Advice Request Browsing Profiles

[oldschool]

It's made in PRC and there is no information about who is making it and there is no contact information. The FAQ about privacy states as follows....

This. I see no reason to use and rely on this browser. Too many unknowns. If you think Brave is bloated, use Firefox, Edge or Chrome.

 

[jamey910111]

This. I see no reason to use and rely on this browser. Too many unknowns. If you think Brave is bloated, use Firefox, Edge or Chrome.

I know who makes chrome and i trust them even less- so why do i use chromium based browsers if i dont trust google? Out of a lack of choice. If I followed your logic i wouldnt use chrome or chromium at all, or even windows. I do prefer firefox but its sluggish, i wont rely on it.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

Also I scanned the Standalone executable on virustotal and kaspersky, no flags (https://catsxp.oss-cn-hongkong.aliyuncs.com/x64/CatsxpBrowserStandaloneSetup_128_4_8_3.exe):

VirusTotal

VirusTotal

www.virustotal.com

Here is the kaspersky it comes as clean overall. All the Extracted files (70) come out as clean, as do all the Network activities (all 6 come clean as well). But in terms of suspicious activity there is 9 high, 3 medium, and low 63.

Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal

Kaspersky Threat Intelligence Portal allows you to scan files, domains, IP addresses, and URLs for threats, malware, viruses

opentip.kaspersky.com

Emsisoft is not letting it go, I have whitelisted many blocked activities.

 

[jamey910111]

Emsisoft is not letting it go, I have whitelisted many blocked activities.


View attachment 285090View attachment 285091

Well keep us updated as to whether there is indeed something suspicious, malicious or if it is a false-positive. For me so far, on the portable version there are no flags (at least from Kaspersky).

 

[Divine_Barakah]

Well keep us updated as to whether there is indeed something suspicious, malicious or if it is a false-positive. For me so far, on the portable version there are no flags (at least from Kaspersky).

Personally, I believe it is a false positive. Emsisoft BB is too sensitive and aggressive especially when the process is not digitally signed or signed with an invalid digital signature.

BTW, I do not get it why a browser focused on privacy and security is not digitally signed with a proper digital signature.

 

[jamey910111]

Personally, I believe it is a false positive. Emsisoft BB is too sensitive and aggressive especially when the process is not digitally signed or signed with an invalid digital signature.

BTW, I do not get it why a browser focused on privacy and security is not digitally signed with a proper digital signature.

I wonder why/how Emsisoft and Micrsoft smart screen is detecting it as not being properly signed - while kaspersky and also virus total do not detect it as such. But regardless of that, Emsisoft is also detecting suspicious hidden installer process too as you say ( i guess time will tell if it is false or not). As mentioned in my case it is the portable version, so we are using two different versions - I wonder if kaspersky would react differnetly if i tried to actually install it, but i am fine with portable tbh.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

I wonder why/how Emsisoft and Micrsoft smart screen is detecting it as not being properly signed - while kaspersky and also virus total do not detect it as such. But regardless of that, Emsisoft is also detecting suspicious hidden installer process too as you say ( i guess time will tell if it is false or not). As mentioned in my case it is the portable version, so we are using two different versions - I wonder if kaspersky would react differnetly if i tried to actually install it, but i am fine with protable tbh.

Yes, when I run in the standalone X64 installer, the UAC prompt says Unknown publisher.

BTW though I whitelisted the main installer and the catsxpupdate.exe, Emsisoft BB goes crazy and terminates the setup file.

 

[oldschool]

BTW though I whitelisted the main installer and the catsxpupdate.exe, Emsisoft BB goes crazy and terminates the setup file.

As rightfully it should.

 

[lokamoka820]

My basic security setup: W11 64 bit, UAC default, F-Secure Safe, Simple Windows Hardening, Firewall Hardening, Norton Power Eraser and SophosScanandClean as second opinion scanners, O&O Shutup10, Macrium Home and Syncback free, Sumo, Process Explorer and Autoruns.

Browsing profile for my secure surfing (mostly 25 sites like MalwareTips):
Chrome or Edge, Cira DNS for Canadians, F-Secure Browsing Protection and Adguard Ext. Bitwarden

Browsing profile for insecure browsing:
Enable a VPN ( Windscribe or Surfshark), Activate Sandboxie Plus and use Librewolf (uBlock Origin).

Do you guys use different browsers or different browser profiles to accommodate your surfing habits?

Your security setup is good, but I think you need to find an alternative to Sumo because it is discontinued.

My browsing profile is:

• For my secure surfing: Microsoft Edge (AdGuard, Bitwarden, McAfee WebAdvisor).
• For insecure browsing: Mozilla Firefox (uBlock Origin).

 

[Divine_Barakah]

As rightfully it should.

Are u talking about whitelisting the installer or the fact that Emsisoft BB is aggressive lol

 

[oldschool]

the fact that Emsisoft BB is aggressive lol

This.

 

[jamey910111]

Are u talking about whitelisting the installer or the fact that Emsisoft BB is aggressive lol

If you are comfortable/don't mind, u could give the protable a try; assuming emsisoft doesn't trigger, at least u can rest more comfortably. But I'd still love to know whether the installer is fully clean.

 

[oldschool]

If I followed your logic i wouldnt use chrome or chromium at all, or even windows.

The logic is that Chrome and Edge are the most secure browsers available, backed by two security heavyweights.

 

[jamey910111]

The logic is that Chrome and Edge are the most secure browsers available, backed by two security heavyweights.

Catsxp (as you know ofc) is based on chrome.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

If you are comfortable/don't mind, u could give the protable a try; assuming emsisoft doesn't trigger, at least u can rest more comfortably. But I'd still love to know whether the installer is fully clean.

I am downloading the portable version, but I believe it would not make any difference. Emsisoft will flag the catsxpupdate.exe, but let's see.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

I am downloading the portable version, but I believe it would not make any difference. Emsisoft will flag the catsxpupdate.exe, but let's see.

So I downloaded the portable version and Emsisoft, as expected, blocked the browser with new notification about firewall modification.
I am sorry, but this is too much and I started to believe that whitelisting the installer was wrong. I am waiting for Emsisoft's support reply.

 

[jamey910111]

at least for me kaspersky is not throwing any tantrums and neither did virus total results show anything - so maybe it’s a false-positive by emsisoff to be honest…i’ve also not heard anything negative about the browser being infected with malware before. Hope u get a response from emsisoft soon to know the reason.

FYI i also have kaskpersky to add anything no trustable based on ksn to my untrusted list of apps, nothing from that either - i have unchecked trust digitally signed apps, although i also checked it to see any difference in outcome but none. I still dont get how virus total or kasperskt dont have a problem with it not being properly signed, but then again ivlack knowledge about these things.

 

[Divine_Barakah]

at least for me kaspersky is not throwing any tantrums and neither did virus total results show anything - so maybe it’s a false-positive by emsisoff to be honest…i’ve also not heard anything negative about the browser being infected with malware before. Hope u get a response from emsisoft soon to know the reason.

FYI i also have kaskpersky to add anything no trustable based on ksn to my untrusted list of apps, nothing from that either - i have unchecked trust digitally signed apps, although i also checked it to see any difference in outcome but none. I still dont get how virus total or kasperskt dont have a problem with it not being properly signed, but then again ivlack knowledge about these things.

Emsisoft warning had nothing to do with signature detection. I believe the first warnings were FPs,but the last one that blocked WF modification? I am waiting for Emsisoft support to see what they have to say.

 

[simmerskool]

This. I see no reason to use and rely on this browser. Too many unknowns. If you think Brave is bloated, use Firefox, Edge or Chrome.

In past I tried Brave several times, but did not like it. But last week I installed Brave again, turned off the stuff I do not need or like (da bloat? -- easy enough to do) and using its Brave search engine too, and I am liking it (fwiw).

 

[Divine_Barakah]

In past I tried Brave several times, but did not like it. But last week I installed Brave again, turned off the stuff I do not need or like (da bloat? -- easy enough to do) and using its Brave search engine too, and I am liking it (fwiw).

I, too, like Brave Search and how fast the browser is. I just wish they'd allow us to choose what features to enable during browser setup.