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For every other human who doesn't like to be tracked.

Disclaimer

I am not responsible for any actions and consequences from using this app. It is just available to you. It is your choice to use it so think carefully.

What

This is a Chrome extension app that tracks and exposes in-browser tracking pixels or pixel tags common deployed by marketing emails known as read receipts.

It gives you simple options to:

  • Block all images
  • Expose the pixel tracker
  • Send DOS-like repetive requests to the source.

Block

Blocks all requests to image automatically. This is just an afterthought. There are probably better serious alternatives out there.

Expose

The extension finds a suspicious <img> with width and height of 1 and swap it with a hovering drone sentinel so you can see it right away.

Retaliate

Uses a pool of Web Workers to repetively fetch the pixel trackers from the source's server. If the pixel tracker was used as a read receipt, it would likely appear as if you opened the mail hundreds of times.

Build

To build from this repo, follow this guide to load from unpack directory. You can load from /src after running yarn install to download its dependencies or run ./dist.py which will minify the JavaScript and install all dependencies into /dist.

FAQs

  • Is the retaliation aka DDoS attacks (Computer Misuse Act of 1990)?

    The service isn't likely going to go down with just a user spinning off a bunch of Web Workers to fetch the same images over and over. To quote Mike Davidson, "...It’s more of a Denial Of Cheapness attack."

    An interesting question to ask might be "Why is a user sending requests repetitively to fetch the very same image a corporation has sent to track her without her consent be illegal?"

  • Is this available to install from Chrome web store?

    It is pending review and probably won't get approved. However, anyone can definitely load the extension and use it locally.

  • Why Chrome? Any plan to support other browsers or platform?

    Because most people use Chrome, thus they are more vulnerable. Most people who decided not > to use Chrome are quite aware of their privacy anyway.

  • Is this an attempt at internet's Révolution française?

    Well, that's not coming from me. But imagine millions of users with a click of a button can anytime orchestrate to take down or halt a corporation's service together at the same time. Isn't that interesting from a democratic point of view?

Milestones

Not in this order:

  • Better Web Workers optimization
  • Distributed server-side rejections of service
  • Options to choose image substitution
  • Better attack animation