Regex and Ping

[ReporterX]

Newbie ABE learner

1. Must I need to use ^ sign to declare a regex URI pattern? In other words, any regex must start with ^ sign. True?

2. Could I use more than 1 method in the same rule, like what you can do with resource

3. Method: PING
A webserver can send PING request to us?
I thought PING request is sent by the user (to the webserver) to test the availability of the webserver.
What is the implication of privacy of security if I don't block it? Should we block it?

Thanks a lot.

[barbaz]

1. Must I need to use ^ sign to declare a regex URI pattern? In other words, any regex must start with ^ sign. True?

yes, at least in most cases. It's best to always do that.

2. Could I use more than 1 method in the same rule, like what you can do with resource

Yes

3. Method: PING
A webserver can send PING request to us?
I thought PING request is sent by the user (to the webserver) to test the availability of the webserver.
What is the implication of privacy of security if I don't block it? Should we block it?

This PING is

Code: Select all

<a ping="...

which will send the site(s) listed in the ping attribute, a short message saying that you clicked that hyperlink.
I think it's blocked by default in the browser, so you don't need to worry about it.

[ReporterX]

1. Must I need to use ^ sign to declare a regex URI pattern? In other words, any regex must start with ^ sign. True?

yes, at least in most cases. It's best to always do that.

I tested it some time ago today.
It appears NoScript fails to recognize if I don't put ^ in front of the regex pattern.
Not that you have a choice. It is required.

3. Method: PING
A webserver can send PING request to us?
I thought PING request is sent by the user (to the webserver) to test the availability of the webserver.
What is the implication of privacy of security if I don't block it? Should we block it?

This PING is

Code: Select all

<a ping="...

which will send the site(s) listed in the ping attribute, a short message saying that you clicked that hyperlink.
I think it's blocked by default in the browser, so you don't need to worry about it.

I see.
Yup it seems to be. <a> ping request is ignored by default since 2008.
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Browser.send_pings

Thanks a lot.