about:networking#http page tracks visited sites

[element-wise]

🟥 https://github.com/arkenfox/user.js/wiki/5.2-Troubleshooting

• [x ] I have read the troubleshooting guide, done the checks and confirmed this is caused by arkenfox
  • unchecked issues may will be closed as invalid

🟪 REQUIRED INFO

• Browser version & OS: Firefox 119.0.1 & Ubuntu 22.04.3 LTS
• Steps to Reproduce (STR): Set user_pref("places.history.enabled", false);
• Expected result: about:networking#http page should be empty since browsing history is disabled
• Actual result: about:networking#http lists sites that have been visited in current session
• Console errors and warnings: N/A
• Anything else you deem worth mentioning:

I've found that the only way to prevent about:networking#http from logging sites that I've visited is to use PB mode (private browsing), which may conflict with the statement under Index 5001 that users "can achieve [no "persistent" disk state] in normal mode". I've gone through StaticPrefList.yaml, hoping to find a relevant preference to modify, but I haven't had much success.

My modified preferences are the following:

click me for details

``` user_pref("accessibility.typeaheadfind.flashBar", 0); user_pref("app.normandy.api_url", ""); user_pref("app.normandy.enabled", false); user_pref("app.normandy.first_run", false); user_pref("app.normandy.migrationsApplied", 12); user_pref("app.shield.optoutstudies.enabled", false); user_pref("app.update.auto", false); user_pref("app.update.download.attempts", 0); user_pref("app.update.elevate.attempts", 0); user_pref("breakpad.reportURL", ""); user_pref("browser.aboutConfig.showWarning", false); user_pref("browser.bookmarks.addedImportButton", true); user_pref("browser.bookmarks.restore_default_bookmarks", false); user_pref("browser.cache.disk.enable", false); user_pref("browser.contentblocking.category", "custom"); user_pref("browser.contentblocking.report.hide_vpn_banner", true); user_pref("browser.discovery.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.download.alwaysOpenPanel", false); user_pref("browser.download.always_ask_before_handling_new_types", true); user_pref("browser.download.manager.addToRecentDocs", false); user_pref("browser.download.panel.shown", true); user_pref("browser.download.start_downloads_in_tmp_dir", true); user_pref("browser.download.useDownloadDir", false); user_pref("browser.download.viewableInternally.typeWasRegistered.avif", true); user_pref("browser.download.viewableInternally.typeWasRegistered.webp", true); user_pref("browser.engagement.ctrlTab.has-used", true); user_pref("browser.engagement.downloads-button.has-used", true); user_pref("browser.formfill.enable", false); user_pref("browser.laterrun.bookkeeping.sessionCount", 29); user_pref("browser.laterrun.enabled", true); user_pref("browser.link.open_newwindow.restriction", 0); user_pref("browser.messaging-system.whatsNewPanel.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.migration.version", 140); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.asrouter.userprefs.cfr.addons", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.asrouter.userprefs.cfr.features", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.default.sites", ""); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.section.topstories", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.telemetry", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.feeds.topsites", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.improvesearch.topSiteSearchShortcuts.searchEngines", ""); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSearch", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSponsored", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.showSponsoredTopSites", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.activity-stream.telemetry", false); user_pref("browser.newtabpage.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.pagethumbnails.storage_version", 3); user_pref("browser.ping-centre.telemetry", false); user_pref("browser.places.speculativeConnect.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.preferences.defaultPerformanceSettings.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.privatebrowsing.forceMediaMemoryCache", true); user_pref("browser.protections_panel.infoMessage.seen", true); user_pref("browser.proton.toolbar.version", 3); user_pref("browser.safebrowsing.downloads.remote.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.search.region", "US"); user_pref("browser.search.serpEventTelemetry.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.search.suggest.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.sessionstore.closedTabsFromAllWindows", false); user_pref("browser.sessionstore.closedTabsFromClosedWindows", false); user_pref("browser.sessionstore.collect_session_storage", false); user_pref("browser.sessionstore.collect_zoom", false); user_pref("browser.sessionstore.privacy_level", 2); user_pref("browser.sessionstore.resume_session_once", true); user_pref("browser.shell.didSkipDefaultBrowserCheckOnFirstRun", true); user_pref("browser.shell.shortcutFavicons", false); user_pref("browser.startup.couldRestoreSession.count", 1); user_pref("browser.startup.homepage", "about:blank"); user_pref("browser.startup.homepage_override.mstone", "ignore"); user_pref("browser.startup.page", 0); user_pref("browser.tabs.crashReporting.sendReport", false); user_pref("browser.tabs.inTitlebar", 1); user_pref("browser.tabs.searchclipboardfor.middleclick", false); user_pref("browser.tabs.tabmanager.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.toolbars.bookmarks.visibility", "never"); user_pref("browser.translations.enable", false); user_pref("browser.uitour.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.addons.featureGate", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.mdn.featureGate", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.placeholderName", "DuckDuckGo"); user_pref("browser.urlbar.placeholderName.private", "DuckDuckGo"); user_pref("browser.urlbar.quicksuggest.migrationVersion", 2); user_pref("browser.urlbar.quicksuggest.scenario", "offline"); user_pref("browser.urlbar.shortcuts.bookmarks", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.shortcuts.history", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.shortcuts.tabs", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.showSearchTerms.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.speculativeConnect.enabled", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.bookmark", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.engines", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.history", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.openpage", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.quicksuggest.nonsponsored", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.quicksuggest.sponsored", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.searches", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.suggest.topsites", false); user_pref("browser.urlbar.trending.featureGate", false); user_pref("browser.xul.error_pages.expert_bad_cert", true); user_pref("captivedetect.canonicalURL", ""); user_pref("datareporting.healthreport.uploadEnabled", false); user_pref("datareporting.policy.dataSubmissionEnabled", false); user_pref("datareporting.policy.dataSubmissionPolicyAcceptedVersion", 2); user_pref("devtools.debugger.prefs-schema-version", 11); user_pref("devtools.debugger.remote-enabled", false); user_pref("devtools.everOpened", true); user_pref("devtools.inspector.simple-highlighters.message-dismissed", false); user_pref("devtools.netmonitor.msg.visibleColumns", "[\"data\",\"time\"]"); user_pref("devtools.toolbox.selectedTool", "netmonitor"); user_pref("devtools.toolsidebar-height.inspector", 350); user_pref("devtools.toolsidebar-width.inspector", 376); user_pref("devtools.toolsidebar-width.inspector.splitsidebar", 376); user_pref("distribution.iniFile.exists.appversion", "119.0.1"); user_pref("distribution.iniFile.exists.value", false); user_pref("doh-rollout.doneFirstRun", true); user_pref("doh-rollout.home-region", "US"); user_pref("doh-rollout.mode", 2); user_pref("doh-rollout.self-enabled", true); user_pref("doh-rollout.uri", "https://mozilla.cloudflare-dns.com/dns-query"); user_pref("dom.disable_window_move_resize", true); user_pref("dom.enable_performance", false); user_pref("dom.enable_resource_timing", false); user_pref("dom.forms.autocomplete.formautofill", true); user_pref("dom.security.https_only_mode", true); user_pref("dom.security.https_only_mode_ever_enabled", true); user_pref("dom.security.https_only_mode_send_http_background_request", false); user_pref("extensions.activeThemeID", "default-theme@mozilla.org"); user_pref("extensions.blocklist.pingCountVersion", -1); user_pref("extensions.databaseSchema", 35); user_pref("extensions.enabledScopes", 5); user_pref("extensions.formautofill.addresses.enabled", false); user_pref("extensions.formautofill.creditCards.enabled", false); user_pref("extensions.getAddons.databaseSchema", 6); user_pref("extensions.getAddons.showPane", false); user_pref("extensions.htmlaboutaddons.recommendations.enabled", false); user_pref("extensions.lastAppVersion", "119.0.1"); user_pref("extensions.lastPlatformVersion", "119.0.1"); user_pref("extensions.pendingOperations", false); user_pref("extensions.pictureinpicture.enable_picture_in_picture_overrides", true); user_pref("extensions.pocket.enabled", false); user_pref("extensions.postDownloadThirdPartyPrompt", false); user_pref("extensions.quarantinedDomains.list", "autoatendimento.bb.com.br,ibpf.sicredi.com.br,ibpj.sicredi.com.br,internetbanking.caixa.gov.br,www.ib12.bradesco.com.br,www2.bancobrasil.com.br"); user_pref("extensions.systemAddonSet", "{\"schema\":1,\"addons\":{}}"); user_pref("extensions.ui.dictionary.hidden", true); user_pref("extensions.ui.lastCategory", "addons://list/extension"); user_pref("extensions.ui.locale.hidden", true); user_pref("extensions.ui.sitepermission.hidden", true); user_pref("extensions.update.autoUpdateDefault", false); user_pref("extensions.webcompat.enable_shims", true); user_pref("extensions.webcompat.perform_injections", true); user_pref("extensions.webcompat.perform_ua_overrides", true); user_pref("full-screen-api.warning.timeout", 0); user_pref("gecko.handlerService.defaultHandlersVersion", 1); user_pref("general.smoothScroll", true); user_pref("geo.enabled", false); user_pref("geo.provider.ms-windows-location", false); user_pref("geo.provider.network.url", "https://location.services.mozilla.com/v1/geolocate?key=%MOZILLA_API_KEY%"); user_pref("geo.provider.use_corelocation", false); user_pref("geo.provider.use_geoclue", false); user_pref("geo.provider.use_gpsd", false); user_pref("intl.accept_languages", "en-US, en"); user_pref("javascript.use_us_english_locale", true); user_pref("keyword.enabled", false); user_pref("layers.acceleration.disabled", true); user_pref("layout.css.prefers-reduced-transparency.enabled", true); user_pref("layout.spellcheckDefault", 0); user_pref("media.gmp.storage.version.observed", 1); user_pref("media.hardware-video-decoding.enabled", false); user_pref("media.hardwaremediakeys.enabled", false); user_pref("media.memory_cache_max_size", 65536); user_pref("media.peerconnection.ice.default_address_only", true); user_pref("media.peerconnection.ice.proxy_only_if_behind_proxy", true); user_pref("media.video_stats.enabled", false); user_pref("media.videocontrols.picture-in-picture.video-toggle.first-seen-secs", 1699220111); user_pref("media.videocontrols.picture-in-picture.video-toggle.has-used", true); user_pref("network.IDN_show_punycode", true); user_pref("network.auth.subresource-http-auth-allow", 1); user_pref("network.captive-portal-service.enabled", false); user_pref("network.connectivity-service.enabled", false); user_pref("network.cookie.cookieBehavior", 2); user_pref("network.dns.disableIPv6", true); user_pref("network.dns.disablePrefetch", true); user_pref("network.dns.skipTRR-when-parental-control-enabled", false); user_pref("network.dnsCacheEntries", 0); user_pref("network.file.disable_unc_paths", true); user_pref("network.gio.supported-protocols", ""); user_pref("network.http.rcwn.enabled", false); user_pref("network.http.referer.XOriginTrimmingPolicy", 2); user_pref("network.http.referer.disallowCrossSiteRelaxingDefault.top_navigation", true); user_pref("network.http.speculative-parallel-limit", 0); user_pref("network.preconnect", false); user_pref("network.predictor.enabled", false); user_pref("network.prefetch-next", false); user_pref("network.proxy.socks_remote_dns", true); user_pref("pdfjs.enableScripting", false); user_pref("pdfjs.enabledCache.state", true); user_pref("pdfjs.migrationVersion", 2); user_pref("permissions.manager.defaultsUrl", ""); user_pref("places.history.enabled", false); user_pref("pref.privacy.disable_button.cookie_exceptions", false); user_pref("privacy.annotate_channels.strict_list.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.offlineApps", true); user_pref("privacy.clearOnShutdown.openWindows", true); user_pref("privacy.cpd.cookies", false); user_pref("privacy.donottrackheader.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.fingerprintingProtection", true); user_pref("privacy.history.custom", true); user_pref("privacy.partition.network_state.ocsp_cache", true); user_pref("privacy.purge_trackers.date_in_cookie_database", "0"); user_pref("privacy.query_stripping.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.query_stripping.enabled.pbmode", true); user_pref("privacy.resistFingerprinting.block_mozAddonManager", true); user_pref("privacy.sanitize.pending", "[{\"id\":\"shutdown\",\"itemsToClear\":[\"cache\",\"cookies\",\"offlineApps\",\"history\",\"formdata\",\"downloads\",\"sessions\",\"openWindows\"],\"options\":{}},{\"id\":\"newtab-container\",\"itemsToClear\":[],\"options\":{}}]"); user_pref("privacy.sanitize.sanitizeOnShutdown", true); user_pref("privacy.sanitize.timeSpan", 0); user_pref("privacy.trackingprotection.emailtracking.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.trackingprotection.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.trackingprotection.socialtracking.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.userContext.enabled", true); user_pref("privacy.userContext.extension", "@testpilot-containers"); user_pref("privacy.userContext.ui.enabled", true); user_pref("security.OCSP.require", true); user_pref("security.cert_pinning.enforcement_level", 2); user_pref("security.nocertdb", true); user_pref("security.pki.crlite_mode", 2); user_pref("security.remote_settings.crlite_filters.enabled", true); user_pref("security.ssl.require_safe_negotiation", true); user_pref("security.ssl.treat_unsafe_negotiation_as_broken", true); user_pref("security.tls.enable_0rtt_data", false); user_pref("services.sync.clients.lastSync", "0"); user_pref("services.sync.declinedEngines", ""); user_pref("services.sync.engine.addresses.available", true); user_pref("services.sync.globalScore", 0); user_pref("services.sync.nextSync", 0); user_pref("signon.autofillForms", false); user_pref("signon.formlessCapture.enabled", false); user_pref("signon.rememberSignons", false); user_pref("storage.vacuum.last.index", 2); user_pref("toolkit.coverage.endpoint.base", ""); user_pref("toolkit.coverage.opt-out", true); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.archive.enabled", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.bhrPing.enabled", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.coverage.opt-out", true); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.firstShutdownPing.enabled", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.newProfilePing.enabled", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.pioneer-new-studies-available", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.reportingpolicy.firstRun", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.server", "data:,"); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.shutdownPingSender.enabled", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.unified", false); user_pref("toolkit.telemetry.updatePing.enabled", false); user_pref("toolkit.winRegisterApplicationRestart", false); user_pref("trailhead.firstrun.didSeeAboutWelcome", true); user_pref("ui.key.menuAccessKey", 0); user_pref("ui.prefersReducedMotion", 1); user_pref("webchannel.allowObject.urlWhitelist", ""); user_pref("webgl.disabled", true);``` ---

[Thorin-Oakenpants]

 * [NOTE] The P in PB mode can be misleading: it means no "persistent" disk state such as history,
 * caches, searches, cookies, localStorage, IndexedDB etc (which you can achieve in normal mode).
 * In fact, PB mode limits or removes the ability to control some of these, and you need to quit
 * Firefox to clear them.

so the note refers to site data - and some items are orthoganal, such as history (which we also clear). But totally avoiding disk state for the entire app is impossible and even Tor Browser don't claim to (well, the docs are going to be rewritten) because apps can't fully control the OS.

anyway, PB mode does do some things differently - i.e in some cases avoiding disk entirely by using memory - or writing to disk encrypted with a session-only memory-only key (and cleaning up on close and handling ungraceful exits - i.e cleanup on start). I'm not 100% sure what PB mode does with history (from a quick look it's not recorded, but back/forward still works and closed tabs are recorded, just not history - weird: there are lots of gaps in this area)

But no-one has ever claimed to prevent per-session data - and we sanitize history on close. So I'm not sure what it is you are trying to protect from - your threat model sounds like you should just use Tor Browser or Mullvad Browser