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Google Offers Encrypted Web Search Option

Posted by Soulskill on from the helping-you-hide-your-pokemon-obsession dept.

alphadogg writes "People who want to shield their use of Google's Web search engine from network snoops now have the option of encrypting the session with SSL protection. In the case of Google search, SSL will protect the transmission of search queries entered by users and the search results returned by Google servers. Google began rolling out the encrypted version of its Web search engine on Friday. 'We think users will appreciate this new option for searching. It's a helpful addition to users' online privacy and security, and we'll continue to add encryption support for more search offerings,' wrote Evan Roseman, a Google software engineer, in an official blog post."

3 of 288 comments (clear)

  1. Security != privacy. by gzipped_tar · · Score: 0, Troll

    It means MITM attacks are more unlikely, but your data is still in Google's hand. Everyone using Google's products should be fully aware of the privacy implications as usual.

    In other words, you still trade your privacy for the service provided by Google; the difference is the trade being less likely to be interrupted now.

    --
    Colorless green Cthulhu waits dreaming furiously.
  2. Who is this for? by ThatGuyJon · · Score: 0, Troll

    Although I concede that this is a good thing, I can't help but question who this feature is for. Surely all the privacy-concious people who want SSL search have already moved to other search engines (given google's questionable record on privacy issues)? SSL will only protect against man-in-the-middle attacks; if anything, it's meaningless privacy theatre.

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    I must be new here...
  3. Re:The real reason by JeffSpudrinski · · Score: 0, Troll

    This is merely Google again trying to appear that they are the good guys.

    They simply want folks to continue to be reliant on them.

    I've said it before and I will say it again. Google has totally lost their moral compass and will continue to make choices based upon greed and deceitful practices.

    Just my $0.02

    -JJS