

BTW that IP if you put it in your browser goes to the google search page

@12:46PM on 9/21/2012 to www.google.com

Reply from 74.125.129.106: bytes=32 time=36ms TTL=46
Reply from 74.125.129.106: bytes=32 time=41ms TTL=46
Reply from 74.125.129.106: bytes=32 time=37ms TTL=46

--
Gladiator Security Forum
»www.gladiator-antivirus.com/

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 19:59:48 EDT

Traxless posted : This site might help.

»ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/browser/p3p/

ttyl

Re:  

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:56:58 EDT

NetFixer posted :

said by Dude111:

quote:
The list is quite big, because unfortunately Windows hosts file doesn't support wildcard '*' and, therefore, each host name should be listed separately there.

I have always noticed that buddy,why is that?? -- Is it too hard for windows to deal with 0 " *.google.com "

That has been repeatedly answered in just about any thread that discusses using a hosts file for "blocking" instead of its intended purpose. The standard that defines the hosts file does not provide for wildcard entries, and neither Microsoft or Windows has anything to do with that standard (other than an obligation to comply with the standard). I suspect that if MS did decide to make their own proprietary rules for the hosts file, they would be instantly lambasted for trying to corrupt a known and accepted standard.
--
We can never have enough of nature.
We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 08:22:57 EDT

Dude111 posted :

quote:
The list is quite big, because unfortunately Windows hosts file doesn't support wildcard '*' and, therefore, each host name should be listed separately there.

I have always noticed that buddy,why is that?? -- Is it too hard for windows to deal with 0 " *.google.com "

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 01:33:09 EDT

siljaline posted : Adversity and Antisocial for ABP gives issues for heavy Facebook users.
»adversity.uk.to/
Elsewhere, it's excellent.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Mon, 22 Oct 2012 00:02:23 EDT

Juggernaut posted : I also use AdBlockPlus in conjunction with NoScript. It's very effective.
--
I'm not anti-social, I just don't like stupid people.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 23:42:01 EDT

dolphins posted :

said by AVD:

unless no-script blocks image loading, you can still be tracked.

Yes, it does block images. It can cripple a website to the point of it being a blank page. I find it especially useful with sites that have a seemingly endless list of hotlinks.

--
Stop The Mindless Killings Stop Over Fishing

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:52:36 EDT

OZO posted :

said by AVD:

said by OZO:

The list is quite big, because unfortunately Windows hosts file doesn't support wildcard '*' and, therefore, each host name should be listed separately there.

technically, does *any* HOSTS file "support wildcards"?

Technically they don't. And usual explanation is - they were not designed to block name resolutions in the first place. But if they did support of '*', blocking name resolutions would be much more efficient. If you look at examples of HOSTS files usually they contain many lines referring to one domain, but specifying each and every host within that domain, one by one. If HOSTS files supported '*', many of those lines could be substituted with just one line. E.g.:
127.0.0.1 *.google-analytics.com.
--
Keep it simple, it'll become complex by itself...

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:33:01 EDT

siljaline posted : See: »Spybot & Adaware still good to use?

Under Win 7 with MVPS Hosts I leave my DNS Client on automatic but flush my DNS every once in a while.

If you've got bags on RAM, the days of disabled DNS in order not to slow your Browser are generally over.

Hosts files with too many parked entries will choke your machine.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:32:22 EDT

AVD posted : unless no-script blocks image loading, you can still be tracked.
--
--Standard disclaimers apply.--

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:29:23 EDT

AVD posted :

said by OZO:

The list is quite big, because unfortunately Windows hosts file doesn't support wildcard '*' and, therefore, each host name should be listed separately there.

technically, does *any* HOSTS file "support wildcards"?
--
--Standard disclaimers apply.--

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:27:18 EDT

OZO posted : No, they're not. The first thing I always do is to un-check that option. The screenshot provided was taken when that option was clear too. Any other ideas?

With other run I may get other, but similar connections. If I resolve those connections and block corresponding IP's with firewall. It will try to connect to different servers. One of them I've mentioned in my earlier post:
IP = 74.125.129.106, which could be referred as google-analytics.com or pd-in-f106.1e100.net.
--
Keep it simple, it'll become complex by itself...

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:23:21 EDT

siljaline posted : I don't know why "MVPS" comments out that Firefox entry.
Presumably due to feedback from Moz users saying this entry prevents from reaching some sites.

You can comment in and out sites via notepad as deemed necessary over time with your Browsing based on the sites you visit.

Many more experienced using non-standard Hosts file users maintain their own lists that they comment in at the bottom of the file at every release.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:22:03 EDT

MagnusM posted : These are connections that Chrome uses for "safe browsing" features, to warn of malicious sites. You can turn this off in Chrome's advanced settings by unchecking "Enable phishing and malware protection".
--
Mischel Internet Security - Developer of TrojanHunter anti-malware

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:16:53 EDT

OZO posted :

said by MagnusM:

Even if you use Google Chrome it's still not going to use IP addresses to access Google Analytics. If you have any links to back this up I'd love to see them.

Here is example of first (no any URL provided) start of Chromium browser, Version 24.0.1299.0 (162321):
[att=1]
As you can see in this session it makes 5 secure tracking connections and it uses them until I close the browser...

1) Do you know any way to stop them?

2) If I block those names with my hosts file, browser will open those connections anyway. It means one thing - browser doesn't need name resolution to connect to those servers or it uses unknown aliases for them.
--
Keep it simple, it'll become complex by itself...

Tracking connections from Chromium browser

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:13:20 EDT

siljaline posted : MVPS Hosts blocks most, examples:

# [Google Inc]
127.0.0.1 domains.googlesyndication.com #[Parking Service]
127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com #[Google AdWords]
127.0.0.1 video-stats.video.google.com
# 127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com #[disabled = Firefox issues]
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com #[Google Analytics]
127.0.0.1 4.afs.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 pagead2.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 partner.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 www.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 apps5.oingo.com #[Microsoft.Typo-Patrol]
127.0.0.1 www.appliedsemantics.com
127.0.0.1 service.urchin.com #[Urchin Tracking Module]

Also: For IE 9 -
»ie.microsoft.com/testdrive/brows···ogle.txt

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:55:14 EDT

NetFixer posted :

said by OZO:

The list is quite big, because unfortunately Windows hosts file doesn't support wildcard '*' and, therefore, each host name should be listed separately there.

The hosts file does not support wildcard '*' entries no matter what OS it is used on. Microsoft is not to blame for the lack of wildcard support.
--
We can never have enough of nature.
We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:50:24 EDT

MagnusM posted : Even if you use Google Chrome it's still not going to use IP addresses to access Google Analytics. If you have any links to back this up I'd love to see them.

EDIT: Try to access »74.125.129.106/ga.js in Google Chrome -- you will get a 404 error.

--
Mischel Internet Security - Developer of TrojanHunter anti-malware

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:48:39 EDT

OZO posted : I was specifically talking about Google made browsers.

Can you block browsers from connecting to Google Analytics servers while you're browsing the Internet?
--
Keep it simple, it'll become complex by itself...

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:46:21 EDT

MagnusM posted : The Google Analytics code is loaded via JavaScript from web pages with Google Analytics tracking enabled. This does indeed use the hostnames www.google-analytics.com and ssl.google-analytics.com. I just looked through the ga.js file and couldn't find any hard-coded IPs in there... this also wouldn't make any sense since it would circumvent the load-balancing features of using hostname resolution.
--
Mischel Internet Security - Developer of TrojanHunter anti-malware

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 21:35:47 EDT

OZO posted : Keep in mind, that if you run a browser, made by Google (e.g. latest versions of Chromium), it will connect to Google analytic servers even if you block them with your hosts file.

They use directly hardcoded IP addresses (no name resolution needed). Moreover, to make the blocking harder, they require to use some of those servers to sign in into Google online accounts too... So, if you block those IP with firewall on your router, you'll not be able to sign in to your accounts. Bastards... :(
Need an example? Here it is - 74.125.129.106. Try to block it and then sign in.

BTW, to add extra confusion they assign different direct and reverse name resolutions (watch for 74.125.129.106):

D:\>nslookup google-analytics.com...Name:    google-analytics.comAddresses:  74.125.129.106, 74.125.129.105, 74.125.129.147, 74.125.129.99          74.125.129.104, 74.125.129.103

Then check the 74.125.129.106 IP for it's name:

D:\>nslookup 74.125.129.106...Name:    pd-in-f106.1e100.netAddress:  74.125.129.106

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:47:59 EDT

dolphins posted : Firefox with NoScript add-on.

[att=1]

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:42:14 EDT

Sindows 7 posted : 127.0.0.1 pagead.googlesyndication.com
127.0.0.1 pagead2.googlesyndication.com
127.0.0.1 adservices.google.com
127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 imageads.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads1.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads2.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads3.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads4.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads5.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads6.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads7.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads8.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 imageads9.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 partner.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 www.googleadservices.com
127.0.0.1 apps5.oingo.com
127.0.0.1 www.appliedsemantics.com
127.0.0.1 service.urchin.com

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:22:33 EDT

MagnusM posted : I would like to add that using the hosts file to block sites can cause slower page loading times if you don't have a web server running on localhost. The browser will have to wait for the connect to time out before determining that it cannot load the file. In addition, if you are also blocking ssl.google-analytics.com and are running a local web server then you may experience the same issue unless you also have SSL enabled for the local web server.

Also, if you have a very large hosts file, it can really slow down your machine. I have seen examples of a Windows XP box that was pretty much unusable because the hosts file had tens of thousand of entries. Clearing the hosts file fixed the problem and returned the system to its usual working state. For this reason I recommend Ghostery + Adblock instead.
--
Mischel Internet Security - Developer of TrojanHunter anti-malware

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:10:50 EDT

Jrb2 posted : Hi,

May I make an observation about adding:

127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com

I see in the MVPS HOSTS file that it is commented out:

# 127.0.0.1  ssl.google-analytics.com #[disabled = Firefox issues]

I'm just posting this as an observation and not as a recommendation. I don't know the reasons behind it and have to leave that discussion to others.

Re: How to block google-analytics

Sun, 21 Oct 2012 19:07:56 EDT

anon posted : ..AND OZO, has it too . My post above showed up out of order and was before OZO's reply.

Awkward..........

-Jim

Topic 'Re: How to block google-analytics' in forum 'Security' - dslreports.com

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

&nbsp;

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: &nbsp;

&nbsp;

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: How to block google-analytics

Re: