Guardians Of The Web Browsers Unite Against Google's WEI That’s Supposed To Help Businesses!

Welcome to the grand showdown of the tech town!

As the curtain rises, Vivaldi, Brave and Firefox raise their digital swords against Google's supposed knight in shining armor. They're not just pushing back; they're pushing hard!

What’s all the fuss about, you ask?

The latest report sheds light on Google's grand plan to unveil the Web Environment Integrity (WEI) API in Chrome that has led to a battle with internet software maestros such as Vivaldi, Brave and Firefox.

Well, employees from Vivaldi, Brave and Firefox have opposed Google’s latest brainchild WEI API; not just that but some of them have gone as far as to call it DRM (digital rights management) for websites. #SayWhat

Want to know what Web Environment Integrity (WEI) is all about and how it is supposed to help businesses? Let's break it down:

The Web Environment Integrity (WEI) API is like the digital Sherlock Holmes of the web world. It's everything websites have been waiting for – a virtual lie detector that can sniff out fake devices and sketchy network traffic from a mile away. It is a detective checking IDs and giving a thumbs-up or thumbs-down to each visitor.
Besides, websites can ask a certified "attester" for a special token. This token is like a super-secret stamp of approval and is cryptographically sealed, so no tricksters can mess with it. It helps websites separate the real players from the pixelated pretenders!
Google insists it's all about keeping it real in the virtual world. They say they want to protect us from the virtual villains, the online tricksters who want to mess with our digital lives. Google is setting standards for authenticity, guarding our devices and software. It aims to protect businesses and individuals against fake engagement, phishing attacks and intruders.

Wow! It sounds helpful - so why is there so much criticism against it?

According to Vivaldi browser developer J. Picalausa, WEI is "dangerous" and further explains in a write-up published earlier this week that "If an entity has the power of deciding which browsers are trusted and which are not, there is no guarantee that they will trust any given browser."
"Any new browser would by default not be trusted until they have demonstrated that they are trustworthy, to the discretion of the attesters," Picalausa continued.
He further stated that Google's proposal is vague and leaves room for potential abuse, like collecting client behavioral data. His post further explains that whether to implement WEI will be complicated as Google very conveniently abuses its dominant position in the advertising market and enforces its adoption by most sites.

However, the browser team Brave isn't afraid of this scenario. Its co-founder and CEO, Brendan Eich, confirmed they do not plan to ship WEI. The report says Eich responded to a thread on Twitter saying, "WEI support will not be shipped in Brave, just as they do with many other privacy-intrusive mechanisms Google inserts into Chrome's code which Brave uses as its basis."

TechDogs-"A Screengrab Of Co-founder And CEO, Brendan Eich's Tweet."

Source

Nevertheless, as this epic showdown continues, it will be interesting to see how Google's WEI, which is still in its baby steps, will perform for Chrome users.

Do you think Vivaldi, Brave and Firefox are justified in taking on Google? What will happen if Google goes all-in with its grand plan for website trust?

Pitch in your thoughts in the comments section below!

First published on Thu, Aug 3, 2023

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Cyber AttackGoogle Google’s WEI Web Environment Integrity (WEI) Cyber Security IT Security Vivaldi Brave Firefox

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