Did Google Faces Hacker Threats?

As the India's leading newspaper Times of India reported on its Times Nation on October 7 2007 that the Govt says Search Engine, Email and Photo-Sharing Software are vulnerable. The same aslo suggest to be more careful when you log on to your gmail account. The government has sounded an alert about the popular Google system. What is the reality and the depth of the danger about this alarming news.

Here are some suggestions watchout which the daily suggests....

Don't click links on unknown web pages or in unsolicited emails

Disable all scripting languages in web browsers

Check out your filter list in Gmail settings for any unwanted filters

Install patches for browser in a timely manner

Disalbe Google Search till Google issues patch to ressolve the matter.

 

What are you talking about? Could you post it here?

 

It is only an advisory issued for the benefit of being careful. It is definetely not a product advisory suggesting to disable the use of google search.

 

I suspect it's probably overly alarmist, although I'd love to see the full article if it's available online.

 

I don't believe this for one second .

 

Precaution applies to all of such kind. Just mentioning Google sounds like there are some business purpose of doing this.
Google still one of the best system in IT industry.

 

He's referring to this page..

http://www.cert-in.org.in/advisory/ciad-2007-50.htm

 

does a have link to a news article or something about this?

 

Here is the original article:

The prime official agency on computer security has issued an advisory that these Google products, and others like its Blogspot, have loose ends. Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTIN), working under the department of information technology (DIT), has also noted a "persistent email theft issue" affecting the popular Gmail service.

The advisory has been put on CERTIN's website — www.cert-in.org.in — amid reports that many government websites and emails of senior Union ministers and officials were being hacked.

CERTIN's director Gulshan Rai refused to specify factors that led to the advisory but said it was backed by valid reasons.

"We work on the principle of complete confidentiality. I cannot tell you any more than the advisory which is in the public domain," Rai said.

Google India's R&D head Prasad Ram recently announced that its vision for India was to empower users "by providing organised, easily accessible information and products which encourage the creation and consumption of locally relevant content".

The IT major's media managers said they were examining the advisory and would respond soon. An active Indian white hat — a hacker who operates in an "ethical or legal" domain on cyber security tasks — said while hacking was an ongoing activity, he was not aware of the Google system turning vulnerable.

As opposed to white hats, black hats indulge in activity that is criminal in nature while there is also a community of grey hats who, as might seem obvious, stride both fields.

CERTIN claimed that cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities — of "high" severity rating — have been reported in Google. XSS, it said, occurred when a web application gathered malicious data from a user. "The data is usually gathered in the form of a hyperlink which contains malicious content within it. The user will most likely click on this link from another website, instant message, or simply just reading a web board or email message," CERTIN explained.

CERTIN aims to become the "most trusted referral agency of the Indian community" for responding to computer security incidents as and when they occur

 

System Working Fine

Google update on "Google faces hacker threats"

The same news paper reported as google said on sunday. Read the article here.

NEW DELHI: Google on Sunday said the vulnerabilities in its popular gmail and other Internet tools were fixed on or before September 27, the day Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTIN) issued an advisory on the IT major's systems reporting "multiple vulnerabilities".

"Unfortunately, this valuable information for users was not included in the advisory," a Google spokesman said.

"All reported vulnerabilities were fixed before CERTIN issued their advisory on September 27, with the exception of gmail, which was fixed on September 27. Gmail, Picasa and Blogger issues were resolved on our end and required no action from the user. A patch was developed for the Urchin and Google Mini Appliance issues and customers were notified. Unfortunately, this valuable information for users was not included in the advisory," the spokesman said.

 

every thing has vulnerabilities.... thats why they have a technical team lol, you cant make something 100% safe for ever.

 

They should be more careful in the future as everything vulnerable. Is not it friend?

 

Google is one of the biggest companies in the world if not the biggest one and they are offering a lot of free services and softwares for all, any never expect the perfection or the 100% well done job, GOOGLE ROCKS.