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Companies that buy data derived from scraping the contents of email

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Re: Companies that buy data derived from scraping the contents of email

#41

Post by e_y_ »

njhaveri wrote: post #13

People should really read the privacy policies before using any email app these days. Many popular ones state that they, at minimum, will keep access tokens on their servers, and many outright cache copies of your messages.

Even if you trust them on privacy or are willing to let them analyze your emails in exchange for some feature, there are very few companies that I trust to handle my email securely.

If a hacker gained access to my Gmail access tokens, they're a password reset link away from taking over most of my other online accounts and probably more than a few banking accounts. And then deleting the password reset emails.

Having worked for large and small companies (including ones that handle emails), security is always second (or third) compared to other business priorities. It takes a large effort to make sure everything is locked down and most companies don't have the skills, resources, and commitment to properly secure everything even if they nominally claim that security is important.

Re: Companies that buy data derived from scraping the contents of email

#42

Post by dheera »

JohnFen wrote: post #17
dheera wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

WeChat killed their web interface for most users and replaced it with a message that translates to: "For your own account safety, this account cannot use the web version. You can use the Windows or Mac client [download links]" Safety? Web is about as safe as it gets. It's one thing to spy on users but it's a whole another thing for Tencent to masquerade under the name of safety to cheat users into downloading what co…

> Safety? Web is about as safe as it gets. I strongly prefer native apps over web apps because I can firewall off native apps. I can't do the same for web apps.

I'd say the exact opposite, especially on desktop. Most native desktop apps can't run without access to the filesystem, for instance.

I was referring to the WeChat web app vs. the WeChat Mac/Windows app; the web version has no access to your filesystem, but they are not allowing people to use it anymore. The Mac/Windows versions could theoretically read any files on your system, spy on your clipboard, portscan your private LAN, scan Wi-Fi networks, and lots of other nasty things that the web version cannot.

Also with webapps it's much easier to inject JavaScript to "edit" their behavior. Desktop apps are often compiled to machine code (or have mysterious pieces thereof which are) which makes it difficult.

Re: Companies that buy data derived from scraping the contents of email

#43

Post by JohnFen »

dheera wrote: post #42
JohnFen wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Safety? Web is about as safe as it gets. I strongly prefer native apps over web apps because I can firewall off native apps. I can't do the same for web apps.

I'd say the exact opposite, especially on desktop. Most native desktop apps can't run without access to the filesystem, for instance. I was referring to the WeChat web app vs. the WeChat Mac/Windows app; the web version has no access to your filesystem, but they are not allowing people to use it anymore. The Mac/Windows versions could theoretically read any files on your system, spy on your clipboard, portscan your p…

> Most native desktop apps can't run without access to the filesystem, for instance.

True, but in terms of privacy, that doesn't matter if the app can't communicate out.

Re: Companies that buy data derived from scraping the contents of email

#44

Post by dheera »

JohnFen wrote: post #43
dheera wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say the exact opposite, especially on desktop. Most native desktop apps can't run without access to the filesystem, for instance. I was referring to the WeChat web app vs. the WeChat Mac/Windows app; the web version has no access to your filesystem, but they are not allowing people to use it anymore. The Mac/Windows versions could theoretically read any files on your system, spy on your clipboard, portscan your p…

> Most native desktop apps can't run without access to the filesystem, for instance. True, but in terms of privacy, that doesn't matter if the app can't communicate out.

WeChat is mostly an instant messaging app, so not letting it communicate out would defeat the purpose of using it in the first place.

I agree with you for purely offline tools such as Inkscape/GIMP/etc. though.

Re: Companies that buy data derived from scraping the contents of email

#45

Post by JohnFen »

dheera wrote: post #44
JohnFen wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Most native desktop apps can't run without access to the filesystem, for instance. True, but in terms of privacy, that doesn't matter if the app can't communicate out.

WeChat is mostly an instant messaging app, so not letting it communicate out would defeat the purpose of using it in the first place. I agree with you for purely offline tools such as Inkscape/GIMP/etc. though.

> not letting it communicate out would defeat the purpose of using it in the first place.

True. Apps that must communicate out in order to do their jobs are a different category.

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