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Google+ Bug Exposes Non-Public Profile Data for 52 Million Users

posted by takyon on Wednesday December 12 2018, @03:56PM   Printer-friendly
from the social-servers dept.

MrPlow writes:

Submitted via IRC for SoyCow1984

Google+ bug exposes non-public profile data for 52 million users

Two months after disclosing an error that exposed the private profile data of almost 500,000 Google+ users, Google on Monday revealed a new leak that affects more than 52 million people. The programming interface bug allowed developers to access names, ages, email addresses, occupations, and a wealth of other personal details even when they were set to be nonpublic.

The bug was introduced in a release that went live at an undisclosed date in November and was fixed a week later, Google officials said in a blog post. During the time the bug was active, developers of apps that requested permission to view profile information that a user had added to their Google+ profile received permission to view profile information about that user even when the details were set to not-public. What's more, apps with access to users' Google+ profile data had permission to access non-public profile data that other Google+ users shared with the consenting user. In all, the post said, 52.5 million users are affected.

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  • (Score: 3, Funny) by ikanreed on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:19PM (5 children)

    by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:19PM (#773495) Journal

    What is a "google+ user"?

    Starting Score:    1  point
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       Funny=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Funny' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  
    Total Score:   3  

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by BsAtHome on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:25PM

    by BsAtHome (889) on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:25PM (#773499)

    That is bleeding edge technology, made by the chocolate factory, that collects more private data ripe for abuse. Apparently, they forgot to ask for payment while anybody could suck the database clean. That was an oversight. This will be rectified shortly. The near future access to all data will only be provided when the correctly measured monetary transfers are verified and routed through the proper tax-free circuit.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:27PM (3 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:27PM (#773500)

    "Touché" [google.com]

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:46PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:46PM (#773511)

      Clicked the link hoping for pictures of his wife nekkid. Alas, only pictures of naked penguins, naked fish, and naked octopussy. At least we know Linus' fetishes now.

    • (Score: 2) by ikanreed on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:51PM (1 child)

      by ikanreed (3164) Subscriber Badge on Wednesday December 12 2018, @04:51PM (#773515) Journal

      You're not supposed to put how you want people to mod your post in your post. That's unfair. +5 insightful, informative.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @05:28PM

        by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday December 12 2018, @05:28PM (#773541)

        Just because you shouldn't doesn't mean you can't.