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Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

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Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#12
It's a pretty nasty one, since it uses their standard OAuth flow with an app "Google Docs" to have users grant full access to their email and contacts.

1. I can't believe Google doesn't have basic filters to disallow developers from registering an app named "Google Docs"

2. Perhaps there should be some more validation/limits associated with allowing apps on the platform that can gain full access to email. A secure email account is the One True Source of authentication in the digital world. Google should make it way harder for people to get tricked into granting full access to their inbox.

Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#15

It's a pretty nasty one, since it uses their standard OAuth flow with an app "Google Docs" to have users grant full access to their email and contacts. 1. I can't believe Google doesn't have basic filters to disallow developers from registering an app named "Google Docs" 2. Perhaps there should be some more validation/limits associated with allowing apps on the platform that can gain full access to email. A secure em…

Is it actually Google or is there some unicode trickery going on?

Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#16
post #9

EDIT: According to a Google representative on the reddit thread, this application is now blocked. If your account was affected, you no longer need to do anything. If you fell for this, changing your password is not the right solution - you want to log into your google account and remove permissions from the application. https://myaccount.google.com/permissions?pli=1 should show a list of apps connected to your accoun…

what application? i tried this and dont see anything in there that looks like it could be it

Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#17
post #16
post #9

EDIT: According to a Google representative on the reddit thread, this application is now blocked. If your account was affected, you no longer need to do anything. If you fell for this, changing your password is not the right solution - you want to log into your google account and remove permissions from the application. https://myaccount.google.com/permissions?pli=1 should show a list of apps connected to your accoun…

what application? i tried this and dont see anything in there that looks like it could be it

"Google Docs" with the real icon and everything.

Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#18
post #16
post #9

EDIT: According to a Google representative on the reddit thread, this application is now blocked. If your account was affected, you no longer need to do anything. If you fell for this, changing your password is not the right solution - you want to log into your google account and remove permissions from the application. https://myaccount.google.com/permissions?pli=1 should show a list of apps connected to your accoun…

what application? i tried this and dont see anything in there that looks like it could be it

Removed picasa, im guessin that's just Google Photos tho. so idk

Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#19

It's a pretty nasty one, since it uses their standard OAuth flow with an app "Google Docs" to have users grant full access to their email and contacts. 1. I can't believe Google doesn't have basic filters to disallow developers from registering an app named "Google Docs" 2. Perhaps there should be some more validation/limits associated with allowing apps on the platform that can gain full access to email. A secure em…

Is it actually Google or is there some unicode trickery going on?

Doesn't look like a unicode trick on the app-strings I'm getting

Re: Ask HN: Google Doc email virus?

#20

It's a pretty nasty one, since it uses their standard OAuth flow with an app "Google Docs" to have users grant full access to their email and contacts. 1. I can't believe Google doesn't have basic filters to disallow developers from registering an app named "Google Docs" 2. Perhaps there should be some more validation/limits associated with allowing apps on the platform that can gain full access to email. A secure em…

Is it actually Google or is there some unicode trickery going on?

From what I can tell, it's actually Google, but then they redirect you to a malicious URL after auth/approval
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