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Software Turns Google into a Virus Scanner

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the safe-to-click dept.

Kfleming writes "Websense, a security vendor, has developed software that uses a binary search feature built into Google to hunt down malware. Using this technique researchers at Websense have uncovered over 2,000 websites hosting malware, and are also able to detect legitimate sites that have been hacked. Could this binary search feature also be used to exploit Google and trick users into downloading malware?"

15 of 72 comments (clear)

  1. what a good idea by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 5, Funny

    You don't say?

    --
    This guy's the limit!
    1. Re:what a good idea by mgblst · · Score: 3, Funny

      et tu, cowboyneal?

    2. Re:what a good idea by bunratty · · Score: 2, Funny

      Slashdot should use Google search to find duplicate articles.

      --
      What a fool believes, he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.
  2. For his next project... by Ariane+6 · · Score: 5, Funny

    He plans on using Google as an means to track down dupes on Slashdot!

  3. interesting ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is this google and where can i download it?

    -Sj53

  4. URL Turns google into a dupe-checker by rylin · · Score: 4, Funny

    URL Turns google into a dupe-checker

  5. What are they talking about? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    What is a *.exe? Never seen that kind of file on any of my three operating systems. Good, one thing less to worry about.

    ... you dupe stories, I dupe replies.

  6. Re:What about dups? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is an outrage! Slashdot is an honorable and journalistically competent online-newspaper. There are no "dupes" here; it's all in your head.

    Fucking un-American commie, offending our good god-loving, hard working editors.

    I will see that your whole internet will be banned.

  7. Re:What about dups? by Guppy06 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Yeah, they'll implement that right after they add spell-check.

    Let me introduce you to my friend, the Silent E!

  8. So... by multipartmixed · · Score: 4, Funny
    ...they are using the SOAP API to find virus-laden files.

    Theres gotta be a joke in there somewhere..

    "In Soviet Russia, SOAP cleans your computer!"

    No wait.

    "I for one welcome our freshly-washed overlords!"

    Crap, that doesn't really work, either.

    "Let's pour hot SOAP down Natalie Portman's pants!"

    Hmm. I wouldn't mind doing that, but it's not particularly funny.

    "Netcraft confirms it, SOAP can eliminate viruses!"

    "Hey, Goatse man, did you lose this?"

    .....ah, SCREW it. I have better things to with my time than to write comedy. Stephen King died today, and there are 300 victims of a Sri-Lankan Tsunami to worry about!

    --

    Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
  9. Big Deal by tisme · · Score: 2, Funny

    Big Deal, I have figured out how to use Google to eliminate my need to excrete bodily solids or fluids.

  10. Re:What about dups? by bostonsoxfan · · Score: 4, Funny

    Well if you put enough stuff on the internets the tubes will get clogged and you won't get your internets till today (Which was sent out three days ago of course.)

  11. soon my children... by deamonpainter33 · · Score: 2, Funny

    google will be able to scan your bedroom and tell you if your enviornment will cause you cancer or not :P

    --
    "In the kingdom where everything dies, the sky is mortal."
  12. binary search? ..... oh, they meant binary search. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    Looking at the summary I thought to myself: "Hmmm....you can tell google to use plain old binary search? And...what makes the binary search algorithm so usefull for finding websites hosting malware?"

  13. It started with our abuse of the word "computer" by jdbartlett · · Score: 2, Funny

    I agree. I think we need to introduce more orthogonal terminology.