Gmail = bad

major security risk!!!

Published on July 5, 2005 By Tominated In Internet

Google has been naughty. They have kept every email that a gmail user has sent or recieved (the mail still got sent).
They have also been keeping the gmail users details. All of the emails and info have been kept on one helluva server. This is just to warn you.

Comments (Page 3)

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on Jul 07, 2005

-I can understand that, a friend of mine showed me ("baby stepped me") through servers, and what you do to set them up ro provide mail, so after having basic knowledge (have completely forgot it as i have no use of it anymore), i tried to start a email service...*coughs*...something went wrong with the sever, and the next thing i new, it crashed...lost everything.....wasn't pretty...thankfully not many signed up for the email...

LeegleechN

on Jul 07, 2005

I know Google can aggregate tons of information on me. However, I've never seen them misuse it. For now, Google has my support. Think of all the things they've done right (Text ads, massive email storage, brilliant search, great maps, google earth, etc. etc.). I trust them.

Also, for you tin foilists:

http://www.google-watch.org

Jafo

on Jul 07, 2005

However, I've never seen them misuse it.

Er...as if they would be likely to show you....

Dan Kaschel

on Jul 07, 2005

I'm siding with Leegleech on this one. Google has done a good job holding to their "don't be evil" policy. I've never felt like the information that I've provided them has been misused. The products that they offer are solid and intuitive. The services they offer are effective. Until they give me a reason not to trust them, I'll stay loyal.

And privacy issues aside, storage rocks. I love the conversation idea... I have just one e-mail from each person I converse with in my inbox instead of the dozens that normally constitute a thread of conversation. But if I ever become a terrorist and start selling nuclear warheads to Asia, I'll be sure to switch servers. I appreciate the tip!

Dan

Double Zero

on Jul 07, 2005

But if I ever become a terrorist and start selling nuclear warheads to Asia,

Now ya really went and did it Dan!!..you used the "Buzz" words that will definitely have the NSA checking you out for a few months...

Dont worry though, it's painless and you wont feel a thing..LoL..
Gotta watch what you say...tsk..tsk!

Island Dog

on Jul 07, 2005

I can't believe get all paranoid about google, and other things.

Let's remember.

Every year I send the government a detailed list of my fianancial transaction, bank accounts, and all my work information. I also send them the names, ss numbers, and ages of my children and wife. I have to tell them where I live, how I paid for it, and what I'm using it for.

All this must be done by a certain date or I can be penalized, it's called Tax Day.

Anybody who really wants your information can get with with little or no problem. Anything you do on the internet has the chance to be read or copied by someone else. That's the internet. If you send a letter to someone through regular mail, someone can take that letter, open it, and have the same information. I understand keeping your eyes open, but this whole conspiracy thing is just ridiculous.

Woodbridge

on Jul 07, 2005

Anyone else find it ironic that Tominiated's email used to register here is a Gmail one

Jafo

on Jul 07, 2005

Apprentice Island Dog ...here's the thing....people 'expect' their Govt will have data on their constituents....comes with the territory....

Now....what if some sibling perhaps types into Google on your comp....linkable to you....just as a prank....'kiddie porn' or some such phrase...and the behemoth of data gathering that is Google has that associated with your name.....yes...it's totally feasible....and a subsequent investigation ensues....maybe even years later...the incident long-forgotten...or even unknown to you....?

It's not just who is gathering it....but what it is they gather.....and don't ignore/forget the power of the search engine to put 2 and 2 together and get 5.

It's worse than GIGO, you know...

Island Dog

on Jul 07, 2005

I'm sorry Jafo, but I'm just not paranoid. I know the risks of surfing the internet, and in all reality there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Except not be on the internet.

Is everything you said feasible, sure it is. Is it probable, most likely not. Am I going to run around paranoid thinking everybody is watching me, absolutely not.

Jafo

on Jul 07, 2005

Head in the sand, lad...you don't see them...ergo they are not looking at you....

Island Dog

on Jul 07, 2005

Head in the sand, lad...you don't see them...ergo they are not looking at you...

I understand people have the ability to watch, and collect data. Does that mean I have to walk around paranoid about it, no. But once again, who is "they"? Is is a government conspiracy, or maybe a corporate one?

Boss019

on Jul 07, 2005

You can "what if" yourself into worrying about everything. Someone can link you to kiddie-porn or terrorist activities or whatever else they can think of. But it's not head in the sand. If you have someone that wants to mess up your life, they can and will do it.But if your just one of millions of people on the internet and take reasonable precautions with security on your computer, why sit around worrying about it. They will pass you up for the easy prey with no security the majority of the time.

Gideon MacLeish

on Jul 07, 2005

The last time my ISPs email server crashed, I thought I had lost all my mail. Three days later they replaced it, only not only did I get my mail back, I got every email I had recieved for the last 6 months.

I'm thinking this kind of backup isn't rare, or skeery, unless you are discussing somethign that might provoke a search warrant.

Baker,

Excellent points, and ones I agree with. But for different reasons.

As you know, I'm usually the first to cry "foul" over privacy concerns. But this simply doesn't qualify, because it involves a company with one voluntarily chooses to do business (and, even more importantly, at no cost to the consumer). Any privacy that is surrendered to Gmail and other online companies is surrendered voluntarily and there is simply no valid basis for complaint.

I say, let's save the privacy rights soapboxes for instances of REAL violations.

mgosh

on Jul 07, 2005

Wow, imagine that Google will use your information. Imagine that it scans your e-mails uses key words and puts up advertising that is related to e-mail, such as motocycles if you're talking about them. Still a lot better then Hotmail's "privacy" statements, which states if you come up with any ideas in your e-mails we have the right to steal them. It's pretty cute that Hotmail does that.

bakerstreet

on Jul 07, 2005

"As you know, I'm usually the first to cry "foul" over privacy concerns. But this simply doesn't qualify, because it involves a company with one voluntarily chooses to do business (and, even more importantly, at no cost to the consumer)."

I would add that people constantly contact these ISPs and scream "OMG I JUST DELETED THE MOST IMPORTANT EMAIL IN HUMAN HISTORY!!!", and frankly those people find it a great service that email servers are backed up regularly.

I mean, can you imagine the pain in the butt it would be to have every email you delete today traced back through every hard drive backup they made?

Let's say you keep an email for 6 months, then delete it. How many times have their databases been backed up in that time? Now, when you delete it, you expect them to go in and delete that single email from all those archives?

The idea is silly, frankly. Backups are there for a reason. It doesn't matter how much the skeery governement snoops, they still HAVE TO CHARGE YOU WITH A CRIME TO USE IT. If searching for kiddie porn is a crime in your area, then you damn well shouldn't do it, or you should fight against the law.

Taking away a government's means to spy on you is a waste of time, there will always be other means. Address what they do with the information, or the permissability of them digging to begin with. Don't punish Google for something people expect them to do.

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