Google Collected Passwords in Wi-Fi Sweeps

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

Guest

Guest
If you take a random sampling of network traffic, statistics tell us that a portion of it is almost certainly going to contain passwords and email. It'll also contain pictures of puppies, but I don't see people screaming about how Google secretly captured those.

I for one am not convinced that it was deliberate. I can't see them deciding to do something so obviously objectionable to get their hands on data that I don't think they really have much use for. After all, they already have a massive amount of our data on their servers, including our email and their associated passwords. Why do something sneaky and possibly illegal to capture little bits and pieces of it at random?

I also note that they've been quite open and cooperative about the issue.

Anyone concerned by having their network traffic captured really needs to learn how to encrypt their wifi. It's not the big businesses you need to be afraid of, it's the guy next door who likes stealing WoW accounts or credit card details. If you're using either over an unencrypted wifi network you might as well stand on your lawn and shout out your passwords.
 

gm0n3y

Distinguished
Mar 13, 2006
1,548
0
19,730
[citation][nom]proxy711[/nom]I have no problems with google spying on the french.next time encrypt your shit.[/citation]
They could have just asked the French for their passwords. France probably would have capitulated on the spot.
 

dxwarlock

Distinguished
Sep 20, 2008
123
0
18,630
so they are saying...google needed to come by my house, and scan my wifi to steal my gmail password, they already have on their own servers? :p

I still cant believe that NO ONE blames the people for having a totally open, anyone in your neighborhood can access it wifi anyway.
Thats the first thing I thought of "people with open to the public wifi complaining that someone out in the public accessed it?"

this is turning into a witch hunt now, people with pitchforks and torches just looking for somewhere to use them.
 

Pyroflea

Distinguished
Mar 18, 2007
341
0
18,930
[citation][nom]proxy711[/nom]I have no problems with google spying on the french.next time encrypt your shit.[/citation]

Lmao, I couldn't agree more. Just because you have terrible security doesn't mean you can blame Google :p
 

ordcestus

Distinguished
Feb 9, 2010
65
0
18,590
[citation][nom]gm0n3y[/nom]They could have just asked the French for their passwords. France probably would have capitulated on the spot.[/citation]
Hey i happen to be french. of course my family was exiled, i guess we didn't surrender fast enough
 

Clintonio

Distinguished
Apr 10, 2008
372
0
18,930
Idiots who believe Kevin Parrish's scare mongering probably think it was both purpose and intended.

1) If Wifi is unencrypted it means people can view ANYTHING you send on your Wifi unless it is encrypted.
2) The most common online protocol is HTTP. HTTP isn't encrypted.
3) Thus, if you send your password over HTTP, anyone can view it.
4) Google was accidentally (or not) collecting data from unencrypted wifi.
5) If users were using insecure websites that pass your passwords over HTTP, then Google, any ANYONE ELSE would see it.
6) The fault of the passwords in plaintext is the fault of the website.
7) The fault of the open wifi is the owner of the network
7.1) Or the user's for using a public hotspot and not expecting it
8) It is Google's fault for sniffing.

Google did not take these passwords maliciously, it claims to not even mean to be sniffing data packets anyway.

tldr; Wifi unencrypted on insecure site = bad. Not Google's fault.

 

wing2010

Distinguished
Mar 31, 2010
31
0
18,580
Is an unsecure wifi network! Google was collecting everything including email password and content (ports 25/110/143.) I ain't taking Google's side, but don't make the Title sounds like Google was after the passwords.
 

gm0n3y

Distinguished
Mar 13, 2006
1,548
0
19,730
[citation][nom]Clintonio[/nom]Idiots who believe Kevin Parrish's scare mongering probably think it was both purpose and intended.1) If Wifi is unencrypted it means people can view ANYTHING you send on your Wifi unless it is encrypted. 2) The most common online protocol is HTTP. HTTP isn't encrypted. 3) Thus, if you send your password over HTTP, anyone can view it. 4) Google was accidentally (or not) collecting data from unencrypted wifi.5) If users were using insecure websites that pass your passwords over HTTP, then Google, any ANYONE ELSE would see it.6) The fault of the passwords in plaintext is the fault of the website.7) The fault of the open wifi is the owner of the network7.1) Or the user's for using a public hotspot and not expecting it8) It is Google's fault for sniffing.Google did not take these passwords maliciously, it claims to not even mean to be sniffing data packets anyway.tldr; Wifi unencrypted on insecure site = bad. Not Google's fault.[/citation]
Agreed, if you randomly take gigabytes of unencrypted wireless traffic, chances are you're going to get at least a few passwords in there.
 

techguy378

Distinguished
Jul 14, 2009
264
0
18,930
Anyone who accesses secure websites and sends password or credit card info over an unsecured wifi network is a complete moron and deserves the headache of dealing with fraudulent charges and identity theft. Google did nothing wrong here.
 

Shadow703793

Distinguished
Feb 3, 2007
696
0
18,940
[citation][nom]Tuguz[/nom]"It was an accident"[/citation]
That's what he said. :lol: (Couldn't resist :p )

Anyways, if you have an unencrypted or an encrypted with WEP you deserve to be hacked. It's child's play to crack WEP now.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.