New York Feb 25 (IANS) Researchers have developed a new system that uses JavaScript decryption algorithms embedded in web pages to patch security holes left open by web browsers private-browsing functions.
Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) described the system "Veil" that makes private browsing more private at the Network and Distributed Systems Security Symposium in San Diego.
"We asked What is the fundamental problem? And the fundamental problem is that [the browser] collects this information and then the browser does its best effort to fix it " Frank Wang an MIT graduate student said.
"But at the end of the day no matter what the browser s best effort is it still collects it. We might as well not collect that information in the first place " Wang added.
Generally a browser won t know where the data it downloaded has ended up. Even if it did it wouldn t necessarily have authorisation from the operating system to delete it.
"Veil" gets around this problem by ensuring that any data the browser loads into memory remains encrypted until it s actually displayed on-screen.
Rather than typing a URL into the browser s address bar the user goes to the "Veil" website and enters the URL there.
A special server -- which the researchers call a blinding server -- transmits a version of the requested page that s been translated into the "Veil" format.
Once the data is decrypted it will need to be loaded in memory for as long as it s displayed on-screen. That type of temporarily stored data is less likely to be traceable after the browser session is over.
"Veil" would provide added protections to people using shared computers in offices hotel business centres or university computing centres.
It can be used in conjunction with existing private-browsing systems and with anonymity networks such as Tor -- which was designed to protect the identity of web users living under repressive regimes.
--IANS
sku/qd
