It is going to this group of web addresses without asking my permission or displaying any content. I hate spyware-programs that do that.

Using Firefox 16.

I have turned off every update field in about:config and in the preference area. I deselected the phishing website updates.

What else do I need to achieve?

• # sample of remote addresses:
• # 74.125.227.94
• # 74.125.227.158
• # 74.125.227.158
• # 74.125.227.126
• # 74.125.227.158
• # 74.125.227.126

1. sample of remote hosts
2. dfw06s07-in-f30.1e100.net
3. dfw06s17-in-f30.1e100.net
4. dfw06s17-in-f30.1e100.net
5. dfw06s16-in-f30.1e100.net
6. dfw06s17-in-f30.1e100.net
7. dfw06s16-in-f30.1e100.net

I can not tell you with certainty, but that is most likely the Safe Browsing component of Firefox updating to help protect you against malware and phishing sites.

• This is not spyware!!
• A database of malware and phishing sites known to Google is maintained in your Profile folder.
• The connections for doing the updates are only a few seconds in duration and should have no appreciable affect on Firefox loading times or on Firefox performance.
• I would not turn that off. If you do so, and then become infected by a drive-by download on a malware site known to Google Safe Browsing or have personal information stolen by an attack from a phishing site known to Google Safe Browsing, then the decision/mistake was yours and do not come back blaming Firefox!!

Information about Safe Browsing - https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/phishing-protection/

• There are links to Mozilla and Google privacy policies in one of the sections on that page.

You can read suggestions in the following articles for turning off Safe Browsing. I do not know for certain that the suggestions will work, though it appears that they will.

• Information for changing the prefs mentioned - http://kb.mozillazine.org/About:config
• Opening your Profile folder - Help > Troubleshooting Information, click on "Show Folder" in that display
• Articles to disable Safe Browsing:
  • http://en.kioskea.net/faq/1686-optimize-firefox-completely
  • http://bluemm.blogspot.com/2012/02/force-firefox-to-not-create.html

Thanks for repling TheOldFox. ..."A database of malware and phishing sites known to Google is maintained in your Profile folder. "...

I did deselect and disable those phishing and malware updates to see if they were the issue. I was trying to experiment, if it would still call back to Google.

Apparently Google is trying to maintain this for "web security" and developers of Firefox work together to code the browser so it checks at a pre-designated site. After one connect, the list of malicious, bad and ominous web sites are put like a data file in our profile for each browser. The browswer already has the last 20k to 30000 bad websites in it, and so there is no need go back to Google at browser-start, to check or refresh this list at each start-up (especially if the end user is only going to browse the same websites the day or hour before).

I can understand going back once a week, every three days or once a month (after the first contac), but at each point of start-up, it is not necessary.

Traditionally, end users are give the option to do this on their own. I would like this option restored if possible in Firefox browser. Why does Firefox and Google try to deprive the user of this choice? I makes it run like spyware runs, by causing users to go and report to Google, each time they start their profile/web-browser.

I have always thought, programs that did this without announcement, or giving users a choice (even under a banner like "national security," or "for your own good"), were just as capable of giving a false information to get the users to not care if they are being spied on.

TheOldFox, I have read your reply and do not wish to be disrespectful, but you are almost like that happy insurance salesman who is trying to warn of a flood, even 8000 feet above sea level: When talking with the majority of people, 92 out of a 100 might live at sea level or in flat valleys under a mountain run off; a big storm drops a lot of water and all the creeks rise out of their beds; widdening the rivers soon thereafter. But for the person living above 8000 feet, that water is usually rushing down so fast that it channels and carries itself away quickly. [[(They have no need for flood insurance and to pay that extra for prevention, because their house is built on a big rock. But the salesman cannot see that when talking to a large group, and always has to try to sell the flood-insurance package; and it is up for the buyer to refuse to buy it.) This is to say, you may be a good salesman but I know how to express no, in a nice and polite way.:D]]

It is a type of spying on users of the web-browswer, because it does not give the user a choice and does not announce what it is doing. Nor does it explain what it is doing (in user docs) after you disable those options even as an experiment, and it is still "phoning home" ...

So why does it still do this, to Google? Why does it not go back to firefox or mozilla?

I am guessing, it has something to do with monitoriing what each user is using in the way of add-ons, so that developers can keep tabs on how popular an add-on is.

My questions is still open. I want to learn how to stop this from occuring (at each and every start up). Please help.

{{{TheOldFox, I will read those links and see if that helps and post back here later. For now question is still open. Thank you. }}}

I managed to edit the post above, and now I am trying to delete this one.:D (Admin please delete this post.)

You sound quite paranoid. I have given you the method to try to turn off Safe Browsing. No personally identifiable information is sent to Google. In addition, unless you have a static IP, there would be no way for Google or Mozilla to "track" you from day to day, or when you restart your system and obtain a new IP address from your internet provider. I view Safe Browsing as an additional layer of security in addition to my firewall/av application and my use of an alternate DNS server that also has their own malicious website list.

If you feel uncomfortable with Firefox or any of it components and feel that it does not offer you the options that you seek in a browser, there are other browsers for you to choose.

The Safe Browsing database is constantly updated for new sites and for sites being cleared from the list. Since the connections only last a few seconds, the entire update may not be downloaded at one time, but over a number of short connections at various times.

Read the articles that I posted above for more information.

also see How to stop Firefox from making automatic connections

Madperson I thought that link you posted was going to do the trick. Alas, I am still seeking the answer: How to turn it off? Please someone.

Well TheOldFox. ... You sound quite paranoid ... on the contrary, I am simply wanting to be in control of where my browswer goes (without my permission). Traditionally, I like to choose its direction.

Also, I am a bit concerned how this unannounced background activity causes Firefox/Mozilla support and boosters, to start name-calling and denegrating strangers, as a substitute for telling end users, how to turn that off?

Simply wanting to control where the browser points, is not being paranoid. I think you are trying to hurt my feelings (and my naturally inquisitive outlook). Those comments have you focusing on little me, and my personality foibles, when I had asked why does it go to google and not firefox or mozilla to report? Why does it have to go to search/information gathering company?

You have to admit, it is a good question. :D

cristie said: "to start name-calling and denegrating strangers"

• cristie previously said: "TheOldFox, I have read your reply and do not wish to be disrespectful, but you are almost like that happy insurance salesman..." and all that follows in that reply.

If you had any knowledge of the internet and computers, you would be able to resolve the situation with a little research -- time better spent than your long, rambling responses about things of which you seem to know little.

Sorry for my efforts TheOldFox I have done a lot of research on this. Many days, not long hours, but often several times a week. I read a lot of these support forums first thinking the answer was in there. I also came back after reading like 20 threads, to read the next 20 threads ... It only makes me more curious until finally I want to ask the developers on this support thread. After all that, you are right, I am not so wise ... the insurance salesman was a happy insurance salesman, :D

Sometimes a good question leads to another if it is not well addressed.

Say I am a sewer and spend a lot of time working with my hands, but on occassion, want to look at a quilting or needlework website after reading about it in a magazine I subscribe. Why report to General-Google if I am using firefox to check that site? Where is my user choice; and where are the web-advocates for user choice - working with Firefox developement? (Did they all get bought out - kidding) ...

Why am I being told it is for your safety - instead of how to turn it off? I did not mean to step on any toes TheOldFox - Why am I being suggested to find another browser, if I dont like that one snippet of code, instead of how to turn it off?

It cant be that difficult to turn off. I mean it is not deliberatedly coded in a malicious manner, to KEEP end users from being able to turn it off - right?

Not only is Google in the business of collecting information about web activity, but the profile for my favorite Firefox browser has an id inside it, doesnt it. ... I am surprised more people do not ask into the subject, and that this is not being announced in the docs that come with Firefox. (It is not well explained.)

By pointing to other web browswers, again the question above are not addressed frankly. (How do I turn this off please.)

I can be curious without intentionally being mean. I hope you see this in a positive light.

I have read the links you provided and the issue to me is not about (safe browsing) per say ... but more or less, who is doing the phising for info?

Google seems to be interested in when and how often I turn on my web browser? Why should this be coded into the browser? The question is a good one, and I hope you will see it is not a question in which I want us to come to pull whiskers over, theOldFox.

I am a bit leery about the dishonesty and omission underlaying this bit of coding though and how it might cause the community of developers behind Firefox, to be at odds with the genuine questions I have asked above.

In the end I am still looking for the solution: How do I turn this off and take control over where the browser goes when it starts? I have noted after the modifications I made on the suggested links above, that the initial link stays open longer, where before it used to drop off in an impulse. Now it stays connected from 4 to 120 seconds; or longer.