Browser-laptop: fingerprinting protection should be done in C++ instead of js content script

[diracdeltas]

follow-up to https://github.com/brave/browser-laptop/pull/11784

as @snyderp showed above, blocking DOM methods in a JS content script is a flawed approach because there are sneaky ways to get references to the methods. it would be better to disable the DOM methods in chromium/muon.

the basic functionality in app/extensions/brave/content/scripts/blockCanvasFingerprinting.js should be migrated into Muon. basically if fingerprinting protection is enabled, then:

1. detect when a blacklisted DOM method/object is invoked
2. send a message to the browser reporting what was blocked (and preferably the origin of the script that invoked it)
3. replace the blacklisted DOM method/object with a proxy that yields itself or simply block it

cc @bridiver

[SergeyZhukovsky]

That how it is done on Android browser in C++. I think we can use most on it https://github.com/brave/browser-android-tabs/commit/c6fdea38de6f818346109e82c23308acb93cee01

[pes10k]

Its also how the Tor folks do their Canvas fingerprint blocking (which, last I checked, is "prompt user with permission dialog whenever toDataUrl is called").

I have more experience with the Tor/Mozilla codebase at the moment, but I think it should not be too difficult to get something similar pushed into chromium/muon. I don't know where this is on the timeline for you all, but happy to help if outside help would be welcome

[ghostwords]

If there are gaps in WebExtensions APIs, situations where extensions are unable to guarantee before-anything-else execution (such as parent frames being able to access child frames before child frame content scripts had a chance to do their thing), I think these are browser bugs to be fixed. If this is what it is, we should file crbug and/or Bugzilla@Mozilla issues.

[pes10k]

I agree completely. I'll open issues with both teams in the next 24 hours and post links here to follow up.

[pes10k]

Bugs below:

Firefox: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1424176
Chrome: https://bugs.chromium.org/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=793217

[diracdeltas]

assigning to @jumde for now

[diracdeltas]

the fix for this issue would also fix https://github.com/brave/browser-laptop/issues/12110 and https://github.com/brave/browser-laptop/issues/11683

[bsclifton]

Moving to 0.21.x

[alexwykoff]

@diracdeltas is this release blocking?

[diracdeltas]

non-blocking, it can be moved to one release later

[bsclifton]

Closing in favor of https://github.com/brave/brave-browser/issues/1017

[bsclifton]

Confirmed fixed with brave-core 😄