Safari 3.2 Crashes - possible solution

mandm wrote:
I do not use third party plug-ins or other exotic add-ons.

Also, as a note, under the checkbox is the warning: "The Google safe browsing service is unavailable. No updates have occurred in 2 days". Possibly related?

I'm not positive, but I think that message implies that you are using something third-party. I'm not familiar with the use of Google Safe Browsing API with Safari, but it appears that you can get it to work by installing Saft, and maybe by other similar methods as well.

I'm guessing your crashes were due to a conflict between the Google Safe Browsing API and Safari's new "warn when visiting a fraudulent website" setting, and that's why unchecking the box fixed the problems you were having.

I haven't had any crashes with that preference setting checked.

So at first glance it looks like your findings should help people with Google Safe Browsing set up for Safari, but this probably isn't an issue for people who haven't set that up.

mandm wrote:
Sorry, but I disagree. The Google warning is displayed on the Safari Security panel (with a yellow triangle), directly under the checkbox to disable checking for fraudulent websites.

I'm not arguing, just trying to piece together a mystery. 🙂

I understand that what you're seeing is not a system alert. The message you describe is not in my Safari preferences:



And to be certain, I turned off that preferences option and restarted Safari, and that message is still not there.

One possibility is that, as you say, Apple is using the Google Safe Browsing API for it's fraud protection. That does sound likely. But in that case something is different on our Macs. It sounds likely that something is causing your Mac to not make the necessary connection with Google, which would result in that error message and the crashing you were experiencing previously.

Google Safe Browsing is installed by Saft. See here: http://haoli.dnsalias.com/Saft/

I came across this today:

http://arstechnica.com/journals/apple.ars/2008/11/13/safari-3-2-finally-gains-ph ishing-protection

In the comments some users have posted some things they have found

ex:
Spaham
It is indeed pithhelmet :
Thread 0 Crashed:
0 libSystem.B.dylib 0xffff01a4 _atomicadd32 + 4
1 com.apple.Safari 0x0001e4f6 0x1000 + 120054
2 net.culater.PithHelmet 0x01e59781 -[PHLocationChangeHandler webView:didStartProvisionalLoadForFrame:] + 71

PHLocation... PH stands for PithHelmet.

Safari does use the Google backlist I can confirm

apikoros wrote:
Google Safe Browsing is installed by Saft. See here: http://haoli.dnsalias.com/Saft/

It can be installed by Saft, which is why that was my first suspicion. But Google Safe Browsing is also used by Safari's new built-in fraud protection. I kept that fraud protection turned on after reading this topic, to test that theory, and today's browsing confirms that Safari is indeed using Google's service. It blocked a site that I found in a Google search today, with a message about malware being detected on that site, and clicking the button for more information led to a Google Safe Browsing page.

So now the only mystery is what is going wrong in mandm's setup that causes the error message under that prefs setting, which is probably also related to the crashes mandm experienced before turning off that pref setting. I still have no problems with that preferences setting turned on.

Edit: I have a suspicion that it might be a DNS issue that is causing mandm's computer to not connect with the server that Google uses for its safe browsing information. That wouldn't necessarily be something that affects other google.com connectivity.

Message was edited by: Rachel R

Apple a day wrote:
Safari does use the Google backlist I can confirm

I was just coming here to say the same. 🙂 My browsing today, with Safari's fraud protection turned on, confirms this as well.

I think the crashes are from some 3rd party plug-in. It has the name in the crash log

Apple a day wrote:
I think the crashes are from some 3rd party plug-in. It has the name in the crash log

It sounds like your crashes are caused by PithHelmet, yes. So you should uninstall that for the time being. But mandm says he has no such Safari hacks or plug-ins installed.

Apple a day, do you have the error message in your Safari preferences that mandm shows in his screenshot?

mandm, if you're willing to test this, you could turn that fraud-protection setting back on, then post the crash log that you will inevitably get. And I assume from what you posted earlier that you do not have PithHelmet installed? (That's what seems to be the cause of Apple a day's crashes.)

Message was edited by: Rachel R

no I don't, it could be that Safari failed to download an update whitelist, I am not sure how you update the whitelist tho could be a Software update or restarting Safari with an active internet connection.

And always send the error report and provide detail if you can.

Apple a day wrote:
And always send the error report and provide detail if you can.

I'm not quite sure if you're saying this to me, but just in case: My Safari is not crashing. I have no error or crash reports to send. 🙂 I was recommending that mandm post his crash log here, though.

Hello all. For the past 2 days Safari has been crashing after 2-3 minutes of being opened. It didn't matter what web site I was on. I started looking on these discussion boards yesterday, but could only stay on 2-3 minutes at a time. Then I read this thread today. I tried what mandm suggested about unchecking the "Warn when visiting a fraudulent website". I also noticed there was a note under the checkbox warning. It has now been 12 minutes since I unchecked the box. Safari has not crashed again. I don't know enough about these issues but unchecking the box seems to have stopped Safari from crashing (at least for now). Funny thing is that I've been using 3.2 since it came out, and up until yesterday it has been working great. I don't remember updating anything or installing anything since then as I too am too cautious of 3rd party plug ins. Just wanted to let everyone know. Thanks for your time and advice.