| Revision as of 15:22, 8 October 2019 edit117.251.225.241 (talk)No edit summaryTags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit← Previous edit | Latest revision as of 06:22, 16 December 2024 edit undo49.207.233.112 (talk) Vandalism revert, UC Browser is part of Alibaba Group | ||
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| {{short description|Chinese web browser developed by UCWeb Inc}} | |||
| {{multiple issues| | |||
| {{advert|date=January 2019}} | |||
| {{update|inaccurate=yes|date=January 2019}} | |||
| }} | |||
| {{short description|Browser developed by the mobile Internet company UCWeb Inc.}} | |||
| {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2018}} | ||
| {{Infobox |
{{Infobox software | ||
| | name = UC Browser | | name = UC Browser | ||
| | logo = UC Browser |
| logo = UC Browser logo.svg | ||
| | screenshot = | | screenshot = UC browser screenshot.png | ||
| | screenshot size = 200px | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | collapsible = yes | |||
| | caption = A screenshot of UC Browser for ]. | |||
| | developer = ] Alibaba Group | | developer = ] Alibaba Group | ||
| | released = {{Start date and age|2004}} | |||
| | ver layout = stacked | | ver layout = stacked | ||
| | operating system = {{Collapsible list|title=Platforms|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]}} | |||
| | status = Active | |||
| | operating system = ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] | |||
| | included with = | | included with = | ||
| | engine = |
| engine = ], ] | ||
| | platform = | | platform = | ||
| | latest release version = {{ubl| Windows: 6.0.1308.1016 (Aug 17, 2023) | Android: 13.7.2.1321 (June 3, 2024) }} | |||
| | language = ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], | |||
| | language = ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ], ] | |||
| ] | |||
| | language count = 25 | |||
| | genre = ] | | genre = ] | ||
| | license = ] with ] <small>()</small> and ] <small>()</small> | |||
| | license = ] | |||
| | website = {{URL|www.ucweb.com}} | | website = {{URL|www.ucweb.com}} | ||
| | standard = ], ] | | standard = ], ] | ||
| | AsOf = | | AsOf = | ||
| }} | }} | ||
| '''UC Browser''' is a ] developed by the ]/]-based mobile Internet company ], which is in turn owned by the ]. | |||
| '''UC Browser''' is a ] developed by mobile internet company ], a subsidiary of the ]. It was the most popular mobile browser in ], ], and ], as well as the second-most popular one in ] as of 2017. Its world-wide browser share as of May 2022 is 0.86% overall (and 1.48% on smartphones) according to ].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Browser Market Share Worldwide |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share#monthly-202202-202202-bar |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=StatCounter Global Stats |language=en}}</ref> | |||
| It is more popular than Google’s Chrome in some of Asia’s fastest-growing markets like India and Indonesia. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-browser-youve-never-heard-of-is-dethroning-google-in-asia-1514808002| title="A Browser You’ve Never Heard of Is Dethroning Google in Asia"| publisher ="Wall Street Journal"}}</ref> | |||
| Originally launched in April 2004 as a ]-only ], it |
Originally launched in April 2004 as a ]-only ], it was subsequently made available on a number of platforms including ], ], ], ], ], ], and ].<ref name="softpedia">{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/UC-Browser-Review-Fast-and-Bandwidth-Efficient-168992.shtml |title=UC Browser Review – Fast and Bandwidth Efficient |date=26 November 2010 |publisher=News.softpedia.com |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref><ref name="cellphonebeat" />{{not in citation|date=September 2024}} As of 2020, Android is the only operating system still supported by the browser.{{Clarify|reason=What about Windows version from 2023?|date=September 2024}} | ||
| <!-- | |||
| Commenting out thenextweb.com (for now) and StatCounter (that I think I put in, and former may be based on), as UC Broswer market share may be fraudulent: See at: https://en.wikipedia.org/search/?title=Template:Countries_by_most_used_web_browser&diff=728783326&oldid=724446087 | |||
| It has been the subject of privacy and security controversies and was banned in India on 29 June 2020, shortly after the ] started.<ref name="India Ban">{{Cite news|last=Shrivastava|first=Rahul |date=29 June 2020|title=TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser among 59 Chinese apps banned by India as border tensions simmer in Ladakh|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/centre-announces-ban-chinese-apps-privacy-issues-1695265-2020-06-29|access-date=2020-06-29|work=India Today|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| With a large user base in China, India, Indonesia and continued growth in emerging regional markets, UC Browser reached 100 million global users in March 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thenextweb.com/asia/2014/03/21/mobile-browser-maker-ucweb-another-global-tech-firm-under-the-radar-crosses-500m-users/#!BqGdJ |title=Chinese Browser-Maker UCWeb Cross 500 Million Users |author=Jon Russell |date=21 March 2014 |work=The Next Web}}</ref> | |||
| == Functionality == | |||
| According to ],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_browser-ww-monthly-201411-201607 |title=StatCounter Global Stats – Browser, OS, Search Engine including Mobile Usage Share |last=StatCounter |work=''statcounter.com'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref> UC Browser is the second most used ]/"mobile" web browser worldwide, passing Safari in October 201 | |||
| 5. | |||
| --> | |||
| UC Browser is a cross-platform ] primarily targeted at mobile phones.<ref name="wsj">{{cite news|title=A Browser You've Never Heard of Is Dethroning Google in Asia|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-browser-youve-never-heard-of-is-dethroning-google-in-asia-1514808002|work=Wall Street Journal|date=2 January 2018|last1=Purnell|first1=Newley}}</ref> It is known for its small app size and ] technology, making it popular in ]s where people tend to have mobile phones with more limited device memory and ].<ref name="wsj"/> In particular, the browser is unique in its use of ]s, which run data through UCWeb servers before sending it to the user's device, enabling data compression but also posing privacy risks.<ref name="softpedia"/> Additional features of the browser include ] acceleration, multi-file format downloading, ] web app and cloud syncing features, and "fast download", a feature that downloads files in multiple parts simultaneously. | |||
| == Features == | |||
| The browser uses ] acceleration and ] technology. UC Browser's servers act as a proxy which compresses and renders the data of web pages before sending it to users. This process helps to load web content faster. The browser can adapt to some network environments and support multi-file format downloading. In addition, UC Browser has ] web app and cloud syncing features. It also has a feature called "fast download", which downloads a file in multiple parts simultaneously. | |||
| === Platforms === | |||
| UC Browser<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ucweb.com |title=UC Mobile Ltd |publisher=Ucweb.com |date= |accessdate=2018-11-10}}</ref> is available on several smartphones and feature phone platforms, but the Android mobile operating system represents the largest user base for the company, with 300 million of its 500 million users total.<ref name="thenextweb.com">{{cite web |url=https://thenextweb.com/asia/2014/03/21/mobile-browser-maker-ucweb-another-global-tech-firm-under-the-radar-crosses-500m-users/#!BqYW5 |title=Chinese Browser-Maker UCWeb Cross 500 Million Users |author=Jon Russell |date=21 March 2014 |work=The Next Web}}</ref> | |||
| UC Browser is available as both an ] app and an ] app, and is also available on several other older or discontinued mobile operating systems including ], ], and ].<ref name="cellphonebeat">{{Cite web|url=https://cellphonebeat.com/ucbrowser-surpasses-opera-mini-33-percent-more-downloads.html|title=UCBrowser surpasses Opera Mini with 33 percent more downloads|website=Cellphonebeat.com|date=21 May 2012|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> While primarily a mobile app, UCWeb also offers a ] desktop version (there is no ] version). | |||
| === UC+: HTML5, WebApp and add-ons === | |||
| In July 2013, UCWeb announced the UC+ Open Platform. The platform consists of a WebApp store, an add-on platform and an Application Bookmark Platform. It went live with the launch of UC Browser v9.2 for Android.<ref>{{cite web |last=Xiang |first=Tracey |url=http://technode.com/2013/07/05/uc-web-launches-uc-open-platform-addressing-webapp-strategy/ |title=UC Web Launches UC+ Open Platform, Addressing WebApp Strategy |publisher=TechNode |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| Developers can use a provided ] to create programs that the browser runs in different scenarios. Users can download and install them from the browser's add-on panel. Examples include sharing to ], webpage translation, augmented reality, and voice control.<ref name=":2"/> The Application Bookmark Platform allows partner websites to put up a ] on UC Browser for users to scan, which adds the webpage to their bookmarks. This platform was among the first in China.<ref name=":3"/> | |||
| === Download management === | |||
| The browser supports simultaneous downloads and includes a download manager, including pages for offline reading. It supports pausing and resuming downloads.<ref>{{cite web |last=Yin |first=Sara |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400552,00.asp |title=UC Browser 8.0.5 (for Android) Review & Rating |work=PC Magazine |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> The current version of download manager has features designed to solve common problems while downloading, such as an intermittent internet connection and mislabeled files.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=116671 |title=UC Browser Releases Version 9.3 For Android Platform |publisher=Efytimes.com |date=24 September 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112143357/http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=116671 |archivedate=12 November 2013 |df=}}</ref> The download process can continue after the app is closed, and can also automatically resume if the download is interrupted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fonearena.com/blog/87652/uc-browser-on-windows-phone-now-supports-background-downloads.html |title=UC Browser on Windows Phone now supports background downloads |publisher=Fonearena.com |date=12 November 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> The download manager sorts downloaded files by type and places them in respective folders.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/09/chrome-firefox-safari-opera-edge-impressive-web-browser-alternatives/ |title=Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge? Impressive Web Browser Alternatives |work=] |date=23 September 2015 |accessdate=24 September 2015}}</ref> | |||
| === Data compression === | === Data compression === | ||
| Since 2006, UC Browser has been performing more compression and rendering works on its servers, which is similar to the operation of a thin client.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.softpedia.com/news/UC-Browser-Review-Fast-and-Bandwidth-Efficient-168992.shtml |title=UC Browser Review â€" Fast and Bandwidth Efficient |publisher=News.softpedia.com |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> UC Browser is the only modern browser lacking support for WOFF2 and Brotli compression.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://caniuse.com/#feat=brotli |title=Can I use Brotli? |publisher=caniuse.com |date=5 February 2018 |accessdate=5 February 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://caniuse.com/#feat=woff2 |title=Can I use WOFF2? |publisher=caniuse.com |date=5 February 2018 |accessdate=5 February 2018}}</ref> | |||
| UC Browser uses ]s to compress web pages before sending them to users.<ref name="softpedia"/> This process requires less memory on the user's device and lowers data costs; however, it also poses privacy and security risks as all of the data accessed by the user through UC Browser first runs through a UCWeb server, rather than going directly to the user's device. | |||
| === Cloud system === | |||
| UCWeb claims that the cloud system used by the browser tends to fetch data from the closest servers available, making the loading process quicker and smoother for users.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/uc-web-launches-updated-version-of-uc-browser-for-android-java-and-ipad-358375 |title=UC Web launches updated version of UC Browser for Android, Java and iPad | NDTV Gadgets |publisher=Gadgets.ndtv.com |date=24 April 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| == |
=== UC+: HTML5, WebApp and add-ons === | ||
| === Security === | |||
| Research has found that UC Browser is insecure, with many vulnerabilities and privacy issues. | |||
| In July 2013, UCWeb announced the UC+ Open Platform. The platform consists of a WebApp store, an add-on platform and an Application Bookmark Platform. It went live with the launch of UC Browser v9.2 for Android.<ref>{{cite web |last=Xiang |first=Tracey |url=http://technode.com/2013/07/05/uc-web-launches-uc-open-platform-addressing-webapp-strategy/ |title=UC Web Launches UC+ Open Platform, Addressing WebApp Strategy |date=5 July 2013 |publisher=TechNode |access-date=16 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
| According to Qualys SSL Lab test and High-Tech Bridge's SSL/TLS Security Report,<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.htbridge.com/ssl/?id=k4KLWjNv |title=SSL/TLS Server Test of www.ucweb.com |access-date=27 February 2018}}</ref> ], ], and ] vulnerabilities are found in UC Browser.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ssllabs.com/ssltest/viewMyClient.html|title=Qualys SSL Labs - Projects / SSL Client Test|website=www.ssllabs.com}}</ref> UC Browser uses an outdated ] cipher cryptography with deprecated SSL 3 or even SSL 2 protocol which has many security flaws.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blogs.opera.com/mobile/2016/03/opera-mini-takes-care-security/|title=Opera Mini takes care of your security - Opera Mobile|date=17 March 2016|publisher=}}</ref> | |||
| Developers can use a provided ] to create programs that the browser runs in different scenarios. Users can download and install them from the browser's add-on panel. Examples include sharing to ], webpage translation, augmented reality, and voice control. The Application Bookmark Platform allows partner websites to put up a ] on UC Browser for users to scan, which adds the webpage to their bookmarks. This platform was among the first in China. | |||
| In March 2019 ] researchers publicly disclosed that UC Browser and UC Browser Mini for Android was downloading and installing extra modules from the company's own servers via an unprotected HTTP channel. This exposed browser users to arbitrary remote code execution if an attacker was able to perform a ] to deliver malicious module (but no cases of exploitation were publicly disclosed). Furthermore, this violates ] policies that forbid Google Play apps from downloading any executable code from any sources outside of Google Play. Researchers contacted both UCWeb Inc. and Google prior to the disclosure, but as of March 26, neither app was patched and users are still vulnerable to the attack.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/uc-browser-for-android-desktop-exposes-500-million-users-to-mitm-attacks/|title=UC Browser for Android, Desktop Exposes 500+ Million Users to MiTM Attacks|website=BleepingComputer|language=en-us|access-date=2019-03-27}}</ref> | |||
| === |
=== Download management === | ||
| In 2015 it was revealed as part of the ] that UC Browser leaks sensitive ], ], ] data, Android ID, ] and users Geo-location & ] related data without any encryption; which was used by intelligence agencies to track users.<ref name="reuters.com"> – Reuters, 21 May 2015</ref><ref> – Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, 22 May 2015</ref> | |||
| In May 2015, ]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/ |title=The Citizen Lab â€" University of Toronto |work=''citizenlab.org'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref> published news about leaking of privacy details of several UC Browser users. The organization tested two versions of UC Browser, one in English and the other in Chinese.<ref name="auto" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2016/08/a-tough-nut-to-crack-look-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/ |title=A Tough Nut to Crack: A Further Look at Privacy and Security Issues in UC Browser â€" The Citizen Lab |date=7 August 2016 |work=''citizenlab.org'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2016/03/privacy-security-issues-qq-browser/ |title=WUP! There It Is: Privacy and Security Issues in QQ Browser â€" The Citizen Lab |date=28 March 2016 |work=''citizenlab.org'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2015/05/summary-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/ |title=Summary: Privacy and Security Issues with UC Browser |date=21 May 2015 |work=''citizenlab.org'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/tag/edward-snowden/ |title=Edward Snowden Archives â€" The Citizen Lab |work=''citizenlab.org'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref> | |||
| In May 2015, documents leaked by ] (NSA) whistleblower ] revealed that the ] (ASD) had identified UC Browsers as a security weak point. Its widespread use in China, India and Indonesia made it particularly attractive to ASD. The documents revealed that in cooperation with its ] partners, ASD hacked the UC Browser and infected smartphones with spyware. The ASD declined to comment in relation to the revelations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/australia-a-leader-in-hacking-mobile-phones-snowden-document-reveals-20150521-gh761s.html |title=Australia a leader in hacking mobile phones, Snowden document reveals |last=Dorling |first=Philip |date=22 May 2015 |newspaper=]}}</ref> | |||
| The browser supports simultaneous downloads and includes a download manager, including pages for offline reading. It supports pausing and resuming downloads.<ref>{{cite web |last=Yin |first=Sara |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400552,00.asp |title=UC Browser 8.0.5 (for Android) Review & Rating |work=PC Magazine |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> The current version of the download manager has features designed to solve common problems while downloading, such as an intermittent internet connection and mislabeled files.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=116671 |title=UC Browser Releases Version 9.3 For Android Platform |publisher=Efytimes.com |date=24 September 2013 |access-date=10 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112143357/http://www.efytimes.com/e1/fullnews.asp?edid=116671 |archive-date=12 November 2013 }}</ref> The download process can continue after the app is closed, and can also automatically resume if the download is interrupted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fonearena.com/blog/87652/uc-browser-on-windows-phone-now-supports-background-downloads.html |title=UC Browser on Windows Phone now supports background downloads |publisher=Fonearena.com |date=12 November 2013 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> The download manager sorts downloaded files by type and places them in respective folders.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/09/chrome-firefox-safari-opera-edge-impressive-web-browser-alternatives/ |title=Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Edge? Impressive Web Browser Alternatives |work=] |date=23 September 2015 |access-date=24 September 2015}}</ref> | |||
| In 2016, the Citizen Lab reported<ref name="auto">{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2015/05/a-chatty-squirrel-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/ |title=Privacy and Security Issues with UC Browser |quote=by Experts: Jakub Dalek (lead), Katie Kleemola (lead), Adam Senft (lead), Christopher Parsons, Andrew Hilts, Sarah McKune, Jason Q. Ng, Masashi Crete-Nishihata, John Scott-Railton, Ronald Deibert |date=21 May 2015 |work=''citizenlab.org'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref> about major security and privacy issues in the English language and Chinese language editions of the Android version of UC Browser. The report criticized the transmission of ] to various commercial analytics tools and the transmission of user search queries without encryption. They also managed to bypass the encryption of UC Browser accusing them of using non-effective encryption systems in transmitting personally identifiable subscriber data, mobile device identifiers and user geo-location data.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2015/05/a-chatty-squirrel-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/ |title=Privacy and Security Issues with UC Browser}}</ref> | |||
| === Cloud system === | |||
| In May–June 2016, Alibaba group provided the Citizen Lab with updated versions of UC Browser in order to verify their security fixes to these issues. The subsequent update published by the Citizen Lab indicated that, not all of the previously identified data leaks and privacy breaches had been fixed in UC Browser.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2016/08/a-tough-nut-to-crack-look-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/#update |title=Update: Analysis of updated Android and Windows versions of UC Browser}}</ref><ref name="reuters.com" /> | |||
| UCWeb claims that the cloud system used by the browser tends to fetch data from the closest servers available, making the loading process quicker and smoother for users.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/uc-web-launches-updated-version-of-uc-browser-for-android-java-and-ipad-358375 |title=UC Web launches updated version of UC Browser for Android, Java and iPad | NDTV Gadgets |publisher=Gadgets.ndtv.com |date=24 April 2013 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) in ] is currently investigating this privacy breach by Alibaba-owned UC Browser. It has been alleged that the second-most-used browser in India has been sending user data to Chinese servers and that it retains control over a user's device DNS even after the browser is deleted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digit.in/internet/uc-browser-under-government-lens-for-leaking-user-data-to-servers-in-china-36704.html|title=UC Browser under government lens for leaking user data to servers in China - Digit.in|publisher=}}</ref> | |||
| == Privacy and security vulnerabilities == | |||
| The matter, first highlighted through findings of University of Toronto, is now being looked into by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), ]. It is doing a technical investigation into the allegations made in the University of Toronto report which had claimed "several major privacy and security vulnerabilities that would seriously expose users of UC Browser to surveillance and other privacy violations".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://m.timesofindia.com/business/india-business/alibabas-uc-web-browser-may-face-ban-in-india-over-data-theft/articleshow/60180582.cms|title=Alibaba's UC Web Browser may face ban in India over data theft - Times of India|publisher=}}</ref> | |||
| In May 2015, the American ] (NSA) documents leaked by whistleblower ] indicated that UC Browser leaks sensitive data like ], ], ]'s, Android ID's, ]es, and ] and ]-related data without any encryption.<ref>{{Cite news|last1=Hildebrandt|first1=Amber|last2=Seglins|first2=Dave|date=21 May 2015|title=Spy agenci es target mobile phones, app stores to implant spyware|work=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/spy-agencies-target-mobile-phones-app-stores-to-implant-spyware-1.3076546}}</ref> These leaks are used by intelligence agencies to track users. The documents also revealed that the ] (ASD) had identified UC Browser as a security weak point. Its widespread use in China, India and Indonesia made it particularly attractive to ASD's exploits. The Snowden documents revealed that in cooperation with its ] partners, ASD hacked the UC Browser and infected smartphones with spyware. The ASD declined to comment in relation to the revelations.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.canberratimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/australia-a-leader-in-hacking-mobile-phones-snowden-document-reveals-20150521-gh761s.html |title=Australia a leader in hacking mobile phones, Snowden document reveals |last=Dorling |first=Philip |date=22 May 2015 |newspaper=] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523111045if_/http://www.canberratimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/australia-a-leader-in-hacking-mobile-phones-snowden-document-reveals-20150521-gh761s.html |archive-date=23 May 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
| == Platforms == | |||
| UC Browser is compatible with Android, iOS and has old versions for a number of number of operating systems, including Windows (just over a year old, as of 2019), BlackBerry, Symbian, Windows and Windows Phone.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cellphonebeat.com/ucbrowser-surpasses-opera-mini-33-percent-more-downloads.html|title=UCBrowser surpasses Opera Mini with 33 percent more downloads|website=Cellphonebeat.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-04-24}}</ref> | |||
| Following the leaks, the ] based at the ] published an independent report corroborating numerous privacy and security issues with both the English language and Chinese language editions of the Android version of UC Browser.<ref name="auto">{{cite journal|date=21 May 2015|title=Privacy and Security Issues with UC Browser|url=https://citizenlab.org/2015/05/a-chatty-squirrel-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/|access-date=7 November 2016|website=citizenlab.org|quote=by Experts: Jakub Dalek (lead), Katie Kleemola (lead), Adam Senft (lead), Christopher Parsons, Andrew Hilts, Sarah McKune, Jason Q. Ng, Masashi Crete-Nishihata, John Scott-Railton, Ronald Deibert|last1=Dalek |first1=Jakub |last2=Kleemola |first2=Katie |last3=Senft |first3=Adam |last4=Parsons |first4=Christopher |last5=Hilts |first5=Andrew |last6=McKune |first6=Sarah |last7=Ng |first7=Jason Q. |last8=Crete-Nishihata |first8=Masashi |last9=Scott-Railton |first9=John |last10=Deibert |first10=Ron }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=7 August 2016|title=A Tough Nut to Crack: A Further Look at Privacy and Security Issues in UC Browser â€" The Citizen Lab|url=https://citizenlab.org/2016/08/a-tough-nut-to-crack-look-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/|access-date=7 November 2016|website=citizenlab.org|last1=Knockel |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Senft |first2=Adam |last3=Deibert |first3=Ron }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=28 March 2016|title=WUP! There It Is: Privacy and Security Issues in QQ Browser â€" The Citizen Lab|url=https://citizenlab.org/2016/03/privacy-security-issues-qq-browser/|access-date=7 November 2016|website=citizenlab.org|last1=Knockel |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Senft |first2=Adam |last3=Deibert |first3=Ron }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|date=21 May 2015|title=Summary: Privacy and Security Issues with UC Browser|url=https://citizenlab.org/2015/05/summary-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/|access-date=7 November 2016|website=citizenlab.org|last1=Lab |first1=Citizen }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Edward Snowden Archives â€" The Citizen Lab|url=https://citizenlab.org/tag/edward-snowden/|access-date=7 November 2016|work=citizenlab.org}}</ref> The report criticized the transmission of ] to various commercial analytics tools and the transmission of user search queries without encryption. They also managed to bypass the encryption of UC Browser, leading them to accuse UCWeb of using non-effective encryption systems to transmit personally identifiable subscriber data, mobile device identifiers, and user ] data.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2015/05/a-chatty-squirrel-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/ |title=Privacy and Security Issues with UC Browser|date=21 May 2015|last1=Dalek |first1=Jakub |last2=Kleemola |first2=Katie |last3=Senft |first3=Adam |last4=Parsons |first4=Christopher |last5=Hilts |first5=Andrew |last6=McKune |first6=Sarah |last7=Ng |first7=Jason Q. |last8=Crete-Nishihata |first8=Masashi |last9=Scott-Railton |first9=John |last10=Deibert |first10=Ron }}</ref> | |||
| == Localization strategy == | |||
| {{update|section|inaccurate=yes|date=January 2019}} | |||
| The company announced its "Going ]" strategy in 2012. By providing different versions for ], ], ], ] markets and more, the company hopes to better serve its growing international user base.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ucweb.com/English/UCMobileCompany/about.html |title=About UCWeb |work=''ucweb.com'' |accessdate=7 November 2016}}</ref> The company is taking advantage of its own server networks which enable the browser to deliver customized contents to users all around the world. Besides the technical issues, the company refers to local designers and experts to accommodate local cultures and tastes, according to CEO Yongfu Yu.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinasia.com/ucwebs-yu-yongfu-talks-strategy-finances-evernote-partnership/ |title=UCWeb's Yu Yongfu Talks Strategy, Finances, New Evernote Partnership |publisher=Techinasia.com |date=10 May 2012 |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> The logo of UC Browser was redesigned in December 2012, from a cartoon squirrel to a more abstract and stylized icon that's more in line with American designs.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mott |first=Nathaniel |url=http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/18/ucweb-opens-us-office-americanizes-its-logo/ |title=UCWeb opens US office, Americanizes its logo |publisher=PandoDaily |date=18 October 2012 |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| In May 2016, ] provided Citizen Lab with updated versions of UC Browser in order to verify their security fixes to these issues. The subsequent update published by Citizen Lab indicated that not all of the previously identified data leaks and privacy breaches had been fixed in UC Browser.<ref name="reuters.com">{{Cite news|date=21 May 2015|title=Research group says UC Browser, owned by Alibaba, found to leak data|work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/alibaba-ucweb-security/research-group-says-uc-browser-owned-by-alibaba-found-to-leak-data-idUSL3N0YC3Q620150521}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://citizenlab.org/2016/08/a-tough-nut-to-crack-look-privacy-and-security-issues-with-uc-browser/#update |title=Update: Analysis of updated Android and Windows versions of UC Browser|date=8 August 2016|last1=Knockel |first1=Jeffrey |last2=Senft |first2=Adam |last3=Deibert |first3=Ron }}</ref> | |||
| UCWeb Inc., an Alibaba Mobile Business Group Company today launched a New UC Browser and announced its strategic partnership with Colors TV. Driven by big-data technology, the New UC Browser includes news feeds from UC News making it an integral part of UC Browser now, with more customisation options for the users. UC Browser has been updated keeping in mind the user preferences for trending and relevant information at the fingertip. | |||
| In 2017, the ] (C-DAC), a scientific research unit within India's ], began a technical investigation into the "several major privacy and security vulnerabilities that would seriously expose users of UC Browser to surveillance and other privacy violations" alleged in the report.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/alibabas-uc-web-browser-may-face-ban-in-india-over-data-theft/articleshow/60180582.cms|title=Alibaba's UC Web Browser may face ban in India over data theft - Times of India|website=]|date=23 August 2017 }}</ref> C-DAC found that the browser (which was the second-most-used browser in India) had been sending user data to Chinese servers and that it retains control over a user's device DNS even after the browser is deleted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digit.in/internet/uc-browser-under-government-lens-for-leaking-user-data-to-servers-in-china-36704.html|title=UC Browser under government lens for leaking user data to servers in China - Digit.in|date=25 August 2017|access-date=27 August 2017|archive-date=5 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905220642/https://www.digit.in/internet/uc-browser-under-government-lens-for-leaking-user-data-to-servers-in-china-36704.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
| == Ecosystem partnership == | |||
| UCWeb customized its browser for ]'s Indian customers in May 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-14/news/39256349_1_vodafone-india-ucweb-india-yu-yongfu |title=UCWeb customises mobile internet browser for Vodafone customers in India |work=timesofindia-economictimes}}</ref> | |||
| In March 2019, analysts at the ] firm ] publicly disclosed that UC Browser and UC Browser Mini for Android were downloading and installing extra modules from the company's own servers via an unprotected ] channel.<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 March 2019|title=Hundreds of millions of UC Browser users for Android are threatened|url=https://news.drweb.com/show/?i=13176&c=38&lng=en&p=0|website=Dr. Web}}</ref> This exposed browser users to potential arbitrary remote code execution if an attacker was able to perform a ] to deliver malicious module (but no cases of exploitation were publicly disclosed). Furthermore, this violates ] policies that forbid Google Play apps from downloading any executable code from any sources outside of Google Play. In June 2020, a new version of its UC browser was added to the Google Play store with updated settings that comply with the store's security guidelines.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-04|title=UC Browser in line with Google's data security policy now on Play Store|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/technology/uc-browser-in-line-with-googles-data-security-policy-now-on-play-store-4949481/|access-date=2021-07-07|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| In May 2013, UCWeb announced a partnership with ]. Under the agreement, both companies will work to provide mobile web safety assessments in the browser.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fonearena.com/blog/68743/uc-web-announces-partnership-with-trend-micro-for-in-browser-mobile-web-safety-assessment.html |title=UC Web announces partnership with Trend Micro for in-browser mobile web safety assessment |publisher=Fonearena.com |date=7 May 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| In May 2019, Indian security researcher Arif Khan reported that the URL address bars on the UC Browser and UC Browser Mini apps were susceptible to ].<ref>{{Cite web|title=UC Browser for Android Vulnerable to URL Spoofing Attacks|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/uc-browser-for-android-vulnerable-to-url-spoofing-attacks/|access-date=2020-11-28|website=BleepingComputer|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-05-10|title=Sử dụng UC Browser có thể khiến bạn bị tấn công|url=https://kynguyenso.plo.vn/ky-nguyen-so/nhip-cong-nghe/su-dung-uc-browser-co-the-khien-ban-bi-tan-cong-832874.html|access-date=2020-11-28|website=PLO}}</ref> | |||
| In August 2013, UC Browser provided distribution channels of companies like AppURL Initiative.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/global-consortium-mobile-thought-leaders-154400006.html |title=Global Consortium of Mobile Thought Leaders Support AppURL Initiative â€" Yahoo Finance Canada |publisher=Yahoo! Finance |date=2 August 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209062441/http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/global-consortium-mobile-thought-leaders-154400006.html |archivedate=9 December 2013 |df=}}</ref> | |||
| In June 2021, it was discovered that the app was recording user data and sending IP addresses to Alibaba servers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://9to5mac.com/2021/06/02/psa-chinese-uc-browser-on-ios-harvests-your-data-even-in-incognito-mode/|title = PSA: Chinese UC Browser on iOS harvests your data even in incognito mode|date = 2 June 2021}}</ref> | |||
| In August 2013, with exclusive distributors, ] ] UCWeb to sell its products.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinasia.com/gameloft-china-country-manager-eric-xu/ |title=Gameloft China: partners important for navigating China |publisher=Techinasia.com |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| == Market adoption == | |||
| In August 2016, As pioneers in the mobile Internet revolution of India, UCWeb aims to be at the centre of this emerging trend and has collaborated with Colors TV – India's leading Entertainment TV Channel. The vision is to offer ''Digitized Entertainment'' and utilise strengths of volume and power of the browser in content aggregation and to provide quality content to as many users as possible. | |||
| == Reception == | |||
| === Market adoption === | |||
| {{Further|Usage share of web browsers}} | {{Further|Usage share of web browsers}} | ||
| UC Browser claimed to have reached 500 million users in March 2014,<ref name="thenextweb.com" /> a rise attributed to its large user base in China, India and Indonesia. | |||
| In October 2012, UC Browser topped Opera in Google Play's free Android app download category in India for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinasia.com/ucweb-boasts-dominance-opera-india-mobile-browser-market/ |title=UCWeb Boasts Dominance over Opera in |
UC Browser gained significant popularity in China, India, and Indonesia in 2012 through 2017 and still retains some popularity in China. In October 2012, UC Browser topped ] in ]'s free Android app download category in India for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinasia.com/ucweb-boasts-dominance-opera-india-mobile-browser-market/ |title=UCWeb Boasts Dominance over Opera in India's Mobile Browser Market |publisher=Techinasia.com |date=30 October 2012 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> Google Zeitgeist 2013 showed that the "Most Searched Mobile Apps" in India were dominated by messaging and browsing apps, with WhatsApp and UC Browser topping the rankings for the most searches on mobile in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.medianama.com/2013/12/223-google-zeitgeist-2013-trends/ |title=Google Zeitgeist 2013: WhatsApp Top Searched Mobile App, Chennai Express, Temple Run, Sunny Leone |publisher=MediaNama |date=18 December 2013 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> As of March 2014, UC Browser had over 500 million users, largely in China, India, and Indonesia,<ref name="thenextweb.com">{{cite web |url=https://thenextweb.com/asia/2014/03/21/mobile-browser-maker-ucweb-another-global-tech-firm-under-the-radar-crosses-500m-users/#!BqYW5 |title=Chinese Browser-Maker UCWeb Cross 500 Million Users |author=Jon Russell |date=21 March 2014 |work=The Next Web}}</ref> and as of 2016 it had more than 100 million monthly ].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite news |url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/technology/in-other-news/181116/uc-browser-crosses-100-million-monthly-active-users-in-india.html?fromNewsdog=1 |title=UC Browser crosses 100 Million Monthly Active Users in India |date=18 November 2016 |work=] |access-date=23 January 2018}}</ref> According to the app analytics firm App Annie, UC Browser was the 8th most downloaded mobile app of the 2010–2019 decade.<ref name="App Annie">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnet.com/news/10-most-downloaded-apps-of-the-decade-facebook-dominated-2010-2019/|title=Facebook was the most-downloaded app of the decade|last=Rayome|first=Alison DeNisco|website=CNET|language=en|access-date=2019-12-18}}</ref> | ||
| However, according to independent ] firm StatCounter, UC Browser had never been the leading browser in China and had never exceeded 20% browser share there. As of March 2021, Google Chrome had 43% browser share, while UC Browser had 18%.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/all/china/#monthly-200901-202103 |title=Browser Market Share in China - March 2021 |publisher=Statcounter GlobalStats |date=3 April 2021 |access-date=3 April 2021}}</ref> | |||
| Google Zeitgeist 2013 showed that the "Most Searched Mobile Apps" in India were dominated by messaging and browsing apps, with WhatsApp and UC Browser topping the rankings for the most searches on mobile in 2013.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.medianama.com/2013/12/223-google-zeitgeist-2013-trends/ |title=Google Zeitgeist 2013: WhatsApp Top Searched Mobile App, Chennai Express, Temple Run, Sunny Leone |publisher=MediaNama |date=18 December 2013 |accessdate=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| UC Browser had |
In India UC Browser was the leading browser from October 2013 through June 2017, peaking at 46% browser share. As of March 2021, Google Chrome had 85% browser share, while UC Browser had 4.3% share.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/all/india/#monthly-200901-202104 |title=Browser Market Share in India - March 2021 |publisher=Statcounter GlobalStats |date=3 April 2021 |access-date=3 April 2021}}</ref> | ||
| <!-- | |||
| In Indonesia UC Browser was the leading browser from July 2015 much of the time until March 2017, peaking at 51% browser share. As of March 2021, Google Chrome had 81% browser share, while UC Browser had 1.9% share.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/all/indonesia#monthly-200901-202104 |title=Browser Market Share in Indonesia - March 2021 |publisher=Statcounter GlobalStats |date=3 April 2021 |access-date=3 April 2021}}</ref> | |||
| <a href="https://apkmaniapure.com/uc-browser-apk">Download UC Browser for Android </a> | |||
| In May 2020 India's ] recommended that UC Browser and other Chinese-owned apps be blocked due to cyber-security concerns following the ] .<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gupta|first=Shishir|date=2020-06-17|title=Intel agencies red-flag use of 53 mobile apps with links to China: Complete list|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/intel-agencies-red-flag-use-of-52-mobile-apps-with-links-to-china-complete-list/story-B50Slf39aSnVOrCcS92l1N.html|access-date=2020-06-26|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| UC Browser had more than 100 Million monthly active users in 2016.<ref name="auto1"/> | |||
| <!-- | <!-- | ||
| UC Browser had more than 100 million monthly active users in 2002.<ref name="auto1"/> | |||
| Wrong |
Wrong dates? See commented out in the lead: | ||
| Its market share, per StatCounter in its major markets, in January 2016:<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gs.statcounter.com/#mobile_browser-ww-monthly-201601-201601-map |website=StatCounter}}</ref> | |||
| * Bangladesh – 28% | * Bangladesh – 28% | ||
| Line 128: | Line 99: | ||
| * UAE – 34.63% | * UAE – 34.63% | ||
| * Yemen – 23% | * Yemen – 23% | ||
| --> | |||
| --> | |||
| == History == | |||
| UC Browser was initially launched in April 2004 as a ]-only ]. | |||
| The logo of UC Browser was redesigned in 2012, from a cartoon squirrel to a more abstract and stylized squirrel that's more in line with American designs.<ref>{{cite news |last=Mott |first=Nathaniel |url=http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/18/ucweb-opens-us-office-americanizes-its-logo/ |title=UCWeb opens US office, Americanizes its logo |work=PandoDaily |date=18 October 2012 |access-date=10 March 2014 |archive-date=1 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001021437/http://pandodaily.com/2012/10/18/ucweb-opens-us-office-americanizes-its-logo/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
| In May 2013, UCWeb customized its browser for ]'s Indian customers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-14/news/39256349_1_vodafone-india-ucweb-india-yu-yongfu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528214334/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-14/news/39256349_1_vodafone-india-ucweb-india-yu-yongfu |url-status=dead |archive-date=28 May 2013 |title=UCWeb customises mobile internet browser for Vodafone customers in India |work=timesofindia-economictimes}}</ref> | |||
| In August 2013, UC Browser provided distribution channels of companies like AppURL Initiative<ref>{{cite news |url=http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/global-consortium-mobile-thought-leaders-154400006.html |title=Global Consortium of Mobile Thought Leaders Support AppURL Initiative â€" Yahoo Finance Canada |work=Yahoo! Finance |date=2 August 2013 |access-date=10 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131209062441/http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/global-consortium-mobile-thought-leaders-154400006.html |archive-date=9 December 2013 }}</ref> and partnered with distributor ] to sell its products.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.techinasia.com/gameloft-china-country-manager-eric-xu/ |title=Gameloft China: partners important for navigating China |publisher=Techinasia.com |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| In 2013 also it announced a partnership with ], under which both companies worked to provide mobile web safety assessments in the browser.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fonearena.com/blog/68743/uc-web-announces-partnership-with-trend-micro-for-in-browser-mobile-web-safety-assessment.html |title=UC Web announces partnership with Trend Micro for in-browser mobile web safety assessment |publisher=Fonearena.com |date=7 May 2013 |access-date=10 March 2014}}</ref> | |||
| On 26 June 2020, the ] banned UC Browser, along with 58 other Chinese apps such as ] and ], citing data and privacy issues and claiming that it is a "threat to the ] and integrity" of the country.<ref name="India Ban"/><ref>{{Cite news|last=Iyengar|first=Rishi|date=29 June 2020|title=India bans TikTok as tensions with China escalate|work=CNN Business|url=https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/29/tech/tiktok-india-chinese-apps-ban/index.html}}</ref> Many experts{{Who|date=June 2021}} believe that the move was a retaliation to the ] between India and China.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Abi-Habib|first=Maria|date=29 June 2020|title=India Bans Nearly 60 Chinese Apps, Including TikTok and WeChat|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/world/asia/tik-tok-banned-india-china.html|quote=The move is part of the tit-for-tat retaliation after the Indian and Chinese militaries clashed earlier this month.}}</ref> | |||
| In March 2021 the browser was removed from several Chinese app stores over a complaint that it was selling misleading medical adverts when searching for hospitals in the browser.<ref></ref> It was still available on ] Chinese app store.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-03-16|title=Alibaba's browser removed from Chinese Android app stores|url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/alibabas-uc-browser-removed-chinese-android-app-stores-2021-03-16/|access-date=2021-07-07|website=Reuters}}</ref> | |||
| == See also == | == See also == | ||
| {{Portal|Internet}} | {{Portal|Internet}} | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| * ], a server-based compressing browsing system | |||
| * ], a discontinued server-based compressing browsing system | |||
| * ] | * ] | ||
| Line 146: | Line 136: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ] | ] | ||
| ] | ] | ||
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Latest revision as of 06:22, 16 December 2024
Chinese web browser developed by UCWeb Inc
| [REDACTED] | |
Screenshot
 A screenshot of UC Browser for Android. | |
| Developer(s) | UCWeb Alibaba Group |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2004; 21 years ago (2004) |
| Stable release(s) | |
| |
| Engine | Blink, V8 |
| Operating system | Platforms |
| Standard(s) | HTML5, CSS3 |
| Available in | 25 languages |
| List of languagesChinese, English, Urdu, Bangla, Hindi, Nepali, Tamil, Telugu, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Arabic, Farsi, Marathi, Kannada, Bhojpuri, Thai | |
| Type | Mobile browser |
| License | Proprietary software with EULA (link) and Terms of Use (link) |
| Website | www |
UC Browser is a web browser developed by mobile internet company UCWeb, a subsidiary of the Alibaba Group. It was the most popular mobile browser in India, Indonesia, and Mali, as well as the second-most popular one in China as of 2017. Its world-wide browser share as of May 2022 is 0.86% overall (and 1.48% on smartphones) according to StatCounter.
Originally launched in April 2004 as a Java-only application, it was subsequently made available on a number of platforms including Android, iOS, BlackBerry OS, Java ME, Symbian, Windows Phone, and Microsoft Windows. As of 2020, Android is the only operating system still supported by the browser.
It has been the subject of privacy and security controversies and was banned in India on 29 June 2020, shortly after the China–India skirmishes started.
Functionality
UC Browser is a cross-platform web browser primarily targeted at mobile phones. It is known for its small app size and data compression technology, making it popular in emerging markets where people tend to have mobile phones with more limited device memory and internet bandwidth. In particular, the browser is unique in its use of proxy servers, which run data through UCWeb servers before sending it to the user's device, enabling data compression but also posing privacy risks. Additional features of the browser include cloud acceleration, multi-file format downloading, HTML5 web app and cloud syncing features, and "fast download", a feature that downloads files in multiple parts simultaneously.
Platforms
UC Browser is available as both an Android app and an iOS app, and is also available on several other older or discontinued mobile operating systems including BlackBerry OS, Symbian, and Windows Phone. While primarily a mobile app, UCWeb also offers a Microsoft Windows desktop version (there is no macOS version).
Data compression
UC Browser uses proxy servers to compress web pages before sending them to users. This process requires less memory on the user's device and lowers data costs; however, it also poses privacy and security risks as all of the data accessed by the user through UC Browser first runs through a UCWeb server, rather than going directly to the user's device.
UC+: HTML5, WebApp and add-ons
In July 2013, UCWeb announced the UC+ Open Platform. The platform consists of a WebApp store, an add-on platform and an Application Bookmark Platform. It went live with the launch of UC Browser v9.2 for Android.
Developers can use a provided SDK to create programs that the browser runs in different scenarios. Users can download and install them from the browser's add-on panel. Examples include sharing to social media, webpage translation, augmented reality, and voice control. The Application Bookmark Platform allows partner websites to put up a QR code on UC Browser for users to scan, which adds the webpage to their bookmarks. This platform was among the first in China.
Download management
The browser supports simultaneous downloads and includes a download manager, including pages for offline reading. It supports pausing and resuming downloads. The current version of the download manager has features designed to solve common problems while downloading, such as an intermittent internet connection and mislabeled files. The download process can continue after the app is closed, and can also automatically resume if the download is interrupted. The download manager sorts downloaded files by type and places them in respective folders.
Cloud system
UCWeb claims that the cloud system used by the browser tends to fetch data from the closest servers available, making the loading process quicker and smoother for users.
Privacy and security vulnerabilities
In May 2015, the American National Security Agency (NSA) documents leaked by whistleblower Edward Snowden indicated that UC Browser leaks sensitive data like international mobile subscriber identities, international mobile station equipment identities, MSISDN's, Android ID's, MAC addresses, and geolocation and Wi-Fi-related data without any encryption. These leaks are used by intelligence agencies to track users. The documents also revealed that the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) had identified UC Browser as a security weak point. Its widespread use in China, India and Indonesia made it particularly attractive to ASD's exploits. The Snowden documents revealed that in cooperation with its Five Eyes partners, ASD hacked the UC Browser and infected smartphones with spyware. The ASD declined to comment in relation to the revelations.
Following the leaks, the Citizen Lab based at the University of Toronto published an independent report corroborating numerous privacy and security issues with both the English language and Chinese language editions of the Android version of UC Browser. The report criticized the transmission of personally identifiable information to various commercial analytics tools and the transmission of user search queries without encryption. They also managed to bypass the encryption of UC Browser, leading them to accuse UCWeb of using non-effective encryption systems to transmit personally identifiable subscriber data, mobile device identifiers, and user geolocation data.
In May 2016, Alibaba Group provided Citizen Lab with updated versions of UC Browser in order to verify their security fixes to these issues. The subsequent update published by Citizen Lab indicated that not all of the previously identified data leaks and privacy breaches had been fixed in UC Browser.
In 2017, the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), a scientific research unit within India's Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY), began a technical investigation into the "several major privacy and security vulnerabilities that would seriously expose users of UC Browser to surveillance and other privacy violations" alleged in the report. C-DAC found that the browser (which was the second-most-used browser in India) had been sending user data to Chinese servers and that it retains control over a user's device DNS even after the browser is deleted.
In March 2019, analysts at the anti-malware firm Doctor Web publicly disclosed that UC Browser and UC Browser Mini for Android were downloading and installing extra modules from the company's own servers via an unprotected HTTP channel. This exposed browser users to potential arbitrary remote code execution if an attacker was able to perform a man-in-the-middle attack to deliver malicious module (but no cases of exploitation were publicly disclosed). Furthermore, this violates Google Play policies that forbid Google Play apps from downloading any executable code from any sources outside of Google Play. In June 2020, a new version of its UC browser was added to the Google Play store with updated settings that comply with the store's security guidelines.
In May 2019, Indian security researcher Arif Khan reported that the URL address bars on the UC Browser and UC Browser Mini apps were susceptible to URL spoofing.
In June 2021, it was discovered that the app was recording user data and sending IP addresses to Alibaba servers.
Market adoption
Further information: Usage share of web browsersUC Browser gained significant popularity in China, India, and Indonesia in 2012 through 2017 and still retains some popularity in China. In October 2012, UC Browser topped Opera in Google Play's free Android app download category in India for the first time. Google Zeitgeist 2013 showed that the "Most Searched Mobile Apps" in India were dominated by messaging and browsing apps, with WhatsApp and UC Browser topping the rankings for the most searches on mobile in 2013. As of March 2014, UC Browser had over 500 million users, largely in China, India, and Indonesia, and as of 2016 it had more than 100 million monthly active users. According to the app analytics firm App Annie, UC Browser was the 8th most downloaded mobile app of the 2010–2019 decade.
However, according to independent web analytics firm StatCounter, UC Browser had never been the leading browser in China and had never exceeded 20% browser share there. As of March 2021, Google Chrome had 43% browser share, while UC Browser had 18%.
In India UC Browser was the leading browser from October 2013 through June 2017, peaking at 46% browser share. As of March 2021, Google Chrome had 85% browser share, while UC Browser had 4.3% share.
In Indonesia UC Browser was the leading browser from July 2015 much of the time until March 2017, peaking at 51% browser share. As of March 2021, Google Chrome had 81% browser share, while UC Browser had 1.9% share.
In May 2020 India's National Security Council recommended that UC Browser and other Chinese-owned apps be blocked due to cyber-security concerns following the 2020 China–India skirmishes .
History
UC Browser was initially launched in April 2004 as a J2ME-only application.
The logo of UC Browser was redesigned in 2012, from a cartoon squirrel to a more abstract and stylized squirrel that's more in line with American designs.
In May 2013, UCWeb customized its browser for Vodafone's Indian customers.
In August 2013, UC Browser provided distribution channels of companies like AppURL Initiative and partnered with distributor Gameloft to sell its products.
In 2013 also it announced a partnership with Trend Micro, under which both companies worked to provide mobile web safety assessments in the browser.
On 26 June 2020, the Government of India banned UC Browser, along with 58 other Chinese apps such as TikTok and WeChat, citing data and privacy issues and claiming that it is a "threat to the sovereignty and integrity" of the country. Many experts believe that the move was a retaliation to the 2020 China–India skirmishes between India and China.
In March 2021 the browser was removed from several Chinese app stores over a complaint that it was selling misleading medical adverts when searching for hospitals in the browser. It was still available on Apple Inc's Chinese app store.
See also
![[REDACTED]](https://u3vuiephb.global.ssl.fastly.net/File:UC_Browser_logo.svg){kind=link}
- CM Browser
- QQ browser
- Opera (web browser)
- Opera Mini, a server-based compressing browsing system
- Bolt (web browser), a discontinued server-based compressing browsing system
- List of web browsers
References
- "Browser Market Share Worldwide". StatCounter Global Stats. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ "UC Browser Review – Fast and Bandwidth Efficient". News.softpedia.com. 26 November 2010. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ "UCBrowser surpasses Opera Mini with 33 percent more downloads". Cellphonebeat.com. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2019.
- ^ Shrivastava, Rahul (29 June 2020). "TikTok, Shareit, UC Browser among 59 Chinese apps banned by India as border tensions simmer in Ladakh". India Today. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
- ^ Purnell, Newley (2 January 2018). "A Browser You've Never Heard of Is Dethroning Google in Asia". Wall Street Journal.
- Xiang, Tracey (5 July 2013). "UC Web Launches UC+ Open Platform, Addressing WebApp Strategy". TechNode. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- Yin, Sara. "UC Browser 8.0.5 (for Android) Review & Rating". PC Magazine. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
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by Experts: Jakub Dalek (lead), Katie Kleemola (lead), Adam Senft (lead), Christopher Parsons, Andrew Hilts, Sarah McKune, Jason Q. Ng, Masashi Crete-Nishihata, John Scott-Railton, Ronald Deibert
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