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Google Chrome Flaw Sets Your PC's Mic Live

Posted by timothy on from the lives-of-others dept.

First time accepted submitter AllTheTinfoilHats (3612007) writes "A security flaw in Google Chrome allows any website you visit with the browser to listen in on nearby conversations. It doesn't allow sites to access your microphone's audio, but provides them with a transcript of the browser's speech-to-text transcriptions of anything in range. It was found by a programmer in Israel, who says Google issued a low-priority label to the bug when he reported it, until he wrote about it on his blog and the post started picking up steam on social media. The website has to keep you clicking for eight seconds to keep the microphone on, and Google says it has no timeline for a fix." However, as discoverer Guy Aharonovsky is quoted, "It seems like they started to look for a way to quickly mitigate this flaw."

6 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. Google had to have put this in on purpose by Animats · · Score: 1, Insightful

    An "accidental bug" which enables not only the microphone (even when it's supposed to be turned off) but text to speech conversion? No way.

    If anyone can find an honest prosecutor, criminal prosecution is in order.

  2. How conveeeenient! by plover · · Score: 5, Insightful

    This flaw, plus heartbleed, makes it sound like all the conspiracy theorists got together for a secret cabal to convince the world that the NSA really is out to get everyone.

    --
    John
    1. Re:How conveeeenient! by ArcadeMan · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The NSA really is out to get everyone! Except themselves, of course. That's private.

      --
      Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
    2. Re:How conveeeenient! by Wootery · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What the NSA does with itself in the privacy of the its comically failed oversight process, is its own business.

  3. Re:Flaw? by fustakrakich · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yeah, the flaw is that it wasn't hidden well enough..

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. Re:Flaw? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    But why is the browser accessing the microphone in the first place?