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Use of Google for Data Mining Triggers Fears

biz.yahoo.com — Automated 'Google Hacking' Software for Unearthing Data on Other Sites Triggers Security Fears. It's called "Google hacking" -- a slick data-mining technique used by the Internet's cops and crooks alike to unearth sensitive material mistakenly posted to public Web sites.

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  • DjArcadian, on 02/29/2008, -0/+43So Google's getting the blame for websites that don't have the common sense not to post sensitive data on their websites?
    • aramova, on 02/29/2008, -0/+14In other news the US Military is planning on blacking out the Sun due to fears it's light will help hostile nations identify military troops and armor.
      • aceslick911, on 02/29/2008, -1/+2nice
      • Culyt, on 02/29/2008, -0/+1Actually the real reason is to keep oil selling by stopping solar energy.
        SunExplosionWasAnInsideJob.com
    • houndeyex, on 02/29/2008, -1/+2Yes. It's like video games and bad parenting.
    • troye, on 02/29/2008, -1/+2That's why I buried this article.
  • radison2, on 02/29/2008, -0/+15Fears? You have to laugh. People always harp on script kiddies when an automated tool comes out. Truth be told tools like this one drastically improve security. Penetration testing SHOULD be made easy. Security through obscurity is not security at all.
  • birkoph, on 02/29/2008, -5/+15data mining is just looking for patterns and trends in data .etc

    Why are you guys so paranoid? Ohh right you're Americans.
  • deviouskoopa, on 02/29/2008, -0/+13It's obviously all Google's fault. They control what people upload to the internet.

    /sarcasm
    • stretch611, on 02/29/2008, -1/+1From the article: The program's authors say they hope it will "screw a large Internet search engine and make the Web a safer place."
      If it was not google, it would just be a different search engine. Google will not be affected.
    • deviouskoopa, on 02/29/2008, -0/+1Yes, it could potentially use a different search engine (I'm not sure how general the hacking program is), but Google could be (falsely) blamed for revealing sensitive information. Because it's mostly due to a web site's security flaws, you're right, Google shouldn't be affected. At least this is my interpretation of the article.
      • radison2, on 02/29/2008, -0/+2actually it couldn't use another search engine. The program uses specific searches that work in google alone. The real work behind this tool is the ghdb (Google Hacking Database) at johnny.ihackstuff.com
      • deviouskoopa, on 02/29/2008, -0/+1Oh ok, thanks for clearing this up for me.
  • Biojoe, on 02/29/2008, -9/+2here is a little tip... if you set up a server online, google owns it
  • cigawoot, on 02/29/2008, -0/+7People need to secure their websites, not blame Google. Google ONLY indexes what it can see, if you don't allow google to see it, it doesn't appear on Google. Using Google to identify possible security holes is wise.

    Oh, and trying to make things secure by using secrecy doesn't work because others will figure it out and abuse it, and nobody else will know how to prevent/defend against it.
  • manfrin, on 02/29/2008, -3/+5"It's called Google Hacking."

    Yes, that along with everything ever to do with google search that is not strictly typing in keywords.
  • arkmtech, on 02/29/2008, -4/+18So being good at using a search engine is now called "hacking" ?

    In that case, I'm off to go hack some left-over-dinner with my microwave.
  • spuncoke, on 02/29/2008, -1/+4Google becoming a deadly weapon
  • DjViral, on 02/29/2008, -8/+1wait r u serious thats all this is, just being good at searching?
    • zongamin, on 02/29/2008, -1/+5We say "are you"
      • hysterix, on 02/29/2008, -2/+2No, he was in too much of a rush to type them extra letters.
  • shlolz, on 02/29/2008, -2/+11Funny that this is on Yahoo.
    • f0v3a, on 02/29/2008, -2/+0HA! Thats true.
    • nealparr, on 02/29/2008, -0/+2LOL. Can we say biased? Nearly every so-called "hack" has it's Yahoo version as well.
  • maddla, on 02/29/2008, -0/+4What's the program called?? I got an Ex that I gotta Hex!
  • DontThinkSo, on 02/29/2008, -6/+3Press Release: http://www.cultdeadcow.com/archives/2008/02/goolag ...

    Scanner: http://www.goolag.org/

    Disclaimer: I am not a terrorist.
  • dupswapdrop, on 02/29/2008, -0/+4This reminds me of the early 80's when the head of IBM said "mainframes are very secure just how is anyone going to get the phone number to your modem?"
    • badassninja, on 02/29/2008, -0/+4... Call them up and ask for it?
      • Zaneris, on 02/29/2008, -0/+4Lol... reminds me of the movie hackers.
  • saska, on 02/29/2008, -0/+2Dugg for CDC and the inevitably hilarious comments that will be here in the morning.

    Go on, Google your credit card number. Wait! Now it's in your search history!
  • Hangly, on 02/29/2008, -0/+2Google me and all you'll get is a bunch of lame jokes I posted to alt.religion.kibology back in 1999.
  • Bornhuetter, on 02/29/2008, -2/+2Props to the Dead Cows.
  • Testies, on 02/29/2008, -0/+1What would Yahoo have to gain from posting this sto.......oh, I see

  • Metasquares, on 02/29/2008, -0/+2*Public* websites. P U B L I C.
  • JesusHatesYou, on 02/29/2008, -0/+0On a more innocous note, Google caches passworded sites such as those with forums. And even with robot files in place, what one search engine respects as private, another such as MSN completely ignores.
  • ianwate, on 03/07/2008, -0/+0I don't care if Google is data mining. As long as data in my brain are safe I feel safe. Unless Google zapped my brain.

    http://ithaven.blogspot.com/
  • portos12, on 06/22/2008, -0/+1A slick data-mining technique
    http://www.highpr.net
    http://www.zzzn.org
  • lolo2007, on 06/23/2008, -0/+0This reminds me of the early 80's when the head of IBM said "mainframes are very secure just how is anyone going to get the phone number to your modem?"

    http://game.paramegsoft.com/
    http://download.paramegsoft.com/
    http://vb.paramegsoft.com/
    http://ladies.paramegsoft.com/
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