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Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

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11–20 of 66 posts

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#11
post #8

Related: I'd LOVE to know how to force standard ctrl + f behaviour on sites that override it. Same for sites that override ctrl + left click (to open link in new tab - some sites will treat it like you simply clicked the link and open it in the same tab - super annoying).

As a workaround CTRL+L CTRL+F usually opens the regular find bar.

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#14
post #8

Related: I'd LOVE to know how to force standard ctrl + f behaviour on sites that override it. Same for sites that override ctrl + left click (to open link in new tab - some sites will treat it like you simply clicked the link and open it in the same tab - super annoying).

I use F3 for this, I don't know if it's possible but I've never seen a website hijack F3.

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#16
post #4

[self-promotion] My extension StopTheMadness stops this (supports all web browsers on macOS): https://underpassapp.com/StopTheMadness/

So the solution is to give the extension access to your banking site? Doesn't seem ideal. Extension permissions still can't block an extension from making network requests if they have access to a site, right? (Not implying this extension does something nefarious, but more the general risk of such extensions especially when we hear that sometimes extensions get sold or their authors accounts get compromised...)

I completely agree. At least on Firefox there is an extension that restores right click and it is open source. If you want to be extra sure you can audit the code and package it yourself. This on the other hand appears to be closed source.

Even if it is benign now, there is no telling when it might be sold and new owners may have more nefarious intentions.

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#17
post #12

Is there even proven benefits of blocking right click security wise? I wonder what is the rationale behind these decisions?

My wildly-speculative guess: some executive saw someone use “Inspect Element” and hosted an urgent meeting about how to solve this security risk. Rather than try to explain why it’s not a security risk, the dev team just placated the exec by saying “we could just disable right-click.”

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#18
post #4

[self-promotion] My extension StopTheMadness stops this (supports all web browsers on macOS): https://underpassapp.com/StopTheMadness/

So the solution is to give the extension access to your banking site? Doesn't seem ideal. Extension permissions still can't block an extension from making network requests if they have access to a site, right? (Not implying this extension does something nefarious, but more the general risk of such extensions especially when we hear that sometimes extensions get sold or their authors accounts get compromised...)

You should definitely vet the developer before you install any software. I stake my reputation on my software, as a professional Mac developer for over 15 years. I'm pretty well known in that community, and my extension has also been well reviewed by the press.

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#19
post #4

[self-promotion] My extension StopTheMadness stops this (supports all web browsers on macOS): https://underpassapp.com/StopTheMadness/

So the solution is to give the extension access to your banking site? Doesn't seem ideal. Extension permissions still can't block an extension from making network requests if they have access to a site, right? (Not implying this extension does something nefarious, but more the general risk of such extensions especially when we hear that sometimes extensions get sold or their authors accounts get compromised...)

> So the solution is to give the extension access to your banking site? Doesn't seem ideal.

I use a dedicated browser for all types of banking as you can't be too careful. Also, I don't run any extension on it for this same reason of being careful.

Re: Ask HN: How to disable right-click blocking in the browser

#20
post #12

Is there even proven benefits of blocking right click security wise? I wonder what is the rationale behind these decisions?

Probably some combination of security theater and well-intentioned but shallow, nearsighted and misguided attempt to increase security by reducing a perceived attackable surface area (i.e. likely somebody got scared with "View source" or something like that).
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