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."

Comments

No No No No No

[eldavojohn]

Privacy Flaws In Chatroulette Expose Users

Trust me, on Chatroulette it's the users that have been exposing themselves.

Re:No No No No No

[jmerlin]

This brings a whole new meaning to the word "gaping privacy holes."

Re:No No No No No

[Anonymous Coward]

I was visiting a friend of mine in San Fran a few months ago. He got a new Apple laptop, so he was showing it to me. We tried out Chatroulette briefly, and the third session ended up being a close-up of some guy touching his penis. The first thing my friend wrote was "Jim, is that you? It's Freddy."

My friend recognized the other guy by his penis. Turns out they knew each other from a gym they both went to, where they'd seen other naked in the showers. They both thought it was a really funny coincidence to meet on Chatroulette like that.

Won't work all the time...

[Bryansix]

For one simple reason. Facebook does not let you set your profile picture to a shot of your genitals.

Um, OK.

[pushing-robot]

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