Electrum - Privacy issue (Windows)

[TryNinja]

So fix is simple, but can only be done by Electrum developers in next version/s?

You can also edit the code and build your own version yourself.

I'm not sure if you can simply just edit and run it through python, but building the binaries look simple anyways.

[1714003987]

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[pooya87]

So fix is simple, but can only be done by Electrum developers in next version/s?

You can also edit the code and build your own version yourself.

I'm not sure if you can simply just edit and run it through python, but building the binaries look simple anyways.

that's true but don't go messing around in the code by changing it if you are not familiar with python and Electrum's source code, you may end up messing things up.

[Pmalek]

Pmalek, in my case it is still there after 4 days, but for anyone who does not share his PC or sent it for repair, there is no real danger. In some cases, it may be better to live in blissful ignorance than to burden yourself with little things

I don't see it as a burden but it is still an interesting case that makes me thing how long the notification will remain visible there. Those who see it as a burden can just create a new wallet and open that new wallet before closing Electrum, like someone already suggested. That way the notification will show an empty wallet.

[HCP]

the tooltip is showing the wallet status at all times, for instance when you start the client it shows syncing and how much left to download, your connection status,... then when everything is finished it is changed into "balance + wallet name". it can't be changed to a static text.
the fix is simple, the following lines should be edited to exclude the balance from the tooltip:
https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/blob/a041a0c0755159a7dfe0fd9ca6f30fe50545c8ff/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py#L854-L868

As per pooya87's instructions...



Compiled it up on my Ubuntu VM... and we end up with:



and this:



and this:



I'm wondering if maybe a "privacy" switch of some sort in the settings might be one way to deal with this...


EDIT: Indeed... it's fairly simple to add one in    :



Currently requires a restart (or the closing and re-opening of wallet files) if you change the setting though... as I can't figure out how to force the main window to "update" the statusbar info immediately... I'm guessing there is probably a way to do it, but I'm not overly familiar with the Electrum code base... just enough to be "dangerous"

[Lucius]

HCP, so you played around with the code and you add this option to Electrum? I am asking this because I check settings in 3.3.7 and I do not see that option. I still haven't updated to 3.3.8, it doesn't really matter to me since I only use Electrum in combination with Ledger.

[TryNinja]

HCP, so you played around with the code and you add this option to Electrum? I am asking this because I check settings in 3.3.7 and I do not see that option. I still haven't updated to 3.3.8, it doesn't really matter to me since I only use Electrum in combination with Ledger.

Electrum shows your balance on your Windows notification center for everyone to see, so he commented that part of the code and made it only show a "Synced" text instead of the balance (for privacy reasons).

Edit: oh, you are talking about the checkbox. Yes, he probably did that as I also couldn't find anything in the code (and the "I can't figure out how to..." part).

[DireWolfM14]

~

Perhaps you misunderstood, it is not about icon you see in the tray (left from clock/date), but it is about an icon which is displayed on in Notification Area Icons - you get there by click on Customize (Taskbar and Start Menu Properties). This is not related to an icon in the tray (it goes away when I close Electrum) or about some Electrum process that is still working in the background.

I was indeed mistaken, sorry for the confusion.  I see that your concern is now mine as well, my menu also shows my balance, even when Electrum isn't running.  I don't share my computers, nor send them out for repair, but it's still something that should be addressed in my opinion.

just enough to be "dangerous"

Apparently, lol.  That's a great hack, you should submit a pull request to have that feature added to the next release.

Are you using Visual Basic to modify the code and build binaries?

HCP, so you played around with the code and you add this option to Electrum? I am asking this because I check settings in 3.3.7 and I do not see that option. I still haven't updated to 3.3.8, it doesn't really matter to me since I only use Electrum in combination with Ledger.

Like TryNinja said, those are features that HCP added himself.  That checkbox is not a feature in version 3.3.8.

[pooya87]

Are you using Visual Basic to modify the code and build binaries?

Visual Basic is a programming language, you need an Integrated development environment (IDE) to modify the code and build it. both Visual Studio (for windows only but more powerful) and Visual Studio code (open source multiple OS) are capable of doing this, there is also a bunch more IDEs available here: https://wiki.python.org/moin/IntegratedDevelopmentEnvironments

[HCP]

Are you using Visual Basic to modify the code and build binaries?

... you need an Integrated development environment (IDE) to modify the code and build it.

IDE? Nope...

I simply used a text editor (notepadqq) within an Ubuntu 18.04 VM... and edited the following files after cloning the git repository:

/electrum/gui/qt/main_window.py
/electrum/gui/qt/settings_dialog.py

I basically just copied "similar" code in each file to add in the checkbox into the settings window and then adjust the statusbar to say "synced" if the checkbox is checked.

Then I followed the instructions here to build the Windows binaries: https://github.com/spesmilo/electrum/tree/master/contrib/build-wine

Apparently, lol.  That's a great hack, you should submit a pull request to have that feature added to the next release.

I'll have to tidy up the code a bit first... and probably do some "proper" testing to make sure I haven't broken anything... but a pull request probably isn't completely out of the question.

[Kakmakr]

the fix is simple, the following lines should be edited to exclude the balance from the tooltip:

So fix is simple, but can only be done by Electrum developers in next version/s?

Pmalek, in my case it is still there after 4 days, but for anyone who does not share his PC or sent it for repair, there is no real danger. In some cases, it may be better to live in blissful ignorance than to burden yourself with little things

I tested it on my computer and it only showed it whilst the wallet was opened. So I doubt that you would send your computer for repairs with the wallet being open.    <Do you guys have a automatic login enabled for your wallet when you boot or reboot your OS?>  I do not launch the wallet every time I use the computer.

Any experienced hacker can remote your desktop and watch you while you work with your wallet and then see your balance and even use a key logger to capture your password for the wallet. 

I wonder why the developers added this in the first place or is this a cached notification from the last transaction that you made that adjusted your balance?  <So that you can see the last balance, even if you are not authenticated to a server for offline use?>

[Lucius]

I tested it on my computer and it only showed it whilst the wallet was opened. So I doubt that you would send your computer for repairs with the wallet being open.    <Do you guys have a automatic login enabled for your wallet when you boot or reboot your OS?>  I do not launch the wallet every time I use the computer.

Any experienced hacker can remote your desktop and watch you while you work with your wallet and then see your balance and even use a key logger to capture your password for the wallet. 

I wonder why the developers added this in the first place or is this a cached notification from the last transaction that you made that adjusted your balance?  <So that you can see the last balance, even if you are not authenticated to a server for offline use?>

I think you should read from the beginning, you are very likely referring to the icon that appears in tray when your wallet is open. It is not about that icon, but about icon "which is displayed on in Notification Area Icons - you get there by click on Customize (Taskbar and Start Menu Properties).

I really don't know what kind of automatic logging in your wallet you're talking about? Wallet is not open, but Windows is keep information about last open wallet in Notification Area Icons.

[pooya87]

I wonder why the developers added this in the first place or is this a cached notification from the last transaction that you made that adjusted your balance?  <So that you can see the last balance, even if you are not authenticated to a server for offline use?>

it is a windows feature that is added by Microsoft!
whenever you have any application that shows up in your "Notification Area" (which is the space beside the clock in windows 7) your windows stores its "description". for example for volume it shows a speaker icon and it stores the description of it as something like "Speakers: 50%".

[Pmalek]

Snip

Close your Electrum software.

If you are using Windows 7/10 click on the search bar at the bottom of your desktop and enter Select which icons appear on the taskbar.
Now click on the system settings that appear and you will see you last opened wallet name and its balance in the notification area.
It remains there even after a restart and after you shut down your computer. Someone reported it was there 4 days after he used his Electrum wallet the last time.