Pokemon Go is a huge security risk • Hacker News Board

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#111

Post by rtkwe » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:48 PM UTC

chipgap98 wrote: post #71

gregorkas wrote: post #39

On Android 6.0 I got the correct permissions dialog and I was able to select what the app sees and what it can do. Is this just me?

But isn't that what the app needs from your phone? I always thought that was difference then what you are giving an app permission to do when using OAuth

On Android they're able to use the OS APIs to access that information because the google account is closely tied to the OS so the permissions there are basically permissions to the phone data because with Android they're pretty much one and the same.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#112

Post by gg97 » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:51 PM UTC

dopu wrote: post #91

gg97 wrote: post #87

I read people are chasing "pokemon" everywhere. I do not even know what a Pokemon is but I'm pretty sure Descartes would not care. Reading the press, I understand we may expect to see random people looking in their phone on the street chasing virtual pets. And still some people complains about the security risk of sharing his google account. Nobody seems to see the big picture. I guess that is the "Idiocracy" future…

The amount of self-aggrandizing and general contempt for people I see on HN really astounds me sometimes.

I'm all with you for general contempt for people on HN.

I read everyday here the HN crowd claiming urgent need for an elite to set up a globalized centralized European Federal Union to get rid of nations and populism. I see people being bashed and insulted for supporting their own nation and not living for the NYSE.

Let's just throw away states, cultures, religions, and build a global free market where everyone would be happy consumer. Maybe facebook and Jp Morgan can help in this mission.

Let's celebrate the day when everyone will be chasing virtual pets on their phone. We're so in love with the people !

Pikachu !

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#113

Post by rtkwe » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:53 PM UTC

sp332 wrote: post #60

carsonreinke wrote: post #52

Why in the world would they do this? Or was this just merely an accident?

Niantic used to be owned by Google, so they should know what they're doing.

It does work properly on Android. It only asks for access to Location, Contacts, Camera, and Storage.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#114

Post by JoblessWonder » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

nickpsecurity wrote: post #23

Here I thought the article was going to be on how Pokemon Go encourages people to wonder into dangerous or restricted areas while paying attention to their phone. The odds of someone getting attacked in a rough area would seem to go up with such an app given how critical situational awareness is. I don't know enough about how the app works to assess that, though. One app that got me thinking about these things was Go…

There was a lot of controversy previously about mapping applications having "Avoid" areas. They were basically neighborhoods with high crime rates which also happened to be neighborhoods with high minority populations. Small business owners/home owners didn't like being grouped as "avoid" when they didn't have any real control over it. Or something like that.

[0] http://www.npr.org/2012/01/25/145337346/this-app-was-made-fo... [1] www.citylab.com/tech/2012/01/gps-smartphones-and-dumbing-down-personal-navigation/1036/

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#115

Post by rtkwe » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:54 PM UTC

Darsstar wrote: post #7

So, Pokemon Go is not listed under my account... Could it be the mallware version?

If you're on Android it's done properly through app permissions and doesn't encounter this issue.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#116

Post by cocotino » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:55 PM UTC

randomh3r0 wrote: post #8

Any idea how long the signup page is down? I made my account yesterday and, when forced between using my google auth and making some pokemon.com account, it was a no brainer to not use my google account. It took me a few tries but since this is a game and not something in the realm of life-and-death, I found it wasn't horrible to actually wait. And try again. The entire issue is predicated on using your google accoun…

Keep hitting F5, and you'll eventually be able to register.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#117

Post by phinnaeus » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:55 PM UTC

nommm-nommm wrote: post #68

kamac wrote: post #21

> I really wish I could play, it looks like great fun, but there’s no way it’s worth the risk. Why not just create a separate google account if one's so eager to play?

Who uses their "main" Google account for these one off services anyway? I can't imagine it would be too popular to keep pseudo-anonymity. you don't want to post lol cats from the same account you use to send your resume, I would think.

Is that a rhetorical question? Probably 99% of people playing this game who sign in using Google use their main (only) Google account. I'm sure it never even occurred to them to make a second one for something like this -- that would just be a hassle.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#118

Post by mr_potato_face » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:55 PM UTC

thevibesman wrote: post #92

NeonVice wrote: post #13

"[T]his section of the privacy page on the Google account settings website is only showing up for those that have played on iOS and signed in using the Google button. Android users who used the same login method are not seeing the “Pokemon Go Release” at all on the permissions site (nor do they see Ingress), so we’re not sure yet if those users have trusted Niantic with their entire Google account as well." source: h…

> Android users who used the same login method are not seeing the “Pokemon Go Release” at all on the permissions site (nor do they see Ingress) This is interesting, I can't test this myself as I have previously played Ingress on both iPhone and Android. My Android device is mostly for development/testing, so I'm not nearly as regular a user of the platform as I am for iOS. Could any Android users comment on if this i…

I've never played Ingress, but I've played PGO for android. Google account settings (https://security.google.com/settings/security/permissions) shows an empty list for me.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#119

Post by cocotino » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:55 PM UTC

gg97 wrote: post #87

I read people are chasing "pokemon" everywhere. I do not even know what a Pokemon is but I'm pretty sure Descartes would not care. Reading the press, I understand we may expect to see random people looking in their phone on the street chasing virtual pets. And still some people complains about the security risk of sharing his google account. Nobody seems to see the big picture. I guess that is the "Idiocracy" future…

I bet you are in your underwear inside your room with several half empty cans of warm beer around your desk.

Re: Pokemon Go is a huge security risk

#120

Post by gg97 » Mon, Jul 11, 2016, 5:57 PM UTC

detaro wrote: post #89

gg97 wrote: post #87

I read people are chasing "pokemon" everywhere. I do not even know what a Pokemon is but I'm pretty sure Descartes would not care. Reading the press, I understand we may expect to see random people looking in their phone on the street chasing virtual pets. And still some people complains about the security risk of sharing his google account. Nobody seems to see the big picture. I guess that is the "Idiocracy" future…

How is this any more "end of the world" than people watching TV?

Oh, are you chasing virtual pets 43 minutes 23 secondes per day in average too ? I'm sorry, really, I should think more positively of the future. My bad, will improve, promess ! Let's start by creating a facebook account, we will learn the pokemon thing after, one benefit per humanity at a time.