The first exploitations of Google’s peculiar search algorithms were humorous, political, or both. I’m referring the once-popular procedure of Google Bombing, a way of setting up links and Web pages in order to hijack the Google search on popular phrases. There was the one where “weapons of mass destruction” brought up a faux “cannot be found” page, and the one where anyone searching for “French military victories” was asked if he didn’t mean “defeats.”
But today’s virus scare focuses on a more nefarious exploitation of the company’s search technology. Today, a worm was found that actually used Google’s search results to help it find new targets. The worm didn’t zap end users like you and me, but instead targeted billboards run on a virus-vulnerable version of the popular open-source software PHP.
Although Google acted quickly to stop doing the worm’s dirty work, it wasn’t fast enough for Web security biz F Secure, which complained that it got no response from Google’s generic security address
Read the complete story @ The Motley Fool
Related Posts
- Google Allows Code Search
- Adware infiltrates Google
- Google: We’ve fixed desktop search tool flaw
- Worm targets P2P
- New Sober worm expected to hit Jan. 5
Loading ...
