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There is a security risk involved. The problem is that because legitimate services rents use of this particular Google Cloud system, googleusercontent.com, it is difficult to discern what active connections to hosts on the domain are not malicious. The Google Cloud system in question is also being used by data thieves, hackers, and corporate logistics operations just to name a few. An active connection on your idle system could indicate an intruder, or simply be part of Firefox, or the operating system updater. COMPANIES SHOULD NOT USE SERVICES FROM GOOGLE CLOUD as the same system is being used for malicious activity. Google is making insufficient effort to keep the criminals from using the system also.There is a security risk involved. The problem is that legitimate organizations as well as scammers rent use of this particular Google Cloud system, googleusercontent.com, it is difficult to discern what active connections to hosts on the domain are not malicious. The Google Cloud system in question has historically been used by data thieves, hackers, and corporate logistics operations just to name a few. An active connection on your idle system could indicate an intruder, or simply be part of Firefox, or the operating system updater. COMPANIES SHOULD NOT USE SERVICES FROM GOOGLE CLOUD as the same system is being used for malicious activity. Google is making insufficient effort to keep the criminals from using the system also. Two examples of legitimate organizations also using googleusercontent.com for various purposes:* Canonical aka Ubuntu Linux* Mozilla Firefoxbc.googleusercontent.comThe bc host originates from Google Compute Engine (Google cloud) that does not have to be from Google itself. It is a service anyone can use. Various commercial entities, organizations, and private individuals pay to use this service from Google. bc originates from Google Compute Engine (Google cloud) That does not have to be from Google itself. It is a service anyone can use. Recently, [https://blog.kerika.com/googleusercontent-com-can-trip-you-up-if-you-disable-third-party-cookies/ Google has started storing images] in a new domain, called googleusercontent.com. This domain is used for a variety of purposes, including cached copies of websites visited by the Google search engine, but the general purpose of this domain appears to be to store static content: i.e. content that is not expected to change.You also need to take into account the 1st bit of that:Google claims that Google activity by Google is excluded from googleusercontent.com which is isolated for 3rd party use. However, there is plenty of evidence that Google itself conducts activity on googleusercontent.com. Recently, [https://blog.kerika.com/googleusercontent-com-can-trip-you-up-if-you-disable-third-party-cookies/ Google has started storing images] in a new domain, called googleusercontent.com. This domain is used for a variety of purposes, including cached copies of websites visited by the Google search engine, but the general purpose of this domain appears to be to store static content: i.e. content that is not expected to change. bc.googleusercontent.com bc originates from Google Compute Engine (Google cloud) That does not have to be from Google itself. It is a service anyone can use. lh3.googleusercontent.com Used for loading images for Google+.* lh3.googleusercontent.com Used for loading images for Google+. lh5.googleusercontent.com Used for loading images for Google+.* lh5.googleusercontent.com Used for loading images for Google+. lh6.googleusercontent.com Used for loading images for Google+.* lh6.googleusercontent.com Used for loading images for Google+. s3.googleusercontent.com Used for loading favicons for AdWords ads.* s3.googleusercontent.com Used for loading favicons for AdWords ads. static.googleusercontent.com* static.googleusercontent.com themes.googleusercontent.com Used for loading font files for Google Fonts. (Generally called within CSS from fonts.googleapis.com)* themes.googleusercontent.com Used for loading font files for Google Fonts. (Generally called within CSS from fonts.googleapis.com) translate.googleusercontent.com Google Translation Service* translate.googleusercontent.com Google Translation Service Some references:* You can disable connectivity checking inside the menu: Preferences -> System settings -> Privacy -> Connectivity.In the System Settings dialog under "Internet connectivity" is an ON/OFF toggle with the description: "''Check that network connections can reach the Internet. This makes it possible to detect [[captive portals]], but also generates periodic network traffic.''"{{:Ubuntu_/_Mint_Linux_Users:_disable_Network_Manager_connectivity_checks}} uri=http://connectivity-check.ubuntu.com./ <nowiki>uri=http://connectivity-check.ubuntu.com./</nowiki>Lets see if connectivity-check.ubuntu.com is really at bc.googleusercontent.comSimple testing to do at console: $ host connectivity-check.ubuntu.com connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 34.122.121.32 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 185.125.190.49 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 185.125.190.17 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 35.232.111.17 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 185.125.190.48 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 35.224.170.84 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 91.189.91.49 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 91.189.91.48 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has address 185.125.190.18 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has IPv6 address 2620:2d:4000:1::23 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has IPv6 address 2620:2d:4000:1::2b connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has IPv6 address 2001:67c:1562::24 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has IPv6 address 2001:67c:1562::23 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has IPv6 address 2620:2d:4000:1::22 connectivity-check.ubuntu.com has IPv6 address 2620:2d:4000:1::2aOk lets reverse the first IP returned... $ host 34.122.121.32 32.121.122.34.in-addr.arpa domain name pointer 32.121.122.34.bc.googleusercontent.com. And so on. Ubuntu paying google for use of shady googleusercontent.com. [[Category:Security]]