Chrome 103 Released With Deflate-Raw Compression Format, Local Font Access

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Chrome 103 Released With Deflaw-Raw Compression Format, Local Font Access

Google today released Chrome 103 as the newest monthly feature update to its cross-platform web browser...

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Chrome-103-Released

[tildearrow]

Imagine fingerprinting using the user's installed fonts list... -_-

[mb_q]

And so, Windows people will soon be able to not-pay for WebRAR...

[RahulSundaram]

Imagine fingerprinting using the user's installed fonts list... -_-

This is already feasible. The API is an improvement over the status quo.

[RahulSundaram]

And so, Windows people will soon be able to not-pay for WebRAR...

No. WinRAR (not WebRAR) implements a proprietary algorithm. It's a pretty niche tool.

[brucethemoose]

No. WinRAR (not WebRAR) implements a proprietary algorithm. It's a pretty niche tool.

But the compression is not even state-of-the-art afaik.

And TBH most people buy it because they are unaware of perfectly suitable alternatives for decompression.

[arQon]

This is already feasible. The API is an improvement over the status quo.

You realise that's a Google blog, right? I don't think you can really expect them to admit "So, hey, yeah, we're adding new stuff to Chrome just to make it easier to track you".
(You know, like FLOC. And Manifest v3. And, well, almost every new feature added to Chrome in the last ... ever).

[cyclistefou]

Imagine fingerprinting using the user's installed fonts list... -_-

Man, I went to the comments section just to post this... you said it already.

[archkde]

You realise that's a Google blog, right? I don't think you can really expect them to admit "So, hey, yeah, we're adding new stuff to Chrome just to make it easier to track you".
(You know, like FLOC. And Manifest v3. And, well, almost every new feature added to Chrome in the last ... ever).

You can just try the Cover Your Tracks test by EFF to see it yourself if you don't believe Google that font fingerprinting was possible.

[alvar]

This new font access API actually asks the user for explicit permission, unlike what is currently possible with CSS. There's a popup that looks like the ones asking for permission to use webcams and mics. Sure, there is a possibility of abuse and tricking users to click it, but at least it is very explicit.