Port Authority

This addon blocks websites from using javascript to port scan your computer/internal-network and also dynamically blocks all LexisNexis endpoints from running their invasive data collection scripts.

The GUI allows the user to turn on or off global blocking, notifications and add domains to a whitelist using the gear in the top right corner.	Add or remove domains from the whitelist such that if they make a local request or request a Lexis Nexis script, it will be allowed.	Discord port scans your computer using websockets, attempting to connect with the desktop Discord app.

What does this addon do?

1. Blocks all possible types of port scanning through your browser (HTTP/HTTPS/WS/WSS/FTP/FTPS)
2. Dynamically blocks the ThreatMetrix tracking scripts made by one of the largest and least ethical data brokers in the world (Lexis Nexis)
3. Easily auditable, with the core functionality being about 250 lines of code. HERE
4. Provides an optional whitelist to prevent portscans and tracking scripts from being blocked on trusted domains
5. Gives a nice notification when one of the above scenarios are blocked
6. This addon doesn't store/transmit/log any data or metadata about you or your requests... because, ya know, privacy

Donations ❤️

If you are feeling generous or really like my work, consider donating

• Monero Address: 89jYJvX3CaFNv1T6mhg69wK5dMQJSF3aG2AYRNU1ZSo6WbccGtJN7TNMAf39vrmKNR6zXUKxJVABggR4a8cZDGST11Q4yS8

Regex Explanation

• Explanation of the regex used to determine local addresses: https://regex101.com/r/DOPCdB/17
• Explanation of the regex which is used to match the protocol: https://regex101.com/r/f8LSTx/2

Test All Forms of Port Scanning

• A webpage I made to test all forms of scanning in one location: https://www.g666gle.me/PortScan.html

Test HTTP / HTTPS Portscanning

• Site where you can test if HTTP port scanning works: https://defuse.ca/in-browser-port-scanning.htm
• Site where you can test if HTTP port scanning works: https://inteltechniques.com/logger/
• Site where you can test if HTTP port scanning works (Output gives false positives): http://samy.pl/webscan/
• Click CTRL + Shift + I to see the networking tab where the blocked port scans will be shown.

Test Websocket Portscanning

• Site where you can test if WebSocket port scanning works: https://discord.com/invite/32ZNZVN
• Click CTRL + Shift + I to see the networking tab where the blocked port scans will be shown.

Test sites that port scan you or otherwise run ThreatMetrix scripts

• The full list of endpoints can be found HERE.

Permissions Needed

Display notifications to you

• This is needed so the addon can alert you when a malicious script is blocked or javascript port scanning is blocked.

Access browser tabs

• This is needed so the addon can display the correct number of blocked requests on a per-tab basis.

Access your data for all websites

• This is needed because the addon needs to check every request your browser makes to determine if it needs to be blocked.

Why I wrote this addon?

Back in May of 2020 eBay got caught port scanning their customers. I noticed that all of the articles covering this topic mentioned that there was nothing you could do to prevent it... so I wanted to make one. After going down many rabbit holes, I found that this script which was port scanning everyone is, in my opinion, malware.

Here's why I think that:

• The data being exfiled from your computer is encrypted into an image with XOR.
• The domain it reaches out to is made to look legitimate but redirects using a CNAME record to Lexis Nexis' servers.
• It can determine your “real IP” address even if you use a VPN / Proxy HERE.
• The javascript is assembled via string.join (like malware often does) and then executed in a service worker.
• Each time you load the page, the javascript is re-obfuscated.
• The script collects 416 pieces of personally identifiable information about you and your network. ( Shown HERE )
• They talk about trying to bypass adblockers by using encryption in their customer onboarding documentation HERE

So I developed multiple ways to stop this. The first being the existing functionality built into Port Authority. By default, Port Authority will check the sites that your browser reaches out to, and if it redirects to Lexis Nexis' infrastructure, it will be blocked, and you will receive a notification. The second is a Python script I wrote which uses Shodan to find all of Lexis Nexis' customer-specific domains on the internet HERE. You can add the script's output to a blocker such as uBlockOrigin to prevent your computer from connecting to them.

Note: This second method will never include every customer-specific endpoint, so you are better off using the dynamic blocking built into Port Authority which WILL block every customer-specific endpoint Lexis Nexis uses.

Reverse Engineering

Most of these sites are using Lexis Nexis's Threat Metrix scripts, Dan Nemec has a great blog post reverse engineering the script and showing all the invasive data collected https://blog.nem.ec/2020/05/24/ebay-port-scanning/

Zachary Hampton wrote some tools to reverse engineer the ThreatMetrix scripts. Go check it out https://github.com/ZacharyHampton/tmx-solver

• Solver
• Deobfuscator
• Harvester
• Payload Decryption Site
• Network Comparator (compare solver to real implementation)

WARNING

USING SOCKS5 PROXIES WITH THIS ADDON WILL CAUSE DNS LEAKS DUE TO HOW FIREFOX HANDLES CNAME LOOKUPS. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE HERE https://github.com/ACK-J/Port_Authority/issues/7#issue-925519591

• There is a simple fix for this. Type about:config in your browser, accept the warning, search for network.trr.mode and change it to 3

ToDo:

• Port to Chromium
• Add a whitelist