Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#1

Post by slowenough » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 3:09 AM UTC

Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced
github.com

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#2

Post by slowenough » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 3:20 AM UTC

This represents over 1 year of work.

Why am I open sourcing this?

I don't see any other RBI / CBII vendor open sourcing their platform and in the security industry "closed source" can create issues.

But what about business defensibility?

I agree. Open sourcing removes the trade secret aspect that could make a defensible business.

At the same time, a determined hacker would already have my source code. A hacked "free wifi" connection here, a bit of social engineering there, and my so-called "competitive advantage" could be easily removed. Access to GitHub, Gitlab, other accounts would prove no obstacle for someone motivated, and open sourcing is a way to remove the advantage any small group of parties has by keeping it secret.

How do I self-host it?

There's instructions on the repository page.

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#3

Post by jusob » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 3:32 AM UTC

slowenough wrote: post #2

This represents over 1 year of work. Why am I open sourcing this? I don't see any other RBI / CBII vendor open sourcing their platform and in the security industry "closed source" can create issues. But what about business defensibility? I agree. Open sourcing removes the trade secret aspect that could make a defensible business. At the same time, a determined hacker would already have my source code. A hacked "free…

Unable to connect to https://free.cloudbrowser.xyz/

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#4

Post by slowenough » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 3:36 AM UTC

jusob wrote: post #3

slowenough wrote: post #2

This represents over 1 year of work. Why am I open sourcing this? I don't see any other RBI / CBII vendor open sourcing their platform and in the security industry "closed source" can create issues. But what about business defensibility? I agree. Open sourcing removes the trade secret aspect that could make a defensible business. At the same time, a determined hacker would already have my source code. A hacked "free…

Unable to connect to https://free.cloudbrowser.xyz/

Sorry, I need to restart it. I resized the instance, then forgot. Hold on a couple minutes while the queue of browsers rebuilds on restart. Thanks for letting me know :)

Edit: It's getting kind of slammed, right now. I might need to resize it up again in a while.

Edit2: Alright, I have to resize it, it needs more power. Hold on while it comes back up. Queue is rebuilding @23:13 ET.

Edit3: Okay, back up @23:20 ET. Please enjoy!

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#5

Post by mirimir » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 3:43 AM UTC

slowenough wrote: post #2

This represents over 1 year of work. Why am I open sourcing this? I don't see any other RBI / CBII vendor open sourcing their platform and in the security industry "closed source" can create issues. But what about business defensibility? I agree. Open sourcing removes the trade secret aspect that could make a defensible business. At the same time, a determined hacker would already have my source code. A hacked "free…

That's an admirable move.

Nobody sane relies on anything that's closed-source.

Edit: OK, nobody prudent.

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#6

Post by mrskitch » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 3:55 AM UTC

Hey, this is super cool and interesting! Are you using puppeteer to do this? Might be cool to partner on some of it if you’re looking into that (I run browserless.io).

Best!

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#7

Post by slowenough » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 4:00 AM UTC

mrskitch wrote: post #6

Hey, this is super cool and interesting! Are you using puppeteer to do this? Might be cool to partner on some of it if you’re looking into that (I run browserless.io). Best!

Hey!

Thanks for the message. I like browserless!

I don't use puppeteer. I use Chrome DevTools Protocol heavily tho. I started using chrome-remote-interface but hit limits in what it can do with Targets (specifically, flat session mode) and the latest versions of the API. Now I just use the WebSocket directly.

I'd like to partner. Email me cris@dosycorp.com

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#8

Post by gotts » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 4:11 AM UTC

I must be missing something but can someone please explain

how browsergap > self-host on your own machine (at home, or in a VPS, VPC or the public cloud)

is more secure/private then just setting up a VPN on that machine?

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#9

Post by dlandis » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 4:43 AM UTC

Could someone write a few sentences about what it is and how it works, and why it is significant? I see neither this post, the GH repo, nor its website really says much of anything on the subject. I only see info about why it’s being open sourced and how to set it up. If someone were to go to all that trouble, I am surprised they would stop short on just providing basic info.

Re: Show HN: A remote browser product, open-sourced

#10

Post by m1sta_ » Mon, Nov 18, 2019, 4:56 AM UTC

gotts wrote: post #8

I must be missing something but can someone please explain how browsergap > self-host on your own machine (at home, or in a VPS, VPC or the public cloud) is more secure/private then just setting up a VPN on that machine?

It's a different approach. The most material difference is that a VPN does not protect you if a rouge web app breaks out of the browser sandbox.