Searching For Trouble With Google

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Searching For Trouble With Google

Posted by timothy on Wednesday September 1, 2004 @12:12AM from the dirty-deeds-done-dirt-cheap dept.

achilles writes "From a recent eWeek article: 'Whether they realize it or not, many people leave sensitive information out in plain view on Web sites. But sooner or later, a Google search will dig it up.' The article goes on to list some examples such as 'a search for credit card numbers. Try this one, for "Visa 4366000000000000..4366999999999999' and other 'risky data' from careless users, such as QUICKEN files etc."

31 of 506 comments (clear)

Nothing wrong with this... by Cytlid · 2004-09-01 00:13 · Score: 2, Funny

...it's called natural selection. Survival of the fittest... if people are that dumb to put stuff on the internet, so be it.

--
FLR
1. Re:Nothing wrong with this... by chrish · 2004-09-01 00:37 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  c.f. Microsoft's success in computer software.
  
  --
  - chrish
2. Re:Nothing wrong with this... by troc · 2004-09-01 01:32 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  That's rather unfair, Mr. Mbuthu, who is a GOD-FEARING person, has asked me to look after $25,000,000 which his poor lamented grandfather's adopted goat left in an account when they were brutally slain in a TERRIBLE UPRISING. The poor guy has been through hell, apparently they won't even let him leave the country - I have wired him some cash but it was not enough for all teh bribes and things, not to mention the administration. He is sending a TRUSTED FRIEND to meet me tomorrow where I will give him my bank details.
  
  Poor guy, life must be terrible in the Nigerian banking insustry.
  
  Troc.
  
  --
  Troc's dubious podcast and blog: http://www.trocnet.net
3. Re:Nothing wrong with this... by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-01 04:02 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  "Agreed, and to further narrow it down, it's being *good enough* at only 1 thing: reproduction. Unfortunately, this doesn't usually have a lot to do with intelligence."
  Of COURSE! (smacks forehead) THAT explains why rabbits rule the planet.
4. Re:Nothing wrong with this... by superman53142 · 2004-09-01 05:04 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Agreed, and to further narrow it down, [Evolution] is about being *good enough* at only 1 thing: reproduction.
  
  It's pretty good at email, too.
Priceless by Killjoy_NL · 2004-09-01 00:16 · Score: 4, Funny

Good thing I've got a Mastercard then :)

--
This is the sig that says NI (again)
How many of you... by curne · 2004-09-01 00:20 · Score: 5, Funny

How many people dug out their own visa cards and googled for the number ? :-) I managed to stop
myself.

--
All interpreted languages are abstractions over Lisp
1. Re:How many of you... by Dr.+Hok · 2004-09-01 00:48 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  If you are worried about privacy, give me your visa number and I google for you. This will hide the connection between your name and the number.
  
  --
  Say out loud: I'm an Aspie and I'm somewhat proud, I guess. Uh. Can I write an email in all caps instead? Hm...
W00t! by tgd · 2004-09-01 00:22 · Score: 5, Funny

Just ordered a computer that can actually play Doom 3!

Thanks Slashdot!
1. Re:W00t! by anticypher · 2004-09-01 05:24 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  You mean you found a screen where the brightness control goes up to 11?
  
  the AC
  
  --
  Hemos is like...sci-fi fans;he thinks technology is cool, but he hasn't bothered to understand the science it's based on
A couple more fun examples: by Anonymous Coward · 2004-09-01 00:24 · Score: 5, Funny

Don't publish this on ... hey!

Who needs P2P?
The funniest part... by Fortress · 2004-09-01 00:27 · Score: 4, Funny

of the VISA/Google search is that VISA is a sponsored link. Kind of like Microsoft advertising on a website that bashes it for its security holes...wait a minute...
Re:I blame the Google Toolbar for a lot of this by Ancil · 2004-09-01 00:34 · Score: 3, Funny

srv1(~)% cat /var/www/html/robots.txt User-agent: * Disallow: / srv1(~)#
Google auto index? by Sharp+Rulez · 2004-09-01 00:34 · Score: 1, Funny

I sought for my credit card number on Google.. Is Google indexing our search key words?? Doh!! Now everybody can find my creditcard!
Re:Quicken files by ImaLamer · 2004-09-01 00:40 · Score: 2, Funny

What I'm wondering is....

Can I mirror these files on my web site?

I've downloaded a few but don't plan on doing anything dirty. Maybe I'll send out a few letters telling people that they should watch what they post on-line

I can see the reponse:

"Honey, do you know anyone named 'ImaLamer'?"

"No dear"

"Well, he or she claims that your bank information is online"

"Must be some sort of scam sweetie, toss it"

--
Get your Unix fortune now!
Introducing... by Gleng · 2004-09-01 00:45 · Score: 4, Funny
Norton DumbWall 2004

Featuring:
- VisaBlock: Keep your credit card information off of the Internet
- NoShare: Safeguard your banking details and MP3s from prying eyes
- PackAway: If you're deemed to be too stupid to own a computer, Norton DumbWall 2004 will format your hard drive and arrange for one of our qualified technicians to come over to your house and take your computer away. It's for your own good.
Order now and get a free drool-bib.
--
"Proudly Posting Without Reading The Article"
Re:I blame the Google Toolbar for a lot of this by WoofLu · 2004-09-01 00:45 · Score: 5, Funny

whoa, your `cat` utility seems to get you to a root shell ^^

maybe it's a new security hole? q:
Re:I blame the Google Toolbar for a lot of this by 5E-0W2 · 2004-09-01 00:47 · Score: 3, Funny

The rest of your security is still pretty bad though. By the looks of your prompt you just got a root shell by catting your robots.txt.
Dammit! by beaverbrother · 2004-09-01 00:47 · Score: 5, Funny

Thats my credit card number!
1. Re:Dammit! by Anml4ixoye · 2004-09-01 02:19 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Thats my credit card number!
  -------
  
  Get a free ipod! [freeipods.com]
  
  Thanks! Just did!
  
  --
  Random Musings
My favourite.. by Haydn+Fenton · 2004-09-01 00:49 · Score: 4, Funny

"index of /admin" site:.gov

Pwned!
1. Re:My favourite.. by Placido · 2004-09-01 01:37 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  You should have put a link to the results up. All you do is put that search into the google search box, hit enter and copy the url from the.... hold on there's FBI cars outside and someone's knocking on my door. I think my neighbour is getting busted. brb.
  
  --
  
  Pinky: "What are we going to do tomorrow night Brain?"
  Brain: "I would tell you Pinky but this 120 char limi
Next Generation Shopping Cart Software by wackysootroom · 2004-09-01 00:55 · Score: 1, Funny

This doesn't have to be a bad thing. Imagine the positive applications of this knowledge in the area of web forms. Most membership/shopping cart sites have a link that you can click to retreive your password in the event that you forget it. Soon, shopping carts will have a link that you can click if you forget your card number and it'll look like this:

Forgot your credit card number? Click Here
Re:try this by maxwell+demon · 2004-09-01 01:08 · Score: 4, Funny

But I didn't find documentation of this at google.

--
The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
Gmail by sudotcsh · 2004-09-01 01:17 · Score: 2, Funny

Unfortunately there isn't a good way to search for URL strings like this:

http://gmail.google.com/gmail/a-e00073f786-289e2 6b 40f-c8a84ba388

But once someone figures out a way ... EVERYONE will have Gmail!

--

Until then, five of you can hit me up at kevinomara at gmail.
Hardware vendor accounts (Cisco, Enterasys) by telemonster · 2004-09-01 01:49 · Score: 2, Funny

A while ago SOME GUY ON IRC personal Cabletron switch puked out, so SOME GUY ON IRC needed a new firmware image. Low and behold, SOME GUY found an account via google. Some school posted theirs online. (Cabletron makes overpriced gear sold to gov't mainly, you can generally get enterprise level huge switches on ebay for $5, since it doesn't carry the Cisco name.). Oh that was a lucky find, since hardly anyone uses Cabletron (now Enterasys) equipment, it is hard to find unlike Cisco CCO accounts.

Google rocks! Don't forget to google for your FLEXLM license files for your Solaris and similar systems, or your crusty Digital licenses for VMS, OSF/1, etc.

--
Southeastern Virginia REPRESENT!
Re:The sad thing... by Eccentrica+Galumbits · 2004-09-01 01:56 · Score: 3, Funny

no probs, I just googled for 5454178568431210..5454178568431212. Anyway, this thing expires the end of next month. Anyone know what that 481 on the signature strip is for?

--
A N Other.
Will Visa numbers get slashdotted? by atomic-penguin · 2004-09-01 02:06 · Score: 5, Funny

Soon enough all valid Visa numbers will be slashdotted by orders at ThinkGeek.

--
/^([Ss]ame [Bb]at (time, |channel.)){2}$/
Re:Same for SSNs by JavaPriest · 2004-09-01 02:13 · Score: 2, Funny

You mean you found a nuclear submarine ?
Unless your PIN... by caveat · 2004-09-01 02:34 · Score: 4, Funny

...is the price of a cheese pizza and a large soda at Pinnuci's!

--

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored. - Aldous Huxley
That depends... by LordPixie · 2004-09-01 03:18 · Score: 4, Funny

Anyone know what that 481 on the signature strip is for?

It actually depends on what the name is on the front of the card. It has different meanings for different names.

Yours would be.... ?

--LordPixie