Security Analysts Still Leery About Google Desktop 2

I would not trust anything from Google.

Matt Cutts, a software engineer at Google since January 2000, used to work for the NSA.

Keyhole, the satellite imaging company that Google acquired in October 2004, was funded by the CIA.

"We are moving to a Google that knows more about you." — Google CEO Eric Schmidt, February 9, 2005

"Search is a force for peace and a better world. Google will reveal how everybody lives and thinks and speaks and looks and that is beneficial to world peace. Societies get along better when they know/see/hear more about each other" - Google CEO Eric Schmidt on Charlie Rose, June 3, 2005

Since 2000, Google has recorded your search terms, the date-time of each search, the globally-unique ID in your cookie (it expires in 203, and your IP address. This information is available to governments on request.

 

The only thing I trust from google on my system is the old google toolbar. And even that makes me a little leary.

I would never put a google desktop manager on any system. I can manage my own desktop and websites thank you.

Plus, I don't want a search that is "Taylored to my preferences". I am sick of sites tracking what you visit so they can provide you with a more "personal surfing experience"

I say what is really on my mind about it, but I believe it violates the TOS

 

Good post. Very informative.

I don't use Joogle or any other mainstream search engines. There's always the Scroogle and Yahoogle SE scraper option.

 

Oh dear, whay haven't you bought earthgoogle Pro. It is only 500 bucks

http://earth.google.com/

 

There is no need to be scared. Our government would never think of spying on you. LOL



Starrob

 

Google Desktop 2 is just another tool to make personalized advertising possible.
Silent approvement of adwares in AS scanners and programs like Google Desktop 2 are making that possible.
Do you really think that a minority of complaining and suspicious security experts and knowledgeable users are able to stop personalized advertising ?
Forget it. Personalized advertising is a billion dollar business with a great future and money always wins in this world.

 

Whoa.. that sounded just like a commercial. LOL.

"Do you really think that a minority of complaining and suspicious security experts and knowledgeable users are able to stop personalized advertising ?"

a minority? I guess someone did their statistics on that. I'd say only dwindling profits could bring down a product. I don't see too many people buying into something that compromises security. I don't believe that the majority of people out there are dumbasses, and there's definitely a change happening among users with becoming more aware and concerned with privacy and big brother-type issues etc.

 

Hmmm...afraid I'm going to have to disagree with you on this. It's painfully clear from the fact that viruses still spread quickly all around the world that the majority of computers in homes still aren't properly secured.

I work in IT security and part of my brief is to raise awareness of such things as securing the PC, scanning for viruses, and so on. The majority of non-IT people just don't care that much. It's too much bother...they'd have to think about what they're doing...it would interrupt a soap they need to watch, or whatever. But the biggest reason is that they refuse to spend any money. They'll go use a completely useless piece of freeware, or worse, some hacked piece of Microsoft crap, and think they're protected!

<snip>

I will say that part of the problem is that PCs are sold like toasters...when in reality they should be sold like cars. You need to learn to drive one, and then pass a license test before you are allowed to use one on your own. Plus you need to have a basic idea of how a car works. I mean really basic, like petrol goes in here, gets used by the engine which pushes the wheels around. Many people have not one single clue about how a computer works. IMO such a lack of fundamental knowledge is dangerous.


edited to remove generalized culture-bashing (TOS available here) - Detox

 

Sorry Maya, but you don't know what the REAL user is. I work with ignorant users all day long and these people are NOT dumbasses, they just don't know much about computers and they aren't interested in security, because they have alot of OTHER work to do, that has nothing to do with security.
You won't find these users at WSF, otherwise WSF would be too small.

I don't sound like a commercial one, I'm trying to understand BOTH sides .

 

Leitchy
Infrequent Poster

LOL don't judge a book by it's cover

I am trailor park trash as I chose to be. But I did buy a new suite this week for 600 dollars.

I think in rural areas trailor parks are all that.

I am wondering if you have used Microsofts Shared Computer Toolkit?

Alos did you know it was the annervisary of Windows 95?

Wow that is a landmark and wierd.

I for one used computers in DOS days and OS2.

USed DOS driven menues.

Not going to do the Linux - Windows battle here though.

Cause I am drinking Jonny Walker tonight. LOL

It was not Steve Jobs that created the GUI Windows now has. It was Peter Norton, Symantec. People need to get thewir **** straight.

Peter sold it to Gates for 40 grand.

Ya got to love it.

Question is? is it all about money & ur loved ones?

controler

 

I would be leery of this software as well. Or anything from google for that matter. And everyone is now jumping on the bandwagon for Google Talk!

 

I downloaded GDS as soon as the new release came out - as I did Google Talk - but this thread concerns me... Are all desktop search tools similarly vulnerable, or is it just GDS that's open to the kinds of possible abuse suggested here? Is anything else better from a security point of view? I like Google, I admit - like the idea of it... So I'm grateful for everyone here making my views a little more complicated.

 

M_S,
This is of course my personal opinion and I can't prove anything, like most things on the internet.

I don't believe that freewares are created out of charity. There is always a hidden purpose behind freewares and of course there are always exceptions.
For instance a freeware, like CWShredder, has been written by Merijn with a very noble reason and it saved and still saves many users from nasty malware #1 : CWS.
The majority of freewares however aren't that innocent.

So users install a goodlooking freeware and most of these freewares offer a general service that can be used by EVERYBODY : P2P, search toolbars, desktop tools, etc. Something that has to do with the internet, directly or indirectly.

BUT nothing is for free, not in this world, where money is everything.
So users have to give something in return and that's their privacy, which will be used for marketing purposes and personal advertising.
These softwares are working like adware programs, but they are not removed by AS scanners, because the users installed them voluntary.

I don't know how much privacy these softwares steal from me, because I can't read their outgoing messages and even when I could read them, I wouldn't understand them, because these messages are coded and certainly not in plain text.
Even an outgoing message to make an updating possible can contain more data, than required.
So all these outgoing messages are a mistery for most users.

That's why I don't trust any of these freewares and I don't even download them anymore, except when they are approved by experts. Google Desktop 2 is certainly not one of them.

 

I dont have anything on my "connected" pc I would be concerned about someone seeing. I'm not the NSA, CIA etc..im just an average Joe with emails from friends etc. If your keeping information that important on your "connected" computer, you need your head examined anyway. You honestly think these firewall applications could keep out someone if they really wanted in? LOL! If they can hack Micorsoft and the US Goverment, we dont stand a chance no matter how many 50.00 dollar home firewall suites you buy.

This only applies to my home computer, the work system is completely different.


Remember...Control is an illusion


Trekk