Yesterday Google introduced a new web product to their ever-expanding portfolio, and this one is sure to get opinions polarized not over its usefulness, which is undeniable, but over its implications. We’ll come to that in a moment, but firstly – what is it?
When you sign in to Google Dashboard you are presented with a “cross application” view as to what files / project you have stored in the various Google Services. The initial release covers some 20 such services, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Web History, Orkut, YouTube, Picasa, Talk, Reader, Alerts and Latitude, with more coming soon. It is definitely a fantastic way to see all your “stuff” and access disparate applications from one launching area. The downside, though, is one of privacy, or in this case its potential erosion.
The problem is if you sign in to any of Google’s services, it now tracks your usage, searches etc. and records this information for referencing in Dashboard. This is fine and useful, but what if your machine is shared and you forget to log out? ALL search results and documents are accessible to anyone who (accidentally or purposefully) logs in to a Google Service using your cached information. A partial solution to this, although not yet implemented, would be for Google to allow the Dashboard user to limit and / or erase their histories. The cynic in me says, though, that Google is all about collecting information, not deleting it!
If you want to know more about IT Security contact Nemark now to discuss how we can help you “bolt down your network“
When you sign in to Google Dashboard you are presented with a “cross application” view as to what files / project you have stored in the various Google Services. The initial release covers some 20 such services, including Gmail, Calendar, Docs, Web History, Orkut, YouTube, Picasa, Talk, Reader, Alerts and Latitude, with more coming soon. It is definitely a fantastic way to see all your “stuff” and access disparate applications from one launching area. The downside, though, is one of privacy, or in this case its potential erosion.
The problem is if you sign in to any of Google’s services, it now tracks your usage, searches etc. and records this information for referencing in Dashboard. This is fine and useful, but what if your machine is shared and you forget to log out? ALL search results and documents are accessible to anyone who (accidentally or purposefully) logs in to a Google Service using your cached information. A partial solution to this, although not yet implemented, would be for Google to allow the Dashboard user to limit and / or erase their histories. The cynic in me says, though, that Google is all about collecting information, not deleting it!
If you want to know more about IT Security contact Nemark now to discuss how we can help you “bolt down your network“
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