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Microsoft Yanks Docs.com Search After Complaints of Exposed Sensitive Files (zdnet.com)
Microsoft has quietly removed a feature on its document sharing site Docs.com that allowed anyone to search through millions of files for sensitive and personal information. From a report on ZDNet: Users had complained over the weekend on Twitter that anyone could use the site's search box to trawl through publicly-accessible documents and files stored on the site, which were clearly meant to remain private. Among the files reviewed by ZDNet, and seen by others who tweeted about them, included password lists, job acceptance letters, investment portfolios, divorce settlement agreements, and credit card statements -- some of which contained Social Security and driving license numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and email and postal addresses. The company removed the site's search feature late on Saturday, but others observed that the files were still cached in Google's search results, as well as Microsoft's own search engine, Bing.
Never heard of Docs.com, but come on, uploading documents to Microsoft (or worse, Google)? You know some algorithm is looking at them even if some random human cant access them.
If you want news from today, you have to come back tomorrow.
Ease of use and access. The same reason people do anything.
this is tacked onto the bottom of the linked article:
Update on March 27: the search feature has been added back, and is still exposing personal information. Microsoft hasn't explained why it reintroduced the feature again.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.