New Update Ungoogled Chromium

HarborFront

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In the past I used Ungoogled Chromium, because it had two advantages for me:
  • Being ungoogled obviously has some privacy advantages and because the maintainer is a hardcore 'less is more' promotor I think (soft non rational emotional argument) that this ungoogled variant was a bit more ungoogled than other ungoogled browsers
  • Being an unsigned program and I have set UAC to block elevation of unsigned programs, ungoogled chromium ran in an additional standard user rights container.
I downloaded it and added uBO to the mix to discovered a third advantage
  • Microsoft Defender Protected Folder blocks ungoogled from changing my user folders, so now I have an additional data layer protection on top of the build in site permission block (allow file access)

In the past I stopped using Eloston's ungoogled because the maintainer (Eloston) was (to) many release cycles behind Chrome, which sort of nullified the standard user rights security advantage (became a security risk) and made me move over to Woolyss ungoogled.

@HarborFront I have not been following the releases, how up to date is Eloston's ungoogled nowadays?
The binaries for UC (Eloston) are always being updated. It's only the browser that's not being updated. Why it wasn't frequently updated was discussed in their forums previously.

You can get the binary and compiled into the browser yourself. The latest browser was just released by a new contributor. Hope that he can keep up with the new releases

As for UC of other variants (non-Eloston) they are not as thoroughly de-googled as the Eloston version because they have not implemented some patches into their browser. That's also the reason why they can be released faster as browser.
 
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F

ForgottenSeer 92963

The binaries for UC (Eloston) are always being updated. It's only the browser that's not being updated. Why it wasn't frequently updated was discussed in their forums previously.
So when I understand you correctly, Eloston patches security bugs in his ungoogled browser code himself, instead of incorporating the updated browser. To be honest, I could not believe such an experienced/seasoned MT-member like you would use an unpatched browser with so many security holes in it. This background info explains why you kept using it.

For a man with limited time, I can understand that he (Eloston) skips new releases when he does not use these features himself and only regards those additional features as bloat. On the other hand between V89 and V95 some same-origin restrictions were implemented which are considered security enhancements. Not updating the browser also means not benefitting from those security improvements.

Last question: does he transparently publishes the security patches he makes into his 'frozen' ungoogled copy of the browser?
 

HarborFront

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So when I understand you correctly, Eloston patches security bugs in his ungoogled browser code himself, instead of incorporating the updated browser. To be honest, I could not believe such an experienced/seasoned MT-member like you would use an unpatched browser with so many security holes in it. This background info explains why you kept using it.

For a man with limited time, I can understand that he (Eloston) skips new releases when he does not use these features himself and only regards those additional features as bloat. On the other hand between V89 and V95 some same-origin restrictions were implemented which are considered security enhancements. Not updating the browser also means not benefitting from those security improvements.

Last question: does he transparently publishes the security patches he makes into his 'frozen' ungoogled copy of the browser?
Eloston himself don't do it. There are contributors to do that. Like I mentioned the binary for Windows is always updated. It's only the UG browser that's not. The previous maintainer left so nobody compiles the binary to browser.

If I'm not wrong there are steps to verify and validate that the codes and patches are applied properly and correctly for each new Chromium release. I believe they run some sort of automated tests to do that. Each time when a new binary is produced it has to be verified and validated. I believe Eloston himself takes care of that. You can check at each new binary released and how is the vetting process by Eloston.

Compiling a browser takes a lot of time and you need a powerful desktop PC to do that........likely a dedicated one. In addition, you need to be able to troubleshoot and report your findings when something goes wrong halfway. In the early years he may have done it himself but not now. You can see that the UC binaries/browsers for various OS platforms are done by contributors

And with Google shortening its release cycle for security patches/new release it has become more difficult for a solo contributor to catch up if he is not dedicated to do so.

I may be wrong in some of the above

To answer your question why I was still using the unpatched UC. This is not the first time UC was not updated for a few versions. At any rate I suffer no hacking or whatsoever and I prefer its strong de-googling.

If you need a more secure browser then UG (Eloston) is not for you.
 
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HarborFront

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How do i get the prompt for updates?
The browser do NOT have auto update by default. You need to do manual update.

Maybe with chrlauncher below can do but I did not try.


For extensions you can install the below to notify you of updates

 
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HarborFront

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Nifury released the UC v96.0.4664.45 for Win 64 below


He is the contributor of the previous v95.xx.xxxx version. Note that the latest v96.xx.xxx not released at Eloston site yet so use at your own risk

Also, found some info on the previous contributor, tangalbert919, for v89.xx.xxxx below. It seems he's back and active after a few months of absence.

 
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HarborFront

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Now we need an UnMicrosofted Edge, but for now this might help:

So far I have not touched MS Edge.

This UnMSEdge might give me a try of it provided the server blocking list is always being updated

Thanks
 
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HarborFront

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I've added the server blocking list to my hosts file and so far so good.
2 things need to take note

1) MS Edge updating
2) Extensions updating

Must block these two because they are calling back to MS. Need to manual update like Ungoogled Chromium (Eloston) then it'll make a better privacy focus MS Edge browser

MS Edge can be blocked from updating from your given link and can download a new version manually from below for installation but must export all the settings first. Need to add this line back to the hosts file to block updating of MS Edge browser

0.0.0.0 msedge.api.cdp.microsoft.com



For extensions, need to use the CRX Extractor/Downloader extension to download the CRX files from Chrome Web Store and drag-and-drop individual crx file to the extension page. A hassle but at least it's not connecting to MS Edge and Chrome Web Stores to download the extensions directly so privacy is there. And also need to check manually for individual extension update.

Until such a time (like for Ungoogled Chromium at Eloston) when there's an extension to check, alert and automate the extensions for update I would say just have to use the current long-winded method for better privacy.

Getting the extensions from Chrome Web Store is much better as many extensions were ported from there.
 
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Sammo

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2 things need to take note

1) MS Edge updating
2) Extensions updating

Must block these two because they are calling back to MS. Need to manual update like Ungoogled Chromium (Eloston) then it'll make a better privacy focus MS Edge browser

I believe you can block MS Edge from updating from your given link and can download a new version manually from below for installation but must export all the settings first.


but not so sure of manual download and install the extensions
I found out that I could not sign into my Microsoft account with the blocklist
 

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