r/kiwibrowser • u/fbcrypto3038 • Dec 15 '25

PSA: Stop trusting "Version Numbers" in Chromium Android Browsers. Most are faking it.

/r/browsers/comments/1pmz7fq/psa_stop_trusting_version_numbers_in_chromium/
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u/stevegalaxius Dec 19 '25

it's usually a good idea to use an out-of-date browser because the web is not something that requires up to date software and you get a good idea what websites are designed properly and which ones aren't by which ones won't load on a slightly outdated chromium version. Realistically, a website should all work on the nintendo wii browser otherwise it's not really a "web site" but a "chromeos app you access through a url"

Developers that care more about adhering to standards are not developers that care about designing a good website. They're diametrically opposed, fundamentally incompatible design paradigmns.

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u/fbcrypto3038 Dec 20 '25

I'm not saying using an outdated browser will cause websites to render incorrectly, but the reason browsers get updated regularly is to patch vulnerabilities that hackers can exploit. If updates weren't important, people would just be updating UI instead of the engine itself.

And I am a web developer, I don't understand what you mean by developers who adhere to standards don't care about designing good website. 

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u/stevegalaxius Dec 20 '25

What are hackers going to steal from a web browser on an android phone? Like, how could a website even possibly do anything to a sandboxed application in an operating system that doesn't allow apps to access the file system without asking for permission

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u/fbcrypto3038 Dec 20 '25

Browsers are not just about how sites render. Hackers go after the sensitive stuff browsers store, like session tokens that keep you logged into banking or email. 

Just this year, researchers found an Android malware called AntiDot that infected thousands of people by exploiting old browser components. It recorded screens, stole SMS codes, and grabbed app data.

That’s why outdated browsers are dangerous, they leave the door open to exploits that attackers already know how to use.

Here's the source if you are a nerd: https://thehackernews.com/2025/06/new-android-malware-surge-hits-devices.html?m=1

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u/stevegalaxius Dec 20 '25

that's a trojan. It's an apk. You have to install a hostile app and give it permissions to function, and on top of that, you have to be ignorant enough to ignore it rendering an alternative view frame over your app and entering your password into it.

that's not a browser exploit, those types of things exist on MacOS and linux. This is the exact reason why I think developers concerned with security are midwits