Web attack knows where you live and Google Paranoia.

vanman · 03-08-2010, 17:58

Quote:

One visit to a booby-trapped website could direct attackers to a person's home, a security expert has shown.

Quote:

"This is geo-location gone terrible," said Mr Kamkar during his presentation. "Privacy is dead people. I'm sorry.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-10850875

scary stuff !

Kymmy · 03-08-2010, 18:28

Scary??? Paranoid more like it...

Most IP's don't have a lot of geo-location details, VM have more than many but even do geo-locating puts me between 4-8 miles away.. 9 meters is only relevant when the IP belongs to a source they can truly trace..

You're in more danger of people finding you through details you've put on the net yourself than anything else...

vanman · 03-08-2010, 18:40

Quote:

Demonstrating the attack, Mr Kamkar located one router to within nine metres of its real world position.

Quote:

This database links Mac addresses of routers with GPS co-ordinates to help locate them. During the demonstration, Mr Kamkar showed how straightforward it was to use the attack to identify someone's location to within a few metres.

danielf · 03-08-2010, 19:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Scary??? Paranoid more like it...

Most IP's don't have a lot of geo-location details, VM have more than many but even do geo-locating puts me between 4-8 miles away.. 9 meters is only relevant when the IP belongs to a source they can truly trace..

You're in more danger of people finding you through details you've put on the net yourself than anything else...

As I understand it, Google created a database of router Mac addresses and associated GPS location when it went around for streetview. That database, in association being able to rig someone's router to give up the mac address could be sufficient.

Quote:

However, Mr Kamkar found a way to booby-trap a webpage via a browser so the request for the ID information looks like it is coming from the PC on which that page is being viewed.

He then coupled the ID information, known as a MAC address, with a geo-location feature of the Firefox web browser. This interrogates a Google database created when its cars were carrying out surveys for its Street View service.
Google Street View car, Getty The attack uses data gathered by Google's Street View cars

This database links Mac addresses of routers with GPS co-ordinates to help locate them. During the demonstration, Mr Kamkar showed how straightforward it was to use the attack to identify someone's location to within a few metres.

Kymmy · 03-08-2010, 19:30

But you're talking about the difference between public and not public data..

Google does need their backsides kicked for gathering the data.. Even if this data was to become public it'll be outdated by then (and possibly now for a good proportion of the data) and all you need to do is simply change your IP and router MAC

As I said it's paranoid big brother style mentality

vanman · 03-08-2010, 19:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

and all you need to do is simply change your IP and router MAC

change ip is easy . router mac not so easy.
if your router is a vm all in one with mac address on vm,s database and you change mac address you will not be able to log in

Kymmy · 03-08-2010, 19:58

Which very few people have..

As I said the database is already out of date and will be more so as time goes by..

Do Virgin Media residential even supply these all-in one modem/routers?

vanman · 03-08-2010, 20:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Which very few people have..

As I said the database is already out of date and will be more so as time goes by..

Do Virgin Media residential even supply these all-in one modem/routers?

not sure but bt do and sky

Kymmy · 03-08-2010, 20:03

So because a few ISP's do we should all get paranoid???

vanman · 03-08-2010, 20:06

furthermore it applies to the rest of the world not just the uk

“Just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me”
or did you think that google maps was just in the uk

Kymmy · 03-08-2010, 20:22

Nope, but as I will say again it's outdated data... It's a snapshop of a certain time, nothing more and nothing less.. Yet the news claims is that "Privacy is dead"

Big Brother is watching us... let's all put on our tin foil hats!!!!

Stuart · 03-08-2010, 20:27

By default, Firefox asks if you wish to share your location with a website. The article mentions using Firefox. Unless he has found a way to bypass the query (which is possible), then the user would need to consent to send their location.

Still, you can always disable it: http://www.mozilla.com/en-GB/firefox/geolocation/

vanman · 03-08-2010, 20:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Nope,

Big Brother is watching us... let's all put on our tin foil hats!!!!

don't own one.

but can i borrow your,s

Kymmy · 03-08-2010, 20:54

Sorry but mine a specialist fit, it has an anti-stupid chip built in..

and gawd do I need to get rid of my stupid thoughts

They're telling me to do naughty things!!!

vanman · 03-08-2010, 21:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kymmy

Sorry but mine a specialist fit, it has an anti-stupid chip built in..

sorry to hear that kymmy i dont mind that your stupid chip is set for your brain it will properly not affect any one else