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Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

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Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#51

I'm curious if, as @thefalken brought up [0], this is illegal under the GDPR, given that it's a hidden opt out and should apply to EU citizenry with browser language set to Chinese. [0] https://mobile.twitter.com/thefalken/status/1183445477645312...

If it's illegal under the GDPR to send the data of EU citizens with browser language set to Chinese to Tencent, it's also illegal to send the data of EU citizens with browser language set to anything else to Google. Chrome, Firefox, Safari and probably all Chromium-based browsers (unless they disable Safe Browsing by default) use Google's API and would be in violation, too.

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#52
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is this getting downvoted? I'm also interested in why this approach isn't taken.

Downvoters who think that might be too much data don't know about Bloom filters.

People who think they know about Bloom filters should consider what attack vectors a false positive with such would allow.

(The end result of the thought experiment will be basically what Google does now.)

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#53

I'm curious if, as @thefalken brought up [0], this is illegal under the GDPR, given that it's a hidden opt out and should apply to EU citizenry with browser language set to Chinese. [0] https://mobile.twitter.com/thefalken/status/1183445477645312...

The code appears to be used for fraud related purposes, meaning, to my understanding, Apple would likely argue it has a legitimate interest. There’s a lot of legal language around this exception, but fraud is directly called out as a legitimate interest and means that the group controlling the data would not need to obtain user consent. For additional reading, I’d recommend the following post: https://www.gdpreu.org/…

Is apple the data controller here since it's all happening on the users' device? And does "legitimate interests" extend beyond the data controller's interests? I.e. if it's only about fraud against apple then safe browsing (which is supposed to protect the user from fraud) would not necessarily be a legitimate interest of apple. It might have to be opt-in at least.

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#54

I'm curious if, as @thefalken brought up [0], this is illegal under the GDPR, given that it's a hidden opt out and should apply to EU citizenry with browser language set to Chinese. [0] https://mobile.twitter.com/thefalken/status/1183445477645312...

If region is set to China, not just language. Locale has two components, like in en_US.

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#55
post #54

I'm curious if, as @thefalken brought up [0], this is illegal under the GDPR, given that it's a hidden opt out and should apply to EU citizenry with browser language set to Chinese. [0] https://mobile.twitter.com/thefalken/status/1183445477645312...

If region is set to China, not just language. Locale has two components, like in en_US.

That doesn't mean that the user is in China. It means that the user wants their interface in Chinese as it is written in mainland China. In other words, the CN means simplified Chinese instead of traditional Chinese, which is what the TW region code corresponds to.

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#56

Took a quick look, and this appears to be enabled if [NSLocale.currentLocale.countryCode isEqualToString:@"CN"]: char ____ZN7Backend6Google12SSBUtilities24shouldConsultWithTencentEv_block_invoke_2(void * _block) { rax = [NSLocale currentLocale]; rax = [rax retain]; r14 = [[rax countryCode] retain]; [rax release]; rbx = [r14 isEqualToString:@"CN"] != 0x0 ? 0x1 : 0x0; [r14 release]; rax = rbx; return rax; } Update: the…

What kind of code am I looking at, it seems pretty cool. I this some automatically 'reverse compiled' assembly?

In any case, I'd love to know how you generated this. Would be very cool to get something similar out of an executable.

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#57
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is this getting downvoted? I'm also interested in why this approach isn't taken.

Downvoters who think that might be too much data don't know about Bloom filters.

Bloom filters are likely useless in this situation - following facts for phishing only:

1. Phishing sites have a lifecycle of about 15 hours.

2. Most malicious links are hidden within benign domains.

3. About 400,000 phishing sites are created each month.

From: https://www.itgovernance.co.uk/blog/4-eye-opening-facts-abou...

I haven't run the numbers, but I am guessing that a clientside solution would have a lot of bandwidth sucking and avoiding false positives is very important.

Also with a clientside solution, how are new phishing URLs detected?

PS: perhaps try to assume HNers know what a Bloom filter is (I've seen them come up lots of times in comments).

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#58

Took a quick look, and this appears to be enabled if [NSLocale.currentLocale.countryCode isEqualToString:@"CN"]: char ____ZN7Backend6Google12SSBUtilities24shouldConsultWithTencentEv_block_invoke_2(void * _block) { rax = [NSLocale currentLocale]; rax = [rax retain]; r14 = [[rax countryCode] retain]; [rax release]; rbx = [r14 isEqualToString:@"CN"] != 0x0 ? 0x1 : 0x0; [r14 release]; rax = rbx; return rax; } Update: the…

> ____ZN7Backend6Google12SSBUtilities24shouldConsultWithTencentEv_block_invoke_2

I'm glad I don't use Objective-C... That's some Java level function naming there.

Edit: may have spoke too soon, appears to be possible reverse engineered / decompiled?

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#59
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> China only. Based on the twitter conversation, it's NOT China only. It's Chinese localization only. Big difference. That means anyone anywhere in the world who set their computer to Chinese has their data sent. Including Europe which is likely a GDPR violation.

The google servers apparently takes url hash prefix. Does tencent do the same? If so is it still considered a gdpr violation? There is not much info in a url hash prefix.

Suppose peeps going to HN are suspect. Then anyone who often produces hash prefixes that match HN is suspect. When you start getting sequences, you could possible start matching how people navigate a website.

Essentially, a hash-prefix allows you to rule out / semi confirm guesses about browsing behavior.

Re: Apple Is Sending URLs to Tencent?

#60
post #56

Took a quick look, and this appears to be enabled if [NSLocale.currentLocale.countryCode isEqualToString:@"CN"]: char ____ZN7Backend6Google12SSBUtilities24shouldConsultWithTencentEv_block_invoke_2(void * _block) { rax = [NSLocale currentLocale]; rax = [rax retain]; r14 = [[rax countryCode] retain]; [rax release]; rbx = [r14 isEqualToString:@"CN"] != 0x0 ? 0x1 : 0x0; [r14 release]; rax = rbx; return rax; } Update: the…

What kind of code am I looking at, it seems pretty cool. I this some automatically 'reverse compiled' assembly? In any case, I'd love to know how you generated this. Would be very cool to get something similar out of an executable.

It's "decompilation" of a block invoke for Backend::Google::SSBUtilities::shouldConsultWithTencent() taken by opening /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/SafariSafeBrowsing.framework/SafariSafeBrowsing in Hopper Disassembler.
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