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story category GMail Exploit
Allows for user info grab
(old news - 02:35PM Wednesday Jul 07 2004)
tags: security
A vulnerability in Google's GMail beta service may allow others to determine information about another user attempting to register an account on the system. "Ahmed Motaz reported that a remote user can invoke the '/accounts/CheckAvailability' script repeatedly to cause the system to return information beloging to another user's query," warns this Security Tracker alert. Users in our Security forum also illuminate this problem, which has apparently existed for several weeks without a resolution.

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Forums » GMail Exploit
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Post a:

Supafly
Premium
join:2000-07-15
Lancaster, CA

Being discussed here...

»GMail 'CheckAvailability' Script May Disclose User

Lurch77
Premium
join:2001-11-22
+44.88-87.89

Re: Being discussed here...

That looks a lot like the link in the article.

Dennis
Premium,Mod
join:2001-01-26
Algonquin, IL

HOLY CRAP were all gonna die!

I think the seriousness of this is being blown a little out of proportion.

Jeremy341
Bye
Premium
join:2000-01-06
localhost

Re: HOLY CRAP were all gonna die!

Yeah and if this were Hotmail, people would be screaming about how Microsoft is the worst company in the world, and that their security is useless. I love double standards.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Re: HOLY CRAP were all gonna die!

Ding. I do believe you win the washer-dryer combo.
bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
·Packet8
·Cox HSI

said by Jeremy341 See Profile:
Yeah and if this were Hotmail, people would be screaming about how Microsoft is the worst company in the world, and that their security is useless. I love double standards.
Sure they would... Perhaps the reason this hasn't been made a big deal is because the system is still in the BETA phase ?
--
Got Carbs?
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Jeremy341
Bye
Premium
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localhost

Re: HOLY CRAP were all gonna die!

I'd argue that even if this weren't a beta, it's still not that big of a deal. It's something that should be fixed, of course, but still it's not that bad.
bmn
? ? ?
Premium,ExMod 2003-06
join:2001-03-15
hiatus
·Packet8
·Cox HSI

Re: HOLY CRAP were all gonna die!

Its only bad in that people who shouldn't be able to get information are able to get it.

No, its not the end of the world, but its still a problem and needs to be taken care of at once.
--
Got Carbs?
No, I'm not a libertarian... I'm a proud, registered Independent [thinker].

jap
Premium
join:2003-08-10
038xx

Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

Not newsworthy if Gmail is still in beta. Finding things like this is what beta is for.

stateq2
J Dilla
Premium
join:2003-03-27
Jackson, MS

Re: Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

said by jap See Profile:
Not newsworthy if Gmail is still in beta. Finding things like this is what beta is for.

gmail sux.

sadowski
I Am My Own Doppelganger
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Buffalo, NY
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·RoadRunner Cable

Re: Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

said by stateq2 See Profile:
gmail sux.

What's wrong with GMail? It's somewhat limited compared to say MSN's webmail (regular MSN product, I don't know about hotmail, etc.) but it's kind of a cool use of a web UI and dynamic HTML, I must admit.
--
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stateq2
J Dilla
Premium
join:2003-03-27
Jackson, MS


edit:
July 7th, @03:36PM

Re: Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

said by sadowski See Profile:
said by stateq2 See Profile:
gmail sux.

What's wrong with GMail? It's somewhat limited compared to say MSN's webmail (regular MSN product, I don't know about hotmail, etc.) but it's kind of a cool use of a web UI and dynamic HTML, I must admit.

yeah...it's great, but I love going against the grain...considering the so many people have been blabbing about gmail (yes, I have an account)
--
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sadowski
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·RoadRunner Cable

Re: Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

said by stateq2 See Profile:
yeah...it's great, but I love going against the grain...considering the so many people have been blabbing about gmail (yes, I have an account)

:)
Cool.
--
Bush Credibility Twister | Air America Radio | The Brights

jap
Premium
join:2003-08-10
038xx
·Verizon Online DSL

said by stateq2 See Profile:
...but I love going against the grain...
Why you cheap shot rabble-rouser!
Just wanted to say thanks for having Magnatunes in your posting signature. I've been waiting for the eventual emergence of just such a trend. I'm gonna copycat you on it.

mdshort

join:2004-05-07
Marion, AR

edit:
July 7th, @03:01PM

Right on jap, besides its not their job to give us free e-mail accounts.

"You can't truly taste an uncooked meal." Just a thought.
--
"With every rise, there is a fall."

koitsu
Premium
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA

Try explaining that to the 2149847494372023498 people who are already using and relying on Gmail, treating it like a non-beta commercial service.

Now, onto the issue of security.

It doesn't matter if technologies/solutions (buzzword overload!) are in alpha, beta, or production release: security holes are security holes.

I think it's safe to say that most of the people who're using Gmail at this point have already inserted legitimate information into their accounts, which makes this a nice big fat haven for privacy violation. It doesn't matter if it's beta.

Strike #2 for Google (for #1, look into the Orkut lawsuit). This is what they get for only hiring "geek jocks".
--
Making life hard for others since 1977.

Mikep7779
Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow
Premium
join:2002-05-26
Woodlawn, NY
clubs:

Re: Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

its their fault for relying on it when its a beta.
--

deblin
Dark Side of the Moon
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said by koitsu See Profile:
I think it's safe to say that most of the people who're using Gmail at this point have already inserted legitimate information into their accounts, which makes this a nice big fat haven for privacy violation. It doesn't matter if it's beta.
If I'm understanding it correctly, existing users are not affected now. Unless of course someone was using the exploit at the time you signed up to get this info. But if they haven't already done so, and you're using your gmail account, they cannot get the info. It's only for new users.

I agree it should definitely be addressed, though, regardless of what level of release they are in.
--
"I drank what?" -Socrates

jap
Premium
join:2003-08-10
038xx
·Verizon Online DSL

said by koitsu See Profile with great wisdom & the calmness of true authority:
[..snip..] 2149847494372023498 people who are already using and relying on Gmail.

[..snip..] Now, onto the issue of security. It doesn't matter if technologies/solutions (buzzword overload!) are in alpha, beta, or production release: security holes are security holes.

[..snip..] which makes this a nice big fat haven for privacy violation.

[..snip..] This is what they get for only hiring "geek jocks".
I'm speechless. Your erudite summation of what .. err .. ails Google is so profoundly wholesome that there is simply nothing to add. In no way could your assessment be improved. Thank you for enlightening us. I appologize for my previous ignorance on the purpose of the beta phase and hereby hate Google & all technology providers who don't get everything perfect before telling us about their product.

Build a bunker, lock your doors, buy a gun: Google is coming!

C_
Kill The Socialists
Premium
join:2001-03-19

said by koitsu See Profile:
2149847494372023498 people who are already using and relying on Gmail, treating it like a non-beta commercial service.
the population of the world is less then 7,000,000,000 genius
--
"This ain't Burger King. You can't have it your way."

jap
Premium
join:2003-08-10
038xx
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: Beta. It's still in Beta, no??

said by C_ See Profile:
the population of the world is less then 7,000,000,000...
You cite merely the human population. Koitsu lives in Mountain View & is no doubt privy to the little known fact that for every 1 human Gmail account holder there are 166,943 insects that have been invited into the pre-release testing phase - So let's be Fair & Balanced for koitsu.

Tiver

@64.243.x.x

Idiot, RTFA

"A remote user with a valid GMail invitation can determine information about another user attempting to register an account with the service, including the target user's first and last name and the target user's desired GMail account username."

At most they can get the first and last name and desired username of someone attempting to register. And they need a valid invitation themselves. It's not that huge of a violation, and if they've "have already inserted legitimate information into their accounts" then they don't have to worry about this bug in beta gmail as it doesn't apply to already created accounts.

antiphishing
Phishing Scam Terminator
Premium
join:2004-06-09
Wilkes Barre, PA


edit:
July 7th, @02:53PM

Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

This doesn't surprise me since a growing number of internet user already mistrust using email as it is.

This just gives more proof that email is becoming even more unsafe to use.
--


»www.antihotmail.com


spammers_are_scumbags@antihotmail.com
Flizesh
Premium
join:2003-08-16
Staten Island, NY
clubs:

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next

Email is unsafe because there are exploits? Riiight.

So using windows or any other software is unsafe too. Doesn't mean anything.

antiphishing
Phishing Scam Terminator
Premium
join:2004-06-09
Wilkes Barre, PA

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next

Who knows maybe Google is running a Windows platform on their mailservers.



»www.antihotmail.com


spammers_are_scumbags@antihotmail.com


Jeremy341
Bye
Premium
join:2000-01-06
localhost

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next

said by antiphishing See Profile:
Who knows maybe Google is running a Windows platform on their mailservers.
I know, and they're not. And this problem could appear no matter what platform the systems were running on. It's the fault of the programmer, not the platform.

dib22

join:2002-01-27
Kansas City, MO
hah... like that would happen

»uptime.netcraft.com/up/graph/?ho···ogle.com

Da22in
Buck Fush

join:2002-06-10
Charlotte, NC
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said by antiphishing See Profile:
Who knows maybe Google is running a Windows platform on their mailservers.
Well, that would better than running it on a Linux server. Linux servers are compromised more than you think, even more than Windows.
--
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antiphishing
Phishing Scam Terminator
Premium
join:2004-06-09
Wilkes Barre, PA

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next

Didn't know that , thanks for the information



»www.antihotmail.com


spammers_are_scumbags@antihotmail.com

Anonuser998

@sybase.com

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next


Didn't know that , thanks for the information


What information? It's a blanket statement with absolutely no grounds...and its a load 'o crap.

At the very least, the word "more" in the OP needs to be defined. More virii? (No) More infected systems? (No) More purposely built auto-run features? (No).

So how is Linux more vulnerable??

antiphishing
Phishing Scam Terminator
Premium
join:2004-06-09
Wilkes Barre, PA

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next

Sorry about that, busy doing two different things at once. I didn't know that Linux has as many vulnerabilities as Microsoft. How is Linux more vulnerable?
--
»www.antihotmail.com

spammers_are_scumbags@antihotmail.com

koitsu
Premium
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA

Actually, I feel his statement about Linux machines being compromised more often than Windows machines is fairly accurate. It depends on what "section" of the 'net you hang out in -- if you're at all involved with IRC, then yes, Linux machines are quite often compromised. Windows is just under scrutiny for a problem that's been ongoing for years.

In regards to security (out-of-the-box), I stick Linux and Windows in generally the same basket.
--
Making life hard for others since 1977.

Jeremy341
Bye
Premium
join:2000-01-06
localhost

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

said by antiphishing See Profile:
This just gives more proof that email is becoming even more unsafe to use.
This problem isn't a flaw in e-mail, it's a small flaw in one provider's BETA account creation system.

ObdH
Premium
join:2003-06-11

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

said by Jeremy341 See Profile:
said by antiphishing See Profile:
This just gives more proof that email is becoming even more unsafe to use.
This problem isn't a flaw in e-mail, it's a small flaw in one provider's BETA account creation system.

Should be in ALPHA stage with a problem like this....

Jeremy341
Bye
Premium
join:2000-01-06
localhost

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

Not at all. This is definitely a typical beta-level problem.

antiphishing
Phishing Scam Terminator
Premium
join:2004-06-09
Wilkes Barre, PA


edit:
July 7th, @03:07PM

I understand that but when naive internet user read things like exploits they become even more paranoid and start mistrusting things.

A lot of people on the internet don't understand technical stuff like exploits,virus's, and spyware and that leads to insecurity. This leads people to mistrust email as a whole.

--


»www.antihotmail.com


spammers_are_scumbags@antihotmail.com

Mikep7779
Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow
Premium
join:2002-05-26
Woodlawn, NY
clubs:

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

ooooo, thastw why its a beta
--

koitsu
Premium
join:2002-07-16
Mountain View, CA

You can blame the following for that:

1) The jackass who decided it'd be intelligent to start composing mail in HTML,
2) The jackass who decided it'd be intelligent to link two completely unrelated technologies (indirectly, SMTP and HTTP) with one another,
3) The jackass who refuses to believe that content is more important than IM-SO-PRETTY-DANCING-PANDA.

Crap like this is exactly why I say the "Internet" has really gone down the sh**hole. Yeah, I'm a bitter individual, but this has nothing to do with being bitter. It has to do with idiocy having run rampant for too many years...
--
Making life hard for others since 1977.

Mikep7779
Today Is Yesterday's Tomorrow
Premium
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Woodlawn, NY
clubs:

edit:
July 7th, @03:28PM

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

and its a beta dumb ass, no one had to use it, they want to use it. If someones info gets taken its their fault, not googles or anyone else's
--

LordMalak

join:2003-07-02
Brazil
·Net Virtua

said by koitsu See Profile:

1) The jackass who decided it'd be intelligent to start composing mail in HTML,
2) The jackass who decided it'd be intelligent to link two completely unrelated technologies (indirectly, SMTP and HTTP) with one another,
3) The jackass who refuses to believe that content is more important than IM-SO-PRETTY-DANCING-PANDA.


Ask 100 average PC users if they'd rather see a pretty HTML email or a secure ASCII email. Style wins over substance any day.
--
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L0cky

@pipex.com

Re: Microsoft Expoits, GMail Exploit who's next ?

ever heard the phrase 'a picture is worth a thousand words'?

Andrew J
Premium
join:2001-11-09
Lancaster, PA
clubs:
The only ones losing sleep over this are Spiderman and a few of his buddies.

antiphishing
Phishing Scam Terminator
Premium
join:2004-06-09
Wilkes Barre, PA

_______________________________________________________
1) The jackass who decided it'd be intelligent to start composing mail in HTML,
2) The jackass who decided it'd be intelligent to link two completely unrelated technologies (indirectly, SMTP and HTTP) with one another,
3) The jackass who refuses to believe that content is more important than IM-SO-PRETTY-DANCING-PANDA.
__________________________________________________________

I accept your opinions.
--
»www.antihotmail.com

spammers_are_scumbags@antihotmail.com

techjoe
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Worth, IL

duh..

Holy cow! A beta with a bug!

KAD Imaging
Sansei Goju-Ryu Karate Do
Premium
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Hialeah, FL
·AT&T Southeast

Re: duh..

said by techjoe See Profile:
Holy cow! A beta with a bug!

Okay, okay, take it easy children. Both sides are taking this issue the wrong way. Yes, the service is BETA so what?? Who gives a sh!t? You release it to the public be prepared for WHATEVER consequences arise from that. Everyone forget that Google gave out 1000's of invites in the last month knowing that this will increase the number of users on their system. The key is that this isn't a *load* issue. It's a software flaw. I work closely with about a dozen+ programmers/developers and this type of thing never would have gotten past lab testing. Who the hell is QA'ing the software?? Who are their security auditors?? Alpha testers?? Those people that ask the tough questions like "Can authenticated users access the account of another registered users." If two identical auth requests are submitted what happens. Can the POST/GET scripts be compromised, etc..

A LOT of people use the exact same logins for everything meaning that if the account creation script can be seen, someone has access to everything that person is registered for and only has to start loging into banks, ebay, etc. to severely destroy someones life. An of course, some @$$ is gonna chime in "Well they should use different logins for everything. Yeah, like you have a different login for all your PC's, BBR, /., Fark, etc...
--
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underscore

join:2004-04-20
Fairfax, VA

Re: duh..

No one HAD to register, it was an offer that google made to those who were up to trying their BETA email. By using their BETA email service, you understand and agree to their terms that there is a risk of virtually anything going wrong. If you don't want to risk that, then don't use it, simple as that. Sure, they messed up, but that is what beta is for. Google made no promises of keeping anyone's data secure.

L0cky

@pipex.com

No, but they could use a different login for what is a beta service than everything else; that wouldn't be too much hassle. Personally I have 3 different logins I use depending on the level of security required.

Anyway, there is such a thing as an End User Agreement, wether we choose to read it or not.

Borjonx

@cox.net

> Yes, the service is BETA so what??

So the users who accept the free accounts should help Google by submitting feature requests, annoyances, and finding errors. Tell Google what sucks and what you like - as a beta tester, thats your job.

Provide real world feedback. And by all means, if you can do it better faster and for free...


aitech
Guru. Kneel

join:2000-12-19
Boston, MA
clubs:

Jesus!

You've got to be shitting me.

I noticed this when I got a GMail invite, if I tried to keep selecting usernames, sometimes when I would hit the [check availability] button another username would pop up in the box instead of what I typed.

Actually it was amusing for a few minutes... seeing what others were trying to get for usernames.

BIG DEAL - that's not USER info, it's a friggin username availability check, they need to tighten up the script. BETA.

Damn people... go mow your lawn or something...

samburgers
Premium
join:2001-05-23
Vancouver, BC
clubs:

Re: Jesus!

This problem has been fixed by google.
wantgmail

join:2004-07-09
Wayne, PA

can some one please

Can some one pelase help me get a gmail account..please...

MaxLyte

@net.uk

Another Gmail Exploit

Software designed to exploit the much lauded Gmail service has just been released this week. Aptly named "Gmail Hack" the software performs Dictionary and Brute Force Attacks against a GMail email account.

Full article:
»www.bonar.co.uk/bonarmedia/html/···e&sid=13

if link doesnt work try »www.bonar.co.uk
Forums » GMail Exploit


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