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Privacy Flaws In Chatroulette Expose Users
itwbennett writes "In a paper posted online this week, researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder and McGill University outline three different types of attacks that could be launched against Chatroulette users. While the new research doesn't expose any gaping privacy holes, it does show how the service could be misused by determined criminals. For example, the researchers were able to use IP-mapping services to get a general idea of users' location (a public Web site, called Chatroulettemap.com already does this). Then by searching Facebook using information obtained in chats and comparing pictures, researchers were able to identify chatters. 'Even in a city as big as Chicago, you can drill down and find the person you're actually talking to,' said Richard Han, an associate professor with the University of Colorado who co-authored the paper."
Privacy Flaws In Chatroulette Expose Users
Trust me, on Chatroulette it's the users that have been exposing themselves.
My work here is dung.
For one simple reason. Facebook does not let you set your profile picture to a shot of your genitals.
"Chatroulette is a website that pairs random strangers from around the world together for webcam-based conversations. Visitors to the website randomly begin an online chat (video, audio and text) with another visitor. At any point, either user may leave the current chat by initiating another random connection. As of July 11 the site is offering an experimental "localized" version which pairs people by state". -wikipedia
So 1.) people find each-other intentional and 2.) "using information obtained in chats" I can get you SSN... if you tell me.
Literal nothing worthy of note in this research folks... move on.
Has anyone ever used it and engaged in an interesting conversation with a person who became a regular point of contact? Or is it all just penises and overweight bald guys?
Living With a Nerd
Next article: Privacy flaws In Public Streaking Expose Users
How can I believe you when you tell me what I don't want to hear?
At least 2 of the 3 things mentioned in the paper can be done on ANY cam site (blogtv, ustream, tinychat, etc).
It's truly ridiculous to only mention Chatroulette here and I don't consider any of the things mentioned a real security flaw. 4chan has been "exploiting" these sites for years already, it's nothing new.
"... researchers were able to use IP-mapping services to get a general idea of user's location... Chatroulette is now testing a new feature called Localroulette, which connects people from specific cities with one another."
:( "... researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder and McGill University ..."
..... no, no doesn't ring a bell
Congratulations researchers, you've discovered chatroulette's new features.
Please tell me taxpayers didn't pay for this research
DOH!
they weren't researching anything, network admin probably noticed IP logs of them spending all day on chatroulette and they had to come up with some excuse.
*phone rings*
Person answering: Hello?
Admin: is this the research office of (BLANK)?
"Researcher": Yes it is
Admin: I'm the network admin for (insert "prestigious" university) and we've noticed someone in your office has spent the last 4 months on a website by the name of "chatroulette". Do you know anything about this?
"Researcher": Um.... what's the website?
Admin: Chatroulette
"Researcher":
Admin: Well if you notice anyone please let us know. The website is known for inappropriate content (NSFW) and we'll be monitoring the PC logins of the individuals and alert campus security once we know who is visiting the website.
"Researcher": OH Chatroulette! Oh yes I'm very familiar with that website, we're researching it
Admin: Research?
"Researcher": Yes research. We're... um, "probing" it's vulnerabilities, looking for "gaping holes" that "expose" users (chuckle)
Admin: gaping holes?
"Researcher": smiling Yes gaping holes... in security
Admin: Oh i see... well thank you for letting me know, I'll note this in the logs
"Researcher": You do that, have a good afternoon
Admin: You too
my karma will be here long after I'm gone
I thought this was the exact issue the U.S. miltary had when they had soldiers posting geotagged pictures to facebook which identified where they were in Afghanistan. Same idea - people, given a few small details, can very easily find out about you by the use of Google.
Back when I was in first year university (1996) it was still pretty wild west on the internet. I was talking to a friend who I had never given any of my real details (name, address, etc) when she popped up and asked if I went to AMHS (my high school). After picking my jaw off the floor I found out that I had mistakenly forwarded them an E-mail which I had originally forwarded from my school account to my hotmail account. They found the e-mail address, and googled it. It was all laid out there on the Universities' website.
I call it 'The Aristocrats'
I still talk to a girl in Sicily I ran into on roulette a few months ago. It is rare, but you can find normal people there.
I'm actually a CU-Boulder student and had a class with Han last semester. He's a great prof and really cares about the students' understanding. I was surprised to see that he put out research on something so common-knowledge; "Oh once you have a picture of someone you can look for another picture that looks like it and you know you've found your target". He's more of an operating systems/networking kind of guy. This just seems like fluff research to keep the department chair happy while he actually does his teaching and "real" research. Academia has this tendency to prioritize quality over quantity, and I think this provides an example of the pressures even good profs feel from the top re: publishing.