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, replacing them with its own user tracking implementations, and provides additional security measures, such as indicating the authenticity and relative strength of a website's Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate.[5][6]
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.png) Comodo Dragon 92, running on Windows 11 | |
| Developer(s) | Comodo Group |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2010[1] |
| Stable release | 119.0.6045.200[2] 
/ 7 December 2023 |
| Preview release | 75.0.3770.100 Beta (June 20, 2019[3]) |
| Engine | Blink[4] |
| Operating system | Microsoft Windows |
| Platform | IA-32, x86-64 |
| Size | 53.8 MB |
| Available in | English and Spanish |
| Type | Web browser[5] |
| License | Freeware |
| Website | browser |
Features
editUpon 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.[7] 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[8] designed to determine if a site hosts malicious code.[9]
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.[10]
In addition, the following Google Chrome features are removed or disabled in Dragon:[11][12][13][14]
- Google user tracking
- Automatic access to Google Search on startup for users with Google as default search engine[15][16]
- Google-hosted error pages when a server is not present
- Automatic address bar search suggestions
- Bug tracking system, which sends information about crashes or errors
- Built-in PDF viewer and Adobe Flash Player which is sandboxed
- Google Native Client (NaCl) support
- H.264 codec
- Google Safe Browsing which blocks malicious and phishing sites
- Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides which open various document and spreadsheet formats
- Google Translate, which automatically translates webpages in foreign languages
Security issues
editA 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.[17]
Comodo's first attempt to patch the issue was shown to be ineffective.[18] Comodo subsequently claimed the problems were fixed.[19]
Comodo license and tracking
editComodo 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 it in more detail than that.[20] 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."[21]
Their privacy statement says that only in California is the IP address considered personal information.[21] 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."[21]
The browser is supported by ads which "relate to the content of the information as part of the Product or queries made through the Product."[20] 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.[20]
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, the information provided by you, or your infringement on the rights of a third party."
See also
edit- Comodo Cybersecurity
- Comodo IceDragon – based on Firefox, also from Comodo Group
- Comodo Internet Security
- Comodo System Utilities
- Comodo Mobile Security
- History of web browsers
- List of web browsers
References
edit- ^ "Comodo Dragon Protects Online Privacy". comodo.com. 11 February 2010. Retrieved 24 January 2020.
- ^ "Comodo Dragon v119.0.6045.200 32&64-bit are now available for download". 7 December 2023. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
- ^ "Comodo Dragon v75.0.3770.100 32 & 64 bit Beta available for beta testing". Comodo Group. 20 June 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
- ^ JoWa, Product Translator, Global Moderator (2 May 2014). "Blink, since v. 28". Comodo Group, Inc. Archived from the original on 17 March 2016. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b "Dragon Internet Browser – Comodo Dragon Web Browser". Comodo Group, Inc. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Polishchuk, Polina (25 April 2014). "Comodo Dragon - Free downloads and software reviews - CNET Download.com". CNet.com. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Spencer, Spanner (11 April 2014). "Four Useful Alternative Browsers Based On Google Chrome- Lifehacker Australia". Allure Media. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ "Online Webpage Scanning for Malware Attacks- Web Inspector Online Scan". Comodo CA Ltd. Archived from the original on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Horton, Steve (19 April 2010). "Comodo Dragon review - PC Advisor". IDG UK. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ "Comodo Dragon Review- The Secured Browser on Chromium- PC Security". PC Security. 27 March 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ "How is Dragon better? - Help - CD". Comodo Forum. 16 January 2011. Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Spencer, Spanner (7 April 2014). "Four Alternative, Useful Browsers Based On Google Chrome". Lifehacker. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- ^ How to Harden Your Browser Against Malware and Privacy Concerns Archived 15 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Tech Support Alert
- ^ Make Your Browser More Resilient to Malwares and Privacy Concerns, Security Gladiators
- ^ "View of /trunk/src/chrome/browser/google/google_url_tracker.cc". Archived from the original on 30 July 2012. Retrieved 15 November 2010. Source code comment on line 31
- ^ "Google Chrome, Chromium, and Google". Retrieved 28 January 2010. See Which Google Domain
- ^ Chirgwin, Richard (2 February 2016). "Google calls out Comodo's Chromodo Chrome-knockoff as insecure crapware". The Register. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ Kirk, Jeremy (3 February 2016). "Custom Web browser from Comodo poses severe security threat, researcher says". PCWorld. IDG Network. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ Ghoshal, Abhimanyu (3 February 2016). "Google says Comodo's 'secure' browser isn't safe to use at all". The Next Web. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ a b c "Comodo Internet Security v10.0 End User License and Subscriber Agreement" (PDF). Comodo. 15 December 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
- ^ a b c "Privacy Policy". Comodo. 1 July 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
Further reading
edit- 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. Archived from the original on 13 February 2014. 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.
- HOFFMAN, CHRIS (5 July 2017). "Why You Shouldn't Use (Most) Alternative Browsers Based on Google Chrome". howtogeek. IDG. Retrieved 6 July 2017.
- Woods, Alice (14 January 2019). "Comodo Dragon review". 2-spyware. IDG. Retrieved 14 January 2019.