Based on the amazing Ace editing component, Caret brings professional-strength text editing to Chrome OS. With Caret, you no longer need to install a second OS to get what other platforms take for granted: a serious editor for local files, aimed at working programmers.
Ensure every folder has a blank index.html file so the server has something to show other than the file list.
Use dedicated services like Google Drive, iCloud, or Dropbox for private photos. These services use "tokens" and authentication that make it impossible for a simple search query to find your files.
Most "private" leaks aren't the result of a sophisticated hack; they are the result of . index of private jpg
Use a robots.txt file to tell search engines which folders they are forbidden from indexing.
When users type "index of private jpg" into a search engine, they are using advanced operators to filter results: Ensure every folder has a blank index
This filters the results to directories that contain JPEG image files. Why Does This Happen?
Normally, when you visit a URL, the server shows you a formatted HTML page (like a homepage). However, if a folder lacks an index.html or index.php file and the server has "Directory Browsing" enabled, it defaults to displaying a raw list of every file in that directory. Most "private" leaks aren't the result of a
Sophisticated hackers sometimes create "honeypots." They set up fake directory listings that look like they contain private files but actually host malware or phishing scripts designed to infect the person doing the searching.
If you're running Chrome, you can install Caret directly from the Chrome Web Store. You don't need to be logged into a Google account, but some features (like synchronized settings) won't work unless you are.
If you're a little paranoid about installing code from a walled garden (and who could blame you?), or you want to run the very latest version, you can also install Caret directly from this website by saving this file and dragging it onto your Extensions page in Chrome. You'll still get automatic updates on the "beta channel" this way. You can also clone the repo and install it as an "unpacked extension" from the Chrome extensions page, but then you'll have to remember to update on your own.
Like all good developer tools, Caret is 100% open-source under the GPLv2. Visit the GitHub repository to view the code, file bugs, or contribute yourself. Any help is welcome and much appreciated! You can also report bugs via the store support page.
The best way to ensure privacy is not to gather your information in the first place. I have no experience (or interest, honestly) in managing user data, so there is no tracking code built into Caret, and it never sends any of your information over the network. In fact, Caret requests no network access permissions from Chrome, so it's incapable of communicating beyond your local machine even if I wanted it to.
Caret does use Chrome APIs for synchronizing your settings between computers and checking for updates. Synchronized storage is linked to your Google account, encrypted according to your Chrome settings, and does not provide any personally-identifiable information when used. None of that information ever gets back to me.
Caret is written by Thomas Wilburn, with a little help from open-source contributors.
Ace is a project of Cloud9 and Mozilla.
Chrome, of course, is a product of Google through the Chromium Project.
