As a security-conscious user, I’ve used NoScript since Firefox’s early days, but its restrictive nature has become frustrating. I’m often forced to go unprotected just to access websites with multiple scripts running on different domains, which defeats the purpose of using NoScript and balances security and usability that it once provided.
Is there a way to block browser JavaScript from executing commands that retrieve sensitive information from my local machine, while still allowing JavaScript that is only used for rendering web pages?
by sensitive information I’m referring to
- local machine time
- local machine ram
- local machine operating system + version
- local machine hardware
- Serial Number
- Hardware ID
- UUID
- Windows Device ID
- Windows Product ID
- …
greatly appreciate any insight
EDIT:
could be possible solution
https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/16025-vanadium-and-what-to-use-on-desktop/19
LibreJS: GNU LibreJS aims to address the JavaScript problem described in Richard Stallman’s article The JavaScript Trap.- JShelter: Mitigates potential threats from JavaScript, including fingerprinting, tracking, and data collection. Slightly modifies the results of API calls, differently on different domains, so that the cross-site fingerprint is not stable. Applies security counter-measures that are likely not to break web pages. Allows fine-grained control over the restrictions and counter-measures applied to each domain.
Most of those things cannot be collected through JavaScript.
Local time can.
RAM can only be approximated to protect user privacy. Edit: And it’s not available on Firefox.
OS+version are already in your browser’s user-agent string that is sent out with every request you make.
Machine hardware cannot be enumerated. JavaScript can try to guess your GPU based on what it can do with WebGL.
There is no way to get a serial number or similar.
To spoof timezone/OS+version/browser+version … and disable WebGL, use https://sereneblue.github.io/chameleon/
by sensitive information I’m referring to
Can I prevent javascript from running specific command that retrieve these information?
You could monkeypatch some javascript functions like the constructor Date types, but there will always be things not thought of that will leak date info. Hardware identifiers are quite difficult to get in javascript and several browsers already obfuscate that info.
Honestly if you’re very concerned, I really do think a virtual machine is your absolute safest approach, obviously the browsing experience is worse.
Check out amiunique.org to see what fingerprinting is generally available in your current browser