question re google safebrowsing - safebrowsing.clients.google.com

[babyoh]

i was on an local html file that launched firefox- and i got a request to allow a cookie for this thing:
safebrowsing.clients.google.com

(i have my browser set up to ask me, prior to allowing cookies.)

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curious, i googled, and found info relating to google's "SafeBrowsing" - i'm not sure i like what i saw. seems like there are privacy considerations AND users report this feature can slow down Firefox tremendously (a problem i tend to have with that browser).

QUESTION: is this thing worth allowing? (which is the default in firefox)- is it a serious tool against malware? would dis-allowing it, put me at risk?

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Here are a few links to info i found on safebrowsing:

http://www.freshbot.com/archives/2009/02/04/google-safe-browsing-slows-firefox-while-feeding-the-tiger
http://ha.ckers.org/blog/20090824/google-safe-browsing-and-chrome-privacy-leak

[DonnaB]

Hi babyoh,

Apologies for the delay in responding.

would dis-allowing it, put me at risk?

Not at all. Allowing cookies will only make it easier for the site to be logged on to.

See below:

HTTP Cookies

The following article pertains to IE though the concept is the same for Firefox and other browsers.

Cookies: frequently asked questions

Here's a good read about Are Internet Cookies Good or Bad?

Firefox must be the default browser of your choice. Dis-allowing will not hurt though if you access that particular local html file again you will be asking till the cookie is allowed.

It's your choice really!

Donna :)