Rename the laptop-updates.brave.com endpoint

[fmarier]

Historically, that endpoint was used for browser updates (in the Muon days). Then the stats / referral ping was added to it as a secondary use.

Now that Muon updates are no longer sent to these old clients, this endpoint is primarily for stats. We should rename it so that the name reflects the nature of the traffic.

Historical uses:

• Muon browser updates (brave-core uses updates.bravesoftware.com and updates-cdn.bravesoftware.com)
• crash reporting (now using backtrace.io)
• list of sites to send a deprecated X-Brave-Partner header to
• webcompat feedback form submissions (now on webcompat.brave.com)

Current uses:

• usage pings on all platforms (includes referral code for the first 90 days if any)
• referral pings when applicable (at first run, and then intermittently until 30 days later when it stops)
• feedback submissions from Android users who rate the app

[fmarier]

Here's a concrete suggestion:

• metrics.brave.com for usage pings, referral pings, and installation events
• feedback.brave.com for webcompat and android feedback

Leave partner headers on laptop-updates for now and work towards removing that mechanism entirely.

[fmarier]

Leave partner headers on laptop-updates for now and work towards removing that mechanism entirely.

@diracdeltas has a better interim solution for this: remove the /promo/custom-headers endpoint and have this list be hard-coded into brave-core until we can remove it entirely. We're not supposed to be adding to it and so it doesn't need to be updatable outside of the regular release trains. I filed #16455 for this.

[fmarier]

As part of using the new hostnames, we should add metrics.brave.com to https://github.com/brave/brave-core/blob/90859949913c21320e646f2d4f92609a0a401d64/chromium_src/net/tools/transport_security_state_generator/input_file_parsers.cc#L409 and feedback.brave.com to https://github.com/brave/brave-core/blob/90859949913c21320e646f2d4f92609a0a401d64/chromium_src/net/tools/transport_security_state_generator/input_file_parsers.cc#L423 so that they are pinned in some way.

[fmarier]

metrics.brave.com and feedback.brave.com were added in https://github.com/brave/devops/pull/6699.

[DJAndries]

Related #41659

[LaurenWags]

@DJAndries @fmarier due to the way promo codes are done on macOS, we wouldn't be able to verify part of the test plan on macOS until after this is released. Any concerns with just verifying the promo code part of the test plan on the other platforms (Windows, Android, and iOS)?

Also, @DJAndries is data for these endpoints starting to come through for Nightly/Beta (even if it's not much yet)?

cc @kjozwiak

[DJAndries]

due to the way promo codes are done on macOS, we wouldn't be able to verify part of the test plan on macOS until after this is released. Any concerns with just verifying the promo code part of the test plan on the other platforms (Windows, Android, and iOS)?

Yes, I think that's fine.

Also, @DJAndries is data for these endpoints starting to come through for Nightly/Beta (even if it's not much yet)?

yes

[LaurenWags]

perfect, thanks for the confirmations @DJAndries.

@brave/qa-team per the above discussion, when verifying the test plan from brave/brave-core#25920 (comment) on macOS and Linux the referral promo check can be skipped. Full test plan should be verified on Windows, Android, and iOS.

[LaurenWags]

Verified with

Brave	1.74.8 Chromium: 131.0.6778.69 (Official Build) beta (x86_64) 
Revision	0e56a6339728b1f1569eb3bdbe8261f2d5785d3b
OS	macOS Version 14.7.1 (Build 23H222)

Verified test plan from brave/brave-core#25920 (comment). Note, referral promo was not checked as per #16374 (comment). It will need to be checked on Windows, Android, and iOS.

Initial/Install ping:

1. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler, etc)
2. Install and launch 1.74.x
3. Watch Fiddler for initial/install ping (see first=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=osx-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=true&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-19&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Example	Example

Daily ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 24h
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for daily ping (see daily=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=osx-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=false&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-19&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Example	Example

Weekly ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 7 days
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for weekly ping (see weekly=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=osx-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-19&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Example	Example

Monthly ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead ~28-30 days (so you are in the next month)
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for monthly ping (see monthly=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=osx-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=null&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Example	Example

[MadhaviSeelam]

Verification PASSED using

Brave | 1.74.8 Chromium: 131.0.6778.69 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
-- | --
Revision | 0e56a6339728b1f1569eb3bdbe8261f2d5785d3b
OS | Windows 11 Version 23H2 (Build 22631.4460)

Verified test plan from brave/brave-core#25920 (comment). Note, referral promo was not checked as per #16374 (comment). It will need to be checked on Windows, Android, and iOS.

Case 1: Beta build

Initial/Install ping

1. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler, etc)
2. Install and launch 1.74.x
3. Watch Fiddler for initial/install ping (see first=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=true&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-20&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example

Daily ping

1. Continuing from previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 24h
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for daily ping (see daily=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=false&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-20&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example

Weekly ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 7 days
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for weekly ping (see weekly=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-20&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example

Monthly ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead ~28-30 days (so you are in the next month)
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for monthly ping (see monthly=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=null&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example

Case 2: Renamed Beta Build - One-time request

Initial ping

1. Download 1.74.8
2. renamed the build from BraveBrowserStandaloneBetaSetup.exe to Brave-Browser-BRV002.exe
3. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler)
4. disconnect WiFi (so it won't fetch release build)
5. installed the build from step 2 (Brave-Browser-BRV002.exe)
6. closed and relaunched Brave

• Confirmed one-time request is sent to https://usage-ping.brave.com/promo/initialize/nonua with the refcode (BRV002) included in the body.
• Confirmed after relaunch, no additional requests are sent.

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.6&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=true&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-20&ref=BRV002&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example	example	example

Daily ping

1. Continuing from previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 24h
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for daily ping (see daily=true in ping URL below):

• Confirmed after setting system date ahead 24h and after relaunch, no requests are sent to https://usage-ping.brave.com/promo/initialize/nonua.

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.6&daily=true&weekly=false&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-20&ref=BRV002&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example

Weekly ping

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 7 days
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for weekly ping (see weekly=true in ping URL below):

• Confirmed after setting system date ahead 7 days and after relaunch, no requests are sent to https://usage-ping.brave.com/promo/initialize/nonua.

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=winx64-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.8&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-11-18&dtoi=2024-11-20&ref=BRV002&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

example	example

[MadhaviSeelam]

Will verify this issue again for promo code on release candidate build when available.

[btlechowski]

Verification PASSED using

Brave	1.74.20 Chromium: 131.0.6778.108 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)
Revision	6f52e170fb1611fc69347fb24bca600ed052f7b3
OS	Linux

Verified test plan from brave/brave-core#25920 (comment). Note, referral promo was not checked as per #16374 (comment). It will need to be checked on Windows, Android, and iOS.

Initial/Install ping

1. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler, etc)
2. Install and launch 1.74.x
3. Watch proxy for initial/install ping (see first=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=linux-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=true&woi=2024-12-02&dtoi=2024-12-05&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Daily ping

1. Continuing from previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 24h
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for daily ping (see daily=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=linux-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=false&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-12-02&dtoi=2024-12-05&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Weekly ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead 7 days
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for weekly ping (see weekly=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=linux-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-12-02&dtoi=2024-12-05&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

Monthly ping:

1. Continuing from previous case, close browser and clear Fiddler session
2. Set system date ahead ~28-30 days (so you are in the next month)
3. Relaunch browser
4. Watch Fiddler for monthly ping (see monthly=true in ping URL below):

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=linux-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=false&woi=2024-12-02&dtoi=null&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

[hffvld]

Verified on iPhone 14 and iPad Mini (6th gen) using version(s):

Device/OS: 
- iPhone 14 / iOS 17.7.2
- iPad Mini (6th gen) / iPadOS 18.1.1
Brave build: 1.74 (20)
BraveCore: 1.74.20 (131.0.6778.108)

---

Verified test plan from brave/brave-core#25920 (comment).

NOTE: Will verify this issue again for the referral promo code on the Release build when available in App Store.

Initial ping/Install ping

STEPS:

1. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler, etc)
2. Install and launch 1.74.x
3. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes first=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/ios?channel=beta&version=1.74.0&monthly=true&weekly=true&daily=true&first=true&woi=2024-12-02&wallet2=0&ads_enabled=false&dtoi=2024-12-06&ref=ASA1234567890

---

iPhone 14	iPad Mini (6th gen)

Daily ping

STEPS:

1. Continuing from the previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler/Charles session
2. Set system date ahead 24h
3. Relaunch browser
4. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes daily=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/ios?channel=beta&version=1.74.0&daily=true&monthly=false&weekly=false&first=false&woi=2024-12-02&wallet2=0&ads_enabled=false&dtoi=2024-12-06&ref=ASA1234567890

---

iPhone 14	iPad Mini (6th gen)

Weekly ping

STEPS:

1. Continuing from the previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler/Charles session
2. Set system date ahead 7 days
3. Relaunch browser
4. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes weekly=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/ios?channel=beta&version=1.74.0&weekly=true&daily=true&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-12-02&wallet2=0&ads_enabled=false&dtoi=2024-12-06&ref=ASA1234567890

---

iPhone 14	iPad Mini (6th gen)

Monthly ping

STEPS:

1. Continuing from the previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler/Charles session
2. Set system date ahead ~28-30 days (so you are in the next month)
3. Relaunch browser
4. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes monthly=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/ios?channel=beta&version=1.74.0&daily=true&monthly=true&weekly=true&first=false&woi=2024-12-02&wallet2=0&ads_enabled=false&dtoi=null&ref=ASA1234567890

---

iPhone 14	iPad Mini (6th gen)

[hffvld]

Verified on Galaxy Tab S8 and Pixel 7 using version(s):

Device/OS: 
- Galaxy Tab S8 / gts8wifixx-user 14 UP1A.231005.007 release-keys
- Pixel 7 / panther_beta-user 15 BP11.241025.006 release-keys
Brave build: 1.74.20
Chromium: 131.0.6778.108 (Official Build) beta (64-bit)

---

Verified test plan from brave/brave-core#25920 (comment).

NOTE: Will verify this issue again for the referral promo code on the Release build when available in App Store.

Initial ping/Install ping

STEPS:

1. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler, etc)
2. Install and launch 1.74.x
3. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes first=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=android-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=true&woi=2024-12-09&dtoi=2024-12-09&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

---

Galaxy Tab S8	Pixel 7

Daily ping

STEPS:

1. Continuing from the previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler/Charles session
2. Set system date ahead 24h
3. Relaunch browser
4. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes daily=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=android-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=false&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-12-09&dtoi=2024-12-09&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

---

Galaxy Tab S8	Pixel 7

Weekly ping

STEPS:

1. Continuing from the previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler/Charles session
2. Set system date ahead 7 days
3. Relaunch browser
4. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes weekly=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=android-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=false&first=false&woi=2024-12-09&dtoi=2024-12-09&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

---

Galaxy Tab S8	Pixel 7

Monthly ping

STEPS:

1. Continuing from the previous case, close the browser and clear Fiddler/Charles session
2. Set system date ahead ~28-30 days (so you are in the next month)
3. Relaunch browser
4. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that https://usage-ping.brave.com call includes monthly=true in the ping URL:

https://usage-ping.brave.com/1/usage/brave-core?platform=android-bc&channel=beta&version=1.74.20&daily=true&weekly=true&monthly=true&first=false&woi=2024-12-09&dtoi=null&ref=BRV001&adsEnabled=false&arch=&wallet2=0

---

Galaxy Tab S8	Pixel 7

Feedback ping

STEPS:

1. Have MITM proxy going (Fiddler, etc)
2. Install and launch 1.74.x
3. Hamburger menu > Settings
4. Support > Rate Brave
5. Choose a negative face Submit feedback
6. Verify

ACTUAL RESULTS:

• Verified that the feedback is sent to https://feedback.brave.com call:

https://feedback.brave.com/1/feedback

---

Galaxy Tab S8	Pixel 7

[LaurenWags]

Added QA/Blocked as this will require an additional check on Windows once we get 1.74.x on the Release channel per #16374 (comment).