full-disclosure - Re: [WEB SECURITY] digital stalking, Google SearchHistory RSS Interface

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Date: Sun, 22 Jul 2007 00:20:00 +0100
From: "pdp (architect)" <pdp.gnucitizen@...glemail.com>
To: "Greenarrow 1" <Greenarrow1@....com>
Cc: full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk,
	OWASP Leaders <owasp-leaders@...ts.owasp.org>,
	WASC Forum <websecurity@...appsec.org>
Subject: Re: [WEB SECURITY] digital stalking,
	Google SearchHistory RSS Interface

comments inlined

On 7/22/07, Greenarrow 1 <Greenarrow1@....com> wrote:
> Well, for one, for security purposes why would anyone log into Google for
> search purposes. Second, most people I know who use any type of security

people login to check their email, chat and play with the toys on
their iGoogle. for most of the time, they are logged into Google.

> usually use a proxy if they are doing unknown type searches or surfing the
> web.  This would place a kink in the ease of getting the info you stated in
> your email.
>

:) keep in mind that most users are not tech/sec savvy

>
> While yes if anyone wanted to get your info that bad it would not matter
> what method one uses but I see the way you show as being the way a common
> Window home user would seek search data and I sure hope that corporate does
> not go this route.
>

the point that I am try to make is that the attacker doesn't need to
have access to your computer anymore. The data is available online
24/7. It is a lot easier to access Google Feed then some computer
behind some obscured and poorly configured NATed network.

>
> Regards,
> George
> Greenarrow1
> InNetInvestigations-Forensic
>

Thanks George,

cheers :)

>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "pdp (architect)" <pdp.gnucitizen@...glemail.com>
> To: <full-disclosure@...ts.grok.org.uk>; "OWASP Leaders"
> <owasp-leaders@...ts.owasp.org>; "WASC Forum" <websecurity@...appsec.org>
> Sent: Saturday, July 21, 2007 2:04 AM
> Subject: [WEB SECURITY] digital stalking, Google SearchHistory RSS Interface
>
>
> > http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/snoop-onto-them-as-they-snoop-onto-us
> >
> > This is not that of a news since the service is available since
> > January this year, however I cannot see that many people discussing
> > it. Anyway, Google allows consummation of SearchHistory profiles as
> > simple RSS/ATOM feeds. IMHO, this will impact the security and privacy
> > of the users (us) quite significantly.
> >
> > [...]
> >
> > The search history feed can be access from the following url:
> > http://www.google.com/history/?output=rss. The interesting thing is
> > that if your are not authenticated, the Google service will ask you to
> > do so but though HTTP Basic Authentication. Now we all know how weak
> > Basic Authentication is. By default, basic auth does not have any
> > account lockout capabilities. Yes, this feature can be introduced and
> > I haven't really tested it out on the Google's SearchHistory feed
> > interface.
> > Apart from that, the real danger is that if someone has your account
> > details, they could potentially become your invisible stalker. "Snoop
> > onto Them as they Snoop onto us". In the digital age, compromising
> > someones email just for the sake of it does not make sense. What is
> > more interesting, is to learn as much as possible from the victim and
> > use this knowledge for your own benefit. This is what attackers will
> > be after.
> >
> > Relevant searches, places that you have been, stats, trends, secrets.
> > If you have the Google Toolbar then you are even more screwed, since
> > every step that you make will be recorded. Given the fact that
> > everything is accessed via RSS, this information be easily analyzed,
> > aggregated and even exported to the NET for everyone to see. As we all
> > know Basic Auth credentials are part of the URL scheme, almost every
> > RSS/ATOM aggregator supports them:
> > http://username:password@....google.com/history/?output=rss. What is
> > even worse is that we can also perform queries on the history like
> > this: https://www.google.com/searchhistory/find?q=[query]&output=rss.
> >
> > Keep in mind that the SearchHistory is recording your moves no matter
> > whether you want it or not. Your actions will be recorded for as long
> > as you perform queries while being logged into Google or you have the
> > Google Browser Toolbar installed.
> >
> > I am not saying that GOOGLE is bad. All I am saying is that someone
> > can use this interface to harm others. It makes the process so much
> > easier.
> >
> > --
> > pdp (architect) | petko d. petkov
> > http://www.gnucitizen.org
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Join us on IRC: irc.freenode.net #webappsec
> >
> > Have a question? Search The Web Security Mailing List Archives:
> > http://www.webappsec.org/lists/websecurity/
> >
> > Subscribe via RSS:
> > http://www.webappsec.org/rss/websecurity.rss [RSS Feed]
> >
> >
>


-- 
pdp (architect) | petko d. petkov
http://www.gnucitizen.org

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