Google admits a mistake that exposes private user data
By: Captain Maverick
Published: Jan 24, 2007
Updated: Sep 2, 2010
Google is proof that everyone can make a mistake but this was on a grander scale. Google has since removed the few user names and passwords that were inadvertently posted on an antiphishing website. You see, Google compiles a blacklist of phishing sites and makes it publicly available on the Web.
When a user reports a phishing site using Firefox's Google toolbar, information is contained in that report that could include the user's log-in information and 15 of those were mistakenly posted on this antiphishing blacklist. Most of the URLs submitted did not have user log-in information.
Google has implemented a new automated procedure that detects when log-in information is present in the blacklisted URL and prevents that information from being posted in the future. In addition to user names and passwords, the list also included e-mail addresses and session tokens, putting in jeopardy the users’ privacy. Users of the Firefox toolbar will also get a chance to review the suspicious URLs they plan to submit to Google and can check them for this sensitive information.
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