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Chrome For Android's Incognito Mode Saves Some of the Sites You Visit

Posted by timothy on from the see-also-gchq dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A newly found bug in Google Chrome for Android means incognito mode really isn't as locked-down as it's designed to be. Some sites you visit while using the privacy feature are still saved, and can be retrieved simply by opening the browser's settings. Google Chrome for Android has had incognito mode since February 2012. Here is Google's official description of the feature: "If you don't want Google Chrome to save a record of what you visit and download, you can browse the web in incognito mode."

5 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. So, in other words... by bistromath007 · · Score: 4, Funny

    "If you don't want Google Chrome to save a record of what you visit and download, you can browse the web in incognito mode. We will inform the NSA of your preference."

    1. Re:So, in other words... by Travis+Mansbridge · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Incognito mode is not encryption and cannot prevent people on your network, your ISP, the NSA or Google themselves from keeping an eye on your data. The effects of incognito mode are specific to the Chrome browser on that machine (and the cloud backup you may allow Google to keep of this data, such as if you log into Chrome).

  2. Probably a true bug by bangular · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Chrome is a big complex browser with a lot of code. This was probably a true bug and nothing nefarious or devious intended. I would also think the QA for such a feature is probably not a priority and didn't get much testing.

  3. Re:Wait, what? by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 4, Funny

    What Google should at least provide is some sort of "I'm finished jerking off" feature.

  4. As the man said by Hognoxious · · Score: 4, Funny

    Any sufficiently advanced malware is indistinguishable from a bug.

    --
    Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."