ShadowWhisperer
commented
3 months ago It's blocked because it sends site information to google. Same reason all the other "safe browsing" domains are blocked. *was initially blocked under bloat. Google "malware blocking" is a joke. They can't prevent fraud with their own ad listings....
Why would I modify my host files? If you want to use it, whitelist as needed.
The domain safebrowsing.googleapis.com is used by Google's Safe Browsing service to help protect users from malicious and phishing sites. Here are some key points about what this domain does: Phishing and Malware Protection: Firefox: When you use Firefox, it periodically checks the sites you visit against a list of known malicious sites. This list is updated every 30 minutes or so. If a site is found to be malicious, Firefox will block it or warn you about the potential threat. Double-Check Mechanism: Firefox also performs a double-check to ensure that the site has not been removed from the list since your last update. This check does not include the full URL but only partial information derived from the address. Real-Time URL Checks: When you visit a site, it is checked in real-time by Google Safe Browsing. If the site is deemed problematic, you will receive a warning in your browser. The service returns one of three responses: SAFE, UNSAFE, or UNSURE. IP Privacy: Google Safe Browsing does not process any information associated with a user's identity. Cookies are ignored, and the originating IP addresses are only used for essential networking needs and anti-DoS purposes. There is also an optional Oblivious HTTP Gateway API that hides end users' IP addresses from Google. Reporting and Updates: Users can report suspected phishing or malware sites to Google Safe Browsing. The service uses this information to update its lists and protect users from potential threats. Integration with Other Browsers: Google Safe Browsing is integrated into Google Chrome and the Google Toolbar. It is not used in all browsers, such as Internet Explorer, which has its own database for blocking malicious sites. Workarounds: If you want to block or redirect these requests, you can create an entry in your hosts file to redirect safebrowsing.googleapis.com to your localhost IP address. This will prevent any program from sending requests to Google's servers. In summary, safebrowsing.googleapis.com is a critical component of Google's Safe Browsing service, which helps protect users from malicious and phishing sites by periodically updating lists of known threats and performing real-time checks on visited sites.