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Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

blogs.computerworld.com

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Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#231

Post by zobzu »

anxiousest wrote: post #11
zobzu wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yes, but to be fair, this issue deserves to be more well known. it wont be fixed if google isn't blamed and shamed for it repeatedly.

'Blamed and shamed'?! I don't even think it's an issue, your wifi password isn't that of your bank account. They store your emails unencrypted for crying out loud, wifi passwords pale in comparison. It's a non issue.

Note that I can probably get your bank account password with your wifi password, when you'll be annoyed and hit that "ignore warning for invalid SSL certificate" ;-)

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#232

Post by gpvos »

grandalf wrote: post #129
ebbv wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah and those locks on your doors are a joke! Why are you pretending your home has an expectation of privacy? So dumb! Of COURSE anybody can just come into your house any time they want.

Not sure if you were joking, but you are right: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_bumping

That, and good ol' violence.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#233

Post by nly »

qbproger wrote: post #190
nly wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

MAC filtering is useless, even in combination with WPA2. An attacker only has to sniff for a MAC your AP is happy to talk to and then changes theirs.

Is there a way to lock down a router in a way that can't be so easily spoofed?

The best thing you can do is make sure your WPA2 password is totally random and long. Everything else is icing or next to negligible importance.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#234

Post by gpvos »

throwaway2048 wrote: post #223
tjohns wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you have a citation for that claim about WPS and home users? While it certainly could be the crowd I hang out with (not all of which are techies, mind you), but I've never met anyone who uses WPS.

WPS is enabled by default on practically every wifi router sold in the last 7ish years.

Well, not on mine, and it's a somewhat common one (Fritz!Box) in northwest Europe.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#236

Post by oceanstone »

When you buy a new Android phone, during the first setup it asks you if you'd like to enable this feature. I've always click "no".

Not sure why the author assumes most Android users would enable this feature... unless he didn't realize it was an option on the initial setup.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#237

Post by r00fus »

dominotw wrote: post #188
LaGrange wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While I don't like at all the idea of government surveillance without court order, I find the idea of corporate surveillance even more horrifying. Actually, this is what amuses me in the whole privacy affair. So a bunch of companies were using and abusing your data to target ads at you and shape your news stream so that it's more addictive, and people were cheering. A government (still mostly democratic, though not f…

I dont really see your logic, Gubment can put you in prison, take your rights away, companies targeting ads can't. It makes sense that one would be outraged at the former.

Who funds our lawmakers and elected officials? Who bribes their way into regulatory agencies so that these agencies promote business interests over interests of the people and country at large? Who's got the revolving door between private enterprise and public office?

Large business, owned by very rich people. Without campaign contribution limitations and regulation, the voice of people is drowned out by the flow of money. We're about the least regulated in that respect in about a century.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#238

Post by lutusp »

MichaelGG wrote: post #230
lutusp wrote: post #220

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That depends on the meaning of "reset". If you create a new password for the same user ID, then no -- the stored WiFi passwords are retained. If you create a new user ID and password, then yes.

OK so in the case of a "normal" lost password then how is it that it's safe on Apple's servers? That is, if it's not encrypted with a key derived from your password, then Apple can still decrypt.

> OK so in the case of a "normal" lost password then how is it that it's safe on Apple's servers?

In a word, it isn't. The new password is no more nor less safe than the old one. Or are you asking about the data, not the password? Pretty much the same answer.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#239

Post by Mindless2112 »

dlitz wrote: post #228
sliverstorm wrote: post #206

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He's probably talking about Android.

It's basically true, though. Google install arbitrary Android apps on nearly any Android phone without user interaction. Source: If you log in to https://play.google.com from a desktop computer, you can install apps on your phone. You get the permissions dialog on the website (on your desktop computer), not on your phone.

Also, if you have the Google Play Store then you have Google Play Services which auto-updates without user interaction or notification and has almost unrestricted access to the device.

Re: Google knows nearly every Wi-Fi password in the world

#240

Post by eric_the_read »

oneeyedpigeon wrote: post #201
dominotw wrote: post #188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I dont really see your logic, Gubment can put you in prison, take your rights away, companies targeting ads can't. It makes sense that one would be outraged at the former.

It's spelt "government". Spelling it "Gubment" doesn't suddenly turn everyone who's reading your comment against the notion of an elected democracy, it just makes you look stupid. And the reason that it's much scarier if private companies abuse privacy than if the government does it, is that you yourself decide who the government is. You don't get that right wrt a private company.

If we're getting cranky about spelling, it's "spelled". Spelt is an ancient variety of wheat.

"Gubment" is pretty silly, though.

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