With the rising popularity of Web-based applications, the Web browser platform is becoming the dominant environment in which users interact with Internet content. We investigate methods of discovering information about network performance characteristics through the use of the Web browser, requiring only minimal user participation (navigating to a Web page). We focus on the analysis of explicit and implicit network operations performed by the browser (JavaScript XMLHTTPRequest and HTML DOM object loading) as well as by the Flash plug-in to evaluate network performance characteristics of a connecting client. We analyze the results of a performance study, focusing on the relative differences and similarities between download, upload and round-trip time results obtained in different browsers. We evaluate the accuracy of browser events indicating incoming data, comparing their timing to information obtained from the network layer. We also discuss alternative applications of the developed techniques, including measuring packet reception variability in a simulated streaming protocol. Our results confirm that browser-based measurements closely correspond to those obtained using standard tools in most scenarios. Our analysis of implicit communication mechanisms suggests that it is possible to make enhancements to existing “speedtest” services by allowing them to reliably determine download throughput and round-trip time to arbitrary Internet hosts. We conclude that browser-based measurement using techniques developed in this work can be an important component of network performance studies.

Tese de mestrado integrado. Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 2010

Thesis (M.S.)--Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, 2000. / Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-06, page: 2806. Typescript. Abstract precedes thesis title page as [4] preliminary leaves. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-112).

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Abstract: With the rising popularity of Web-based applications, the Web browser platform is becoming the dominant environment in which users interact with Internet content. We investigate methods of discovering information about network performance characteristics through the use of the Web browser, requiring only minimal user participation (navigating to a Web page). We focus on the analysis of explicit and implicit network operations performed by the browser (JavaScript XMLHTTPRequest and HTML DOM object loading) as well as by the Flash plug-in to evaluate network performance characteristics of a connecting client. We analyze the results of a performance study, focusing on the relative differences and similarities between download, upload and round-trip time results obtained in different browsers. We evaluate the accuracy of browser events indicating incoming data, comparing their timing to information obtained from the network layer. We also discuss alternative applications of the developed techniques, including measuring packet reception variability in a simulated streaming protocol. Our results confirm that browser-based measurements closely correspond to those obtained using standard tools in most scenarios. Our analysis of implicit communication mechanisms suggests that it is possible to make enhancements to existing "speedtest" services by allowing them to reliably determine download throughput and round-trip time to arbitrary Internet hosts. We conclude that browser-based measurement using techniques developed in this work can be an important component of network performance studies. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 83-85).

As more and more time is spent accessing and producing content online, libraries need to position themselves to offer Internet privacy to patrons as well. This column reviews tactics for securing web browsers, from selecting a high-quality piece of software to strong default settings to add-ons that extend the capabilities of the browser.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2006. Graduate Programme in Higher Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 93-96). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL: http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR29598

Thesis (doctoral)--Tampere University of Technology, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-233). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Current web browsers are ill-prepared to manage execution of scripts embedded in web pages, because they treat all JavaScript code executing in a page as one unit. All code shares the same namespace, same security domain, and shares uncontrolled access to the same heap; some browsers even use the same thread for multiple tabs or windows. This lack of isolation frequently causes problems that range from loss of functionality to security compromises. ScriptSpace is an abstraction that provides separate, isolated execution environments for parts or all of a web page. Within each ScriptSpace, we maintain the traditional, single-threaded JavaScript environment to provide compatibility with existing code written under this assumption. Multiple ScriptSpaces within a page are isolated with respect to namespace, CPU, and memory consumption. The user has the ability to safely terminate failing scripts without affecting the functionality of still-functional components of the page, or of other pages. We implemented a prototype of ScriptSpace based on the Firefox 3.0 browser. Rather than mapping ScriptSpaces to OS-level threads, we exploit a migrating-thread model in which threads enter and leave the ScriptSpaces associated with the respective sections of the document tree during the event dispatching process. A proportional share scheduler ensures that the number of bytecode instructions executed within each ScriptSpace is controlled. Our prototype can isolate resource-hogging gadgets within an iGoogle Mashup page as well as across multiple pages loaded in the browser and still retain interactive response. / Master of Science

published_or_final_version / Business Administration / Master / Master of Business Administration

The Web is increasingly being accessed by portable, multi-touch wireless devices. Despite the popularity of platform-specific (native) mobile apps, a recent study of smartphone usage shows that more people (81%) browse the Web than use native apps (68%) on their phone. Moreover, many popular native apps such as BBC depend on browser-like components (e.g., Webview) for their functionality. The popularity and prevalence of web browsers on modern mobile phones warrants characterizing existing and emerging threats to mobile web browsing, and building solutions for the same. Although a range of studies have focused on the security of native apps on mobile devices, efforts in characterizing the security of web transactions originating at mobile browsers are limited. This dissertation presents three main contributions: First, we show that porting browsers to mobile platforms leads to new vulnerabilities previously not observed in desktop browsers. The solutions to these vulnerabilities require careful balancing between usability and security and might not always be equivalent to those in desktop browsers. Second, we empirically demonstrate that the combination of reduced screen space and an independent selection of security indicators not only make it difficult for experts to determine the security standing of mobile browsers, but actually make mobile browsing more dangerous for average users as they provide a false sense of security. Finally, we experimentally demonstrate the need for mobile specific techniques to detect malicious webpages. We then design and implement kAYO, the first mobile specific static tool to detect malicious webpages in real-time.