Comodo Dragon

Comodo Dragon
Comodo Dragon 16.1, running on Windows 7, showing a security alert after opening Wikimedia Commons
Developer(s) Comodo Group
Stable release
66.0.3359.117 (May 30, 2018 (2018-05-30)[1]) [±]
Development status Active
Operating system Microsoft Windows
Platform IA-32
Size 53.8 MB
Available in English and Spanish
Type Web browser[2]
License Freeware
Website browser.comodo.com

Comodo Dragon is a freeware web browser. It is based on Chromium and is produced by Comodo Group. Sporting a similar interface to Google Chrome, Dragon does not implement Chrome's user tracking and some other potentially privacy-compromising features, substituting them for its own user tracking implementations, and provides additional security measures, such as indicating the authenticity and relative strength of a website's SSL certificate.[2][3]

Features

Upon installation, Comodo Dragon offers the opportunity to configure either the Comodo Dragon or the user's entire computer to use Comodo's own DNS servers instead of the user's Internet service provider.[4] Comodo Dragon performs additional checks on the SSL digital certificates of secure websites, and informs users if a site's certificate may be of insufficient strength. It includes an on-demand site inspector[5] designed to determine if a site hosts malicious code.[6]

Instead of Google Updater, Comodo Dragon features its own built-in updater. If Dragon is uninstalled, users are given the option of keeping Dragon's cache and cookie files or deleting them.[7]

In addition, the following Google Chrome features are removed or disabled in Dragon:[8][9][10][11]


Security issues

A Google engineer publicly disclosed a serious security vulnerability in Comodo Dragon after Comodo failed to respond to the issue within the 90 days Google provides software vendors. The advisory warns users who install Comodo Dragon that Dragon replaces their default browser, hijacks DNS settings, and disables the same-origin policy, which exposes users by allowing malicious websites to access private data.[14]

Comodo's first attempt to patch the issue was shown to be ineffective.[15] Comodo subsequently claimed the problems were fixed.[16]

Comodo license and tracking

Comodo tracks each user's time spent using the browser, its operating system, and browser inquiries about certificate revocation, which reveal the sites visited. Users can opt whether they also track activity and use in more detail than that.[17] Comodo and its partners use cookies and Google Analytics. "Comodo may disclose data to its affiliates and business partners who have established similar privacy standards."[18]

Their privacy statement says that only in California is the IP address considered personal information.[18] Comodo creates log files which track users, identifiable by cookie or browser features (and IP address outside California): "Comodo uses log files comprising of non-personally identifiable information to ... track movements throughout the site ... and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use."[18]

The browser is supported by ads which "relate to the content of information as part of the Product or queries made through the Product."[17] They include many other software products, each with its own license.

The license has common terms about complying with subpoenas and interception orders, against reverse engineering, copying and sub-licensing, and disclaiming warranties and liability.[17]

The license also requires disputes to be settled by arbitration in New Jersey. Users must give accurate registration information, and pay Comodo's costs " that, directly or indirectly, are based on your breach of this agreement, information provided by you, or your infringement on the rights of a third party."

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Comodo Dragon v66.0.3359.117 is now available for download". Comodo Group. 2018-05-30. Retrieved 2018-06-27.
  2. 1 2 "Dragon Internet Browser – Comodo Dragon Web Browser". Comodo Group, Inc. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  3. ↑ Polishchuk, Polina (25 April 2014). "Comodo Dragon - Free downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com". CNet.com. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  4. ↑ Spencer, Spanner (11 April 2014). "Four Useful Alternative Browsers Based On Google Chrome- Lifehacker Australia". Allure Media. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  5. ↑ "Online Webpage Scanning for Malware Attacks- Web Inspector Online Scan". Comodo CA Ltd. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  6. ↑ Horton, Steve (19 April 2010). "Comodo Dragon review - PC Advisor". IDG UK. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Comodo Dragon Review- The Secured Browser on Chromium- PC Security". PC Security. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  8. ↑ "How is Dragon better? - Help - CD". Comodo Forum. 16 January 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
  9. ↑ http://lifehacker.com/four-alternative-useful-browsers-based-off-of-google-c-1558525397 Four Alternative, Useful Browsers Based On Google Chrome, Spanner Spencer, 4/07/14, Lifehacker
  10. ↑ How to Harden Your Browser Against Malware and Privacy Concerns, Tech Support Alert
  11. ↑ Make Your Browser More Resilient to Malwares and Privacy Concerns, Security Gladiators
  12. ↑ "View of /trunk/src/chrome/browser/google/google_url_tracker.cc". Retrieved 15 November 2010. Source code comment on line 31
  13. ↑ "Google Chrome, Chromium, and Google". Retrieved 28 January 2010. See Which Google Domain
  14. ↑ "Google calls out Comodo's Chromodo Chrome-knockoff as insecure crapware".
  15. ↑ "Custom Web browser from Comodo poses severe security threat, researcher says".
  16. ↑ "Google says Comodo's 'secure' browser isn't safe to use at all".
  17. 1 2 3 "Comodo Internet Security v10.0 End User License and Subscriber Agreement" (PDF). Comodo. 2016-12-15. Retrieved 2017-03-02.
  18. 1 2 3 "Privacy Policy". Comodo. 2016-07-01. Retrieved 2017-03-02.

Further reading

  • Yegulalp, Serdar (25 January 2012). "6 Google Chrome remixes worth trying". InfoWorld. IDG. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  • Roggio, Armando (2 August 2010). "The PEC Review: Comodo Dragon, A Web Browser". Practical eCommerce. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  • Polishchuk, Polina (17 June 2010). "Comodo Dragon". Download.com. CBS Interactive. Retrieved 12 April 2013.
  • Horton, Steve (19 April 2010). "Comodo Dragon review". PC Advisor. IDG. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  • Horton, Steve (13 April 2010). "Comodo Dragon: A Chromium Browser With Extra Armor". PC World. IDG. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
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