Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites • Hacker News Board

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#11

Post by gabrielsroka » Sun, Apr 13, 2025, 5:44 PM UTC

gorhill wrote: post #7

xnx wrote: post #2

1) Why is this better than using the built in Chrome or Microsoft protections? 2) How do I know this isn't logging every URL I visit back to Osprey?

When you enable "Developer mode" in the "Extensions" page of your browser, you can open the developer tools for the extension by clicking the "service worker" link, and from there select the "Network" tab, you will be able all the network requests made by the extension from within its service worker.

I just started using uBO Lite on Chrome. Brave is my daily driver and I just can't surf the web without an ad blocker anymore. I resisted it for years.

Thank you for all you do!

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#12

Post by jeroenhd » Sun, Apr 13, 2025, 5:48 PM UTC

xnx wrote: post #2

1) Why is this better than using the built in Chrome or Microsoft protections? 2) How do I know this isn't logging every URL I visit back to Osprey?

Chrome and Edge contain just one single source of malicious website reports.

This addon uses multiple data sources.

As for logging: this submits URLs to various services. This is unlike Google Safe Browsing, which has a "periodically sync an offline database" setting (but will also send URLs to Google by default).

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#13

Post by throwaway290 » Sun, Apr 13, 2025, 6:33 PM UTC

Does it protect you from malicious extensions including possible future versions of itself? :)

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#14

Post by RamRodification » Sun, Apr 13, 2025, 8:37 PM UTC

SamuelAdams wrote: post #6

How is this different from setting your DNS to a malware-blocking domain provider? For example Cloudflare’s malware dns is 1.1.1.2, Quad9 blocks malware by default with 9.9.9.9.

Two obvious differences to me:

Since it's a browser extension, it does not offer any protection outside the browser. If you use a DNS service with malware blocking it will, in theory, "protect" any DNS lookup your system performs. Including lookups that originate from software other than your web browser.

It also differs by using several different services to check all URLs (there's a list in the readme). If you set your DNS to Cloudflare and/or Quad9 you will only get protection from one of those.

I can think of pros and cons with both of these aspects.

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#15

Post by RamRodification » Sun, Apr 13, 2025, 8:45 PM UTC

true_blue wrote: post #10

ublock Origin already has a feature called "strict blocking" which does the same thing. In fact, the placeholder page that this extension takes you to looks almost exactly the same as the one that ublock origin uses.

> does the same thing

Does that feature really send each URL you attempt to browse to a bunch of third-party services to be verified before it lets you browse them?

Edit: Made some not-very-thorough research and it seems like "strict blocking" in uBlock Origin does not do the same thing. It does local lookups against regularly updated filter lists. Like all of uBlock Origin's blocking, I guess.

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#16

Post by wopurs » Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 1:57 AM UTC

I don't like the fact that it's sending all websites a user visits to a bunch of companies, specially companies that are not EU based.

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#17

Post by Foulest » Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 5:28 PM UTC

mfrisbie wrote: post #3

So this extension is feeding a stream of your browsing activity to a bunch of third party services? No thanks.

The same thing happens with Google's SafeBrowsing, Microsoft's SmartScreen, Bitdefender TrafficLight, or Emsisoft Browser Protection. Osprey essentially combines multiple already existing browser protection extensions into one.

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#18

Post by Foulest » Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 5:30 PM UTC

wopurs wrote: post #16

I don't like the fact that it's sending all websites a user visits to a bunch of companies, specially companies that are not EU based.

It uses the same exact framework as Google SafeBrowsing and Microsoft SmartScreen.

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#19

Post by Foulest » Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 5:31 PM UTC

gorhill wrote: post #7

xnx wrote: post #2

1) Why is this better than using the built in Chrome or Microsoft protections? 2) How do I know this isn't logging every URL I visit back to Osprey?

When you enable "Developer mode" in the "Extensions" page of your browser, you can open the developer tools for the extension by clicking the "service worker" link, and from there select the "Network" tab, you will be able all the network requests made by the extension from within its service worker.

Thanks gorhill. Yes, this is true! Osprey only sends its stripped-down URLs to the services you turn on. Nothing more. It's as anonymous as it can be without using a VPN, afaik.

Re: Osprey – Browser extension that protects you from malicious websites

#20

Post by Foulest » Mon, Apr 14, 2025, 5:34 PM UTC

xnx wrote: post #2

1) Why is this better than using the built in Chrome or Microsoft protections? 2) How do I know this isn't logging every URL I visit back to Osprey?

1) Osprey is just more protections built into one. It combines seven pre-existing safe browsing extensions you can already download into one lighter and better extension. All these extensions do is send the URL you visit to an API. That's what SmartScreen and Google SafeBrowsing do. 2) Read gorhill's comment. Checking network activity is easy, and checking every extension is always good.