Google Accelerator Compromises Security! Users report logging into others cached accounts

[dodgerblue 0]

Google isn't serving web pages faster, its serving other people's versions of the web page faster. What does that mean? Try using Web Accelerator on a forum site, one with lots of geeks who love Google and probably already have Web Accelerator installed. Why, if you're lucky, you'll be logged in as someone else, as the folks at SomethingAwful.com discovered. The posters in that forum discovered that most of the times they refreshed the page, they were logged in as a different person, seeing their friend's control panel for the forums.
They were even kind enough to provide screenshots...

The full report is here.

What does this mean, man!! I'm scared, and angry!!

I'm gonna go and see if there's a way to block it from my site. Ugh!!

[Donegal 0]

@_@ You sure? Something awful may, just be playing a prank, it's easy to doctor up fake's. Ionno, I don't use google accelerator, I use gmail, I really don't have anything to hide from them.

 

Maybe it will be a private Microsoft message board where developers discuss trade secrets regarding the next version of Windows

That made me laugh, Microsoft developers more than likly will have money, and more than likly will have High Speed Computers and internet, I severely doubt that they would use google accelerator.

 

Not to mention, that this, really isn't far from Bill Gate's dream, where, everyone's hard drive is stored on microsoft servers.. you only need a tv, and your connected to a high speed internet connection to the server.. ionno, I didn't read the whole report, or memorize it.

[BuffaloHelp 24]

It has been my concern for the longest time that web site companies were trying to find out your surfing habits. It started with a company called AllAdvantage (back in 1997), now no longer here, issued small browsing helper. You would make $0.05 per advertisement you clicked. I remember I made at least $25.00 per month. Anyway, the point is that they kept track of what I clicked. Especially with the help of AutoSurf program, I was constantly bombarded with promotions/spam email from those clicked links. I learned that if it sounds too good to be true, then there?s a catch.So now that google had its reputation raised, they are executing their final phase. The evil google that will dominate the Whole Web World! Muhahaha. If you recall a character from The Superman, Brainiac wanted to digitize the entire living planet for the sole purpose of collecting data. Well, google is your Brainiac. I know, it?s silly and I am overly paranoid. But why do you think google is so adamant about keeping the entire web community in its database as a snap shot? If you felt that google search is faster and better, it?s because google kept all snap shots in its server and you are seeing the snap shot of googls web crawler. And if it?s managed by google, you cannot say that the data integrity cannot be compromised. You may actually get to see what google wants you to see. The entire WWW will no longer be a genuine content from individual servers. It will be full of snap shots from one server. Would you really want that?Everyone loves google. And I have to ask you do you really know what you are getting into? I bet you everyone is aware of spyware and what it can do. But do you also consider what google may be doing with your browser cache? I never type or go directly to my ?secure sites?, such as my bank or billing online, from google because google tracks where you were coming from and where you are going. What if, according to the article, the one time you enter your login page google happens to take a snap shot of your either password or ID? And that snap shot becomes publicly available and then what?And don?t get me started on Firefox?

[ill 0]

haha, they're all the same

[icemarle 0]

Pure evil. First Spyware, now being logged in as someone else? They'll lose a lot of reputation from that. Google has become evil! (Although it's just in its Beta stage) Noooo! But I still like Gmail.

[Donegal 0]

Firefox is freeware, anyone in the world can see it's code and edit it.. unless... firefox = gmail.. -waits patiently for "GHOST".. google's web hosting service- I bet the only reason it's not here is because they can't gather any information with it..

[T100 0]

Well, I think that?s exactly why we have to flush the cache after each time we browse. Caching is one of the most insecure things in the computer world. For example, you can often found ?snapshot? webpage on different search engines which you don?t like (say, a authorized page that you forbid visitors from visiting after the search engines have cached it on there servers, and you can?t delete them or their servers!). The only thing that you can do to prevent this is to do a User Agent block, or setup a robot.txt. But if a visitor is giving away its credentials to any Adware or Spyware, as the administrator, there is not much that you can do. Perhaps the old trick works here. Many browsers toolbar like Hotbar, Yahoo Bar or Google Tools will embed there name in the User Agent, and thus can be blocked there. But if they become popular, you may block a lot of visitors there....

[dodgerblue 0]

Firefox is freeware, anyone in the world can see it's code and edit it.. unless... firefox = gmail..

 

-waits patiently for "GHOST".. google's web hosting service-

 

I bet the only reason it's not here is because they can't gather any information with it..

141066[/snapback]

You're right, in a way. Hosting WEBSITES isn't a feasible way of gathering information.

 

However, hosting BLOGS are. Ta-da! Enter Google's takeover of Blogger!

 

Whoa, I think we have a conspiracy theory here! Whoops. We'd better go change our names and get fake IDs or something

[Donegal 0]

Hmm... I want to hate google.. but..their web search and gmail are just too damn good. And the alternatives (msn and yahoo!") are doing the same as google. I mean, Look at the xbox360. It's the start of msn's attempt to take over. Pretty soon, they'll give us 200 gigs web hosting to store files online. And access them via Xbox.. and Broadband.. In one way, this would mean, the internet stops being one single element, and would be devided into google land, msn land, and free land.. o-O Though, you'd have to haxxor to get free land internet.. ionno.. I suppose less credit card theft.. but you'd have no freedom.

[Liquid-Fusion 0]

This is pretty scary, IMO. I mean if somehow someone got into the microsoft website disscussing secret stuff, then they would think you were hacking or something..Its awesome that pages load 2X as fast with this program, but I think the disadvantages far outweigh the advantages.*Does this mean we should stop using gmail?*

[coolkarthik007 0]

well that's really funny i believe. Google Compromises security unbelievable. i am sure microsoft will love to get inside open source projects and steal the source codes.

[michaelper22 0]

Firefox is freeware, anyone in the world can see it's code and edit it.. unless... firefox = gmail..
-waits patiently for "GHOST".. google's web hosting service-

I bet the only reason it's not here is because they can't gather any information with it..

Firefox != Gmail (!= means "not equal to")
And now we do have Google Pages, basically a nice little service for making non-interactive web sites.
pages.google.com

[Florisjuh 0]

That Google Accelerator comprimises your security is very old news, altrough many of these acceleration programs work with the same techniques, Google Accelerator makes it a bit more dangerous by storing the cached information on Google websites itself. Anyway, these programs close to never work like they should anyway.

[JC05 0]

Hey guys, I think this dude is on to something. I just about installed this thing when I read the little agreement thing. It says it can embed personal information in what it sends. I'm would not encourage any one to install this. It could compromise your personal information. And make you an easy target for virus's.

[SqlByte 0]

I heard that not only Google Accelerator have that kind of problem, but this is realy scary as you all say.If google accelerator is in BETA then there is nothing to wory about, they could cancle GA anytime, or make it better... im not sure if its in beta or its final version...