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#1 2014-05-05 19:46:52

cricket
Guest

Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

To enhance security with 'Epic Privacy Browser' I urgently recommend the following additional add-ons (extensions):

1. 'HTTPS Everywhere' (for Chrome) to encrypt all the traffic with websites by SSL connections as much as possible.

2. 'Trusteer Report Security' (against keyloggers for passwords, etc.), strongly recommended by my bank.

How soon can these add-ons be added to Epic? I would be very grateful to you for doing this.

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#2 2014-05-06 12:32:58

sai
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Hi cricket,

Thank you for suggestion, but there is already Encrypted data preference set in Epic which works in similar lines of HTTPs everywhere.

We shall look at other add on you suggested.

Sai
Epic Team

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#3 2014-05-09 14:12:37

cricket
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Hello Sai,

Thank you very much for your reply. I have been using Epic now for about a week and like it more and more.
I have some further questions and remarks.

1.  'HTTPS EVERYWHERE'. Sorry about this question. I should have looked better at your forum chats.

2.  'TRUSTEER RAPPORT'. This is the correct name of the program I mentioned earlier to you.
I installed this program (or plug-in perhaps?) from my bank's website. Trusteer is automatically 'picked up' by Google Chrome (and Internet Explorer) -- no need to install an add-on/extension -- and is shown in the browser as a grey or green square icon at the end of the address bar.
Clicking this icon each website can individually and optionally be protected (green icon) or not (grey) against keylogging etc. by dangerous spyware. Trusteer protects in a alternative and additional way other 'normal' anti-spyware does. The program is broadly used in the US en UK, and strongly advised by many big banks.
Why does Epic obviously 'block' Trusteer Rapport?

3.  ERROR PROXY-SERVER. When I try to go to a website through your proxy-server, I often get a message of this kind: "ERROR. This website can not be retrieved".
And then, when I press on <F5> of my keyboard (Windows 7 Home), the desired website does appear, without any further problem. Why is that?

4.  'ADBLOCK OPTIONS'. Under your 'Umbrella'-icon, by clicking on "View" behind this option, I want to add the 'Filter subscription' named "DutchAdblockList+EasyList (Nederlands)". I selected this, clicked on 'Update now' and always got the message: "Failed, no valid filter list", though other language lists appear to be valid. I added the german list.
Why is that failure? Which other lists have been (automatically) activated without being added by a user? Or is a dutch user not (fully) protected because of this failure?

5.  'TRACKERS (Notifications)'. Also under 'Umbrella' is this option in grey, not in black. Does this mean the user is not (fully) protected?

6.  SSL-ENCRYPTION. I think it's absolutely necessary to have an encrypted connection between a user's computer and your proxy-server(s) in the US.
By the way: why in the US and not in a 'neutral' country like Switzerland or Sweden, far away from (unlawful) operating US-government agencies?

Thank you very much for a quick reply.

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#4 2014-05-09 16:10:38

alok
Administrator

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Hi Cricket -- thanks for the super feedback & suggestions & your support!!!

Cool regarding https everywhere -- we have modified it and integrated it into Epic...

'TRUSTEER RAPPORT' -- is this a plugin?  Epic actually picks up Chrome and Firefox plugins automatically...so if it's a plugin, it should pick it up.  I didn't find it in the chrome webstore, so I believe it is a plugin not an addon. 

Type this link in Epic and see if it's listed there:
chrome://plugins/

PROXY -- sorry we just in the past few weeks improved proxy bandwidth 10x.  We'll continue to increase bandwidth to ensure it's always working -- we're just seeing a lot of growth in usage!

PROXY-ENCRYPTION -- we're also working on making the proxy connection always encrypted.  Right now, a portion of the users of Epic's proxy are on an encrypted proxy, in the coming weeks, we'll put all users on an encrypted proxy!

TRACKERS -- grey font color at the bottom is from our designer, it's related only to the notifications not whether or not it's working!

USA DOMICILING -- Epic right now is developed in India by our Indian entity, though the ownership is by a US entity.  The US actually has no data retention laws so in that way is a good country to be domiciled in.  The main risk is for US citizens like me (the founder!) who could get a gag order from the NSA or someone...that's why I can't update Epic or change any code without approval from the Indian national developers on the team.   In time we hope to have more protections by restricting updating Epic to people from multiple nations and multiple checks. 

DUTCH ADBLOCK LIST -- you should be well-protected, but we should also get that list to work...we will fix it in an update next week!  Thanks for letting us know.

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#5 2014-05-09 18:17:12

cricket
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Hello Alok,

Thanks a lot for your speedy reply.

'Trusteer Rapport' appears not to be a plug-in according to "chrome://plugins/". The manufacturer calls it consequently "software". In my Program Files (x86)-folder I saw a few '.exe'-files, so I call it a program.
You can learn more about this program at 'https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trusteer'.

The question remains: why does Epic not pick up this program, while Chrome and other browser automatically do?

About domiciling the proxy-server(s) in the US. Everyone now knows that the NSA etc. can easily get a court order to demand all kinds of private data, not only meta-data, from providers/services based in the US and they are (illegally) tapping communication cables, without court permission. That's why I suggested countries like Switzerland or Sweden as a better place for safeguarding one's real IP-address on a server.

Do you plan to develop in the near future an Epic-version for mobile phones (Android) as well? I look forward to it.

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#6 2014-05-11 13:31:30

cricket
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

At 'http://www.trusteer.com/nl/support/supported-platforms' I see that only the 'big three'-browsers (Chrome, IE, Firefox) are supported by 'Trusteer Rapport' (which is free to use). Unfortunately!

The 'Trusteer Rapport User Guide' says among other things:

"When you connect to a protected website, Trusteer Rapport blocks any processes on your computer from accessing the website. You communicate safely with the website, shielded from any hostile access attempts by malware. Even if you have unrecognized hidden malware lurking on your computer, it cannot read sensitive information from the website or tamper with your transactions."

"Trusteer Rapport encrypts your keystrokes as they travel to the browser and hides them from malicious programs known as keyloggers and from malicious software components inside the operating system. This prevents malware from reading your keystrokes and grabbing sensitive information such as your password or payment card number."

"Trusteer Rapport disables any attempts to capture the screen while a protected website is displayed in your browser. This prevents malware from grabbing sensitive information by capturing the screen."

Well, this sounds great!
Do you, or your community, know open-source-software for (some of) these features, especially encrypting and hiding keystrokes, to incorporate in Epic? Or is it possible to develop them yourself in the near future?

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#7 2014-05-12 15:16:35

alok
Administrator

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Trusteer Rapport is a plug-in that's for banking websites...banking sites that require it will probably not work in Epic, they will require you to use one of the other browsers.  It won't improve security in other websites, so if you don't require it for your online bank then it would be of no benefit.  It would be nice to have some of its features in Epic, we hope to work on it over time!!

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#8 2014-05-12 18:47:00

cricket
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Hello Alok,

Thanks for your reply. There is some misunderstanding about 'Trusteer Rapport'. Unlike you wrote, it works also great for ANY other website than of banks, when you add the URL manually, but only if your using Chrome, IE or Firefox (not Epic!). However, I found a good alternative, I think.

My earlier post (no spam!) didn't show up in the forum, so I resend it here:

After a long search on the internet I found 'ZEMANA ANTILOGGER' (see 'www[dot]zemana[dot]com/product/antilogger/overview'), which seems to be one of the best anti-(key)loggers according to many tests I've seen.

The FREE version only has keylogging protection. It is exceptionally easy to use, it doesn't need signatures at all, works for all kinds of applications (not only browsers!) and runs well along anti-virus programs. It encrypts all keystrokes and gives them directly decrypted to the used application (e.g. browser). A keylogger can see them encrypted only.

The PAID version of Zemana Antilogger (19,95 euro) also has many other protection features: intercepting and shutting down suspicious processes by SSL-keyloggers, screen capture, webcam and microphone hijacking, clipboard remote access, system intrusion etc. So it protects at least the same, probably more, as Trusteer Rapport does! (This version has a free trial period of 15 days).

As far as I know, there is no open-source-alternative, unfortunately, that could be incorporated freely in Epic. I installed the free version for the time being as a limited alternative for 'Trusteer Rapport' and am considering the full version. So far it works well for Epic too!

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#9 2014-05-13 12:20:53

alok
Administrator

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

Great find & post!!  Thanks so much!!

The Zemana Antilogger looks like great software and very useful for all Epic users.  We'll try to see over itme how we might be able to work with them for more security+privacy.

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#10 2014-05-19 12:23:56

cricket
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

I also installed the full (trial) version of 'Zemana AntiLogger' and it works great with all my applications (including 'Epic Privacy Browser' and other browsers), even with 'Trusteer Rapport', anti-virus programs (Avast, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Anti-Rootkit Bèta, SuperAntiSpyware), Windows Firewall and maintenance utilities like CCleaner, Glary Utilities, Secunia PSI.

So I feel safe now against all known and -- probably most of the -- yet unknown, but already active malware. Because AntiLogger works pro-actively.

I hope Epic will be able to encrypt all communication between ones Epic-browser and your proxy-server(s) VERY SOON, including the original IP-address, and from the proxy to any chosen website as much as possible.
Is 'HTTPS Everywhere' inside Epic already working that way, using your proxy or without this only?

Thanks a lot.

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#11 2014-05-19 12:24:20

cricket
Guest

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

I also installed the full (trial) version of 'Zemana AntiLogger' and it works great with all my applications (including 'Epic Privacy Browser' and other browsers), even with 'Trusteer Rapport', anti-virus programs (Avast, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware and Anti-Rootkit Bèta, SuperAntiSpyware), Windows Firewall and maintenance utilities like CCleaner, Glary Utilities, Secunia PSI.

So I feel safe now against all known and -- probably most of the -- yet unknown, but already active malware. Because AntiLogger works pro-actively.

I hope Epic will be able to encrypt all communication between ones Epic-browser and your proxy-server(s) VERY SOON, including the original IP-address, and from the proxy to any chosen website as much as possible.
Is 'HTTPS Everywhere' inside Epic already working that way, using your proxy or without this only?

Thanks a lot.

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#12 2014-05-21 01:43:21

alok
Administrator

Re: Two essential ADD-ONS for more security

@cricket  great that Zemana is working with Epic now!! 

Already, some Epic users will be on an encrypted proxy but it's still in a testing/stabilization stage.  We hope to migrate everyone to an encrypted proxy soon!   

We do have https everywhere effectively in Epic so Epic does try to use an encrypted connection when possible.

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