Take Google Chrome source code, take out all Google specific code there and you are left with the privacy friendly version Iron. This privacy friendly version of Chrome can be downloaded from here: http://www.srware.net/downloads/srware_iron.exe
“Don’t be evil, use your open-source Iron”, Googlefree…
To help a growing group of ‘Google-paranoïds’ the Trendelburg coders removed all Google linkage and registry mechanism from the Google browser. No Client ID, no unique serial number, no date stamp is being generated anymore, the automatic search function has disappeared from the search- and address bar, no messages to Google when the browser crashes. Also the Google Updater in the background has been taken out.
New engine,
The Germans made serious work of this browser and added a faster engine there. Google Chrome uses the Webkit rendering engine, also used inside Apple’s Safari browser But Chrome uses the older version, 525.13. Iron has the latest version 525.19.
The rest of the source code has remained, the Google developed JS engine V8 included. Iron looks like Chrome, feels like Chrome, but is a better Chrome, and works like Chrome with the BSD open source licence. The standard search engine is Google. According to developers Iron is ‘Der Browser der Zukunft’,
Hi Damien,
I can’t find out how to import my favorites into this version ???
Any Ideas ? Also, the built in Google search isn’t working for me.
Is there a way to change the default search engine ?
The difference between Iron and the more insecure GoogleChrome is that for installing and altering Iron you need to log in with full admin rights, where GoogleChrome can be installed with normal user rights (and browser malware can do so as well!). I have to try out Iron myself first, and then I give you the desired replies,
Why doesn’t Google just iron (patch, update…) all Chrome installations? If I’m understanding, the code wasn’t changed by Google itself but for a 3rd party ???
Google is a private company and has its own intentions. Iron is based on Chromium, which is the base for Google Chrome and open source project. So, it’s O.K. for the third party to modify it.
You seem not to understand this. This was an initiative by a German security institute, SRWare, that could produce this browser minus the negative privacy implications on basis of the free accessible source code: http://dev.chromium.org/Home
They inserted a faster engine, they made it more secure because it could no longer be installed “on the fly” with a normal user account and they took out all things GoogleChrome was criticized for from the start. (ID generating, profie tracking and things bordering on user browser habit monitoring behavior…)
Well Google is an adserving company, there is where the money comes from)…the browsers they supported had blocking mechanism brought in that blocked these mechanisms or could start to (ABP, NoScript). It does not need a lot of evil thinking to state that Iron was nor exactly the browser Google had in mind to launch at us, else the browser would have been named Scroogle Chrome (but the chromium version seemed to have been more inovative than original Chrome).
Do you see now that Google will never launch anything like Iron?
Well my 2p worth, if the code is the same, so too are the security issues from chrome ???
So for me I see no differences in why I’m not using chrome (far to early in its life cycle, more alpha than beta release), so fir those same reasons I see no point in using Iron, I might use one of those for my shirts, but not my browsing ;D
To search just write the search term in the address bar, then give enter -have you tried that?
I think it is a huge improvement from GoogleChrome. It neatly asks whether to remember passwords or not. It has malware and phishing protection, to be enabled through options (look under the wrench symbol), you can install to manage certificates there. Also there you can find Import bookmarks and settings.
How to install
Because the installer is in German language, here instruction how to install Iron:
execute srware_iron.exe
click “Weiter”
activate “Ich akzeptiere die Vereinbarung” and click “Weiter”
click “Weiter”
click “Weiter”
click “Weiter”
click “Installieren”
click “Fertigstellen”
At installation in German, you are asked Wo soll das Setup die Program-Verknuepfungen erstellen (Where should Set up place the Program-links). Klicken Sie auf Durchsuchen falls Sie ein anderen Ordner auswaelen (Click on search when you want to choose another file).
For the first time there is developer where you can view source, javascript, a javascript debugger and a Task Manager.
Iron and Security
The current Beta of Google Chrome use conform Browserstring a dated Version (525.13) of the Rendering-Engine WebKit. Iron use the most recent WebKit-Version (525.19)
At the moment I am testing Iron, till yet no problems encountered.
What you miss in Iron: Client ID, Timestamp, Suggest, Alternate Error Page, Error Reporting, RLZ Tracking, Google Updater and URL-Tracker, and good.
And where DavidR’s browser shirt’s remarks are concerned, I would like to say: “never ventured never gained, never start out somewhere, never came to get a better browser”. My personal opinion Iron a good way to get accustomed with the good sides of Google Chrome in optima forma,
Make a bookmark for DrWeb’s online hyperlink checker (cut and paste) and search using scandoo.com, are two good suggestions on my part.
When it comes to an interface with the internet I have to have some confidence in the company and product to entrust my security to a beta (or earlier) and I have neither in this lump of metal. Alwil’s avast being a notible exception.
Yes you have to start somewhere, but that somewhere has to be regular release candidate like I waited for with firefox.
I tried something new and beta, that was Chrome (another piece of metal) and that came up lacking and didn’t survive very long on my system.
ScanIt Browser Security Test for SRWare Iron browser:
Internet Explorer bait & switch race condition - passed
Adobe Flash Player video file parsing integer overflow - passed
Apple QuickTime MOV file JVTCompEncodeFrame heap overflow - passed
Congratulations! The test has found no vulnerabilities in your browser!
We are not smart, we are inspiring to each other, and after some time when you dive into things that will bring results inevitably. We hope to bring some of that inspiration to yours truly as well,
Hehe, Well half the time you respond, I’m like ??? ??? ??? ??? then I ask again, Then I don’t understand still, Then I fixed it myself? But you have helped me alot, I hve learnt stuff - It’s just not anything I know how to do and I’ve made lots of mistakes but Fixed it or something
also love how you put in a picture alot of the time ^^
