Local File - Browser.js Spoofing Google Chrome

[spencer-d]

spencer-d last edited by

Hello,

I was reading over my console logs recently, and I noticed a couple logs from localhost/browser.js. Upon inspecting this file, I found a couple odd entries that stated, "PATCH-1227, Mock as Chrome on popular American Bank Sites." From what I can see, this only occurs on Bank of America and Chase, but I am curious about the motivations behind this and why Opera masks itself as Chrome when it visits these websites. After looking over the statement handlers, nothing looks malicious in the least bit, but that actually just adds more confusion and interest for me. Perhaps this is just to fix up an incompatibility caused by Opera utilizing WebKit (or, more accurately, Blink)?

Thanks in advance,
Spencer

[sgunhouse]

sgunhouse Moderator Volunteer last edited by

Some websites look at the user agent and - if they see a browser they are not familiar with - tell you that you need to use a different browser. Opera practically is Chrome, but if the website blocks Opera yet accepts Chrome then they'll tell the site they are Chrome.