OS / Software

iOS 7 Chrome Incognito mode leaks private searches due to bug

Alexandra Burlacu

Chrome for iOS has received an update to support the new iOS 7, but a bug in the "Incognito" mode apparently reveals private queries in the search bar.

Every Internet user has some weird searches that would not like to appear in their search history or search bar suggestions. For that, there is the magical "Incognito" mode for Chrome or, for other browsers, a similar option to make your search in a private browsing mode so that there is no evidence of your embarrassing searches.

With Chrome for iOS 7, however, the Incognito search is not so private apparently, as UK development and design firm Parallax has discovered a nasty bug. As it turns out, when iOS 7 users make a search in the search/address bar in Chrome's Incognito mode, that history will show up even when they return to standard browsing in Google's mobile search bar. In other words, that private browsing is private no more.

The extent of the issue is obvious in this case, as countless Internet users rely on that private browsing mode particularly to keep their searches private, away from the prying or judgmental eyes of others.

Google has apparently responded to TechCrunch and explained that the issue with Chrome for iOS leaking Incognito mode data is "an unfortunate but unavoidable loophole that comes with building a browser on iOS."

"On Chrome for iOS, due to platform limitation regular and incognito tabs share HTML5 local storage, which is typically used by sites to store files on your device (client-side caching) or to provide offline functionality," Google notes in the company's support documents for the Chrome Incognito mode.

"This means the same sites can always access their data in this storage in both regular and incognito tabs. Incognito tabs will still keep browsing history and cookies separate from regular tabs, which are cleared once those tabs are closed."

Google is reportedly doing everything in its power to fix this bug, which affects Chrome users on iOS 7. In the meantime, iOS 7 users might want to tone down their weird Incognito searches in Google's mobile browser. Check out the video below to get a better idea of what's going on.

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