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How a Simple Hack Can Turn Numeric Google Profile URL Back to a Gmail Address

36 points by alexandros 17y ago

deleted 17y ago
[deleted]
alain94040 17y ago
If I understand this properly, it means that if you want to use Google Buzz, your Gmail address becomes public and you can't hide it. Whereas on twitter, people can't find out your e-mail address. That's quite important because the whole point of twitter is to offer this semi-public presence without being bombarded by email spam.
- dutchflyboy 17y ago
  No, if you use Picasa, people who have access to your history can find your gmail address.
  - pasbesoin 17y ago
    Linked in the RWW article http://theharmonyguy.com/2010/02/12/using-google-buzz-can-expose-your-gmail-address/ http://theharmonyguy.com/2010/02/12/using-google-buzz-can-ex... In my testing thus far, it matters little whether you’ve Picasa before – if you have a Gmail account, Picasa is also enabled on your account. And while individual Picasa albums have privacy controls, I have not found a way to block simply loading your Picasa home page.
- felideon 17y ago
  Not really. Aside from the Picasa issue (showing your email by default if no username is set) I don't see how your public Google profile gives away your e-mail address.
vaksel 17y ago
You can use it to find Eric Schmidt's email: http://picasaweb.google.com/109938146389129062343 http://picasaweb.google.com/109938146389129062343 I doubt it's his real one though
- jorgeortiz85 17y ago
  All I see now is: We're sorry, but your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now. Maybe it was his real address.
pasbesoin 17y ago
Over the years, I've experienced that Google's products/services are full of such security and privacy lapses. They have at times taken some serious and appreciated steps to promote security and privacy. But they do not appear to have a coherent and comprehensive policy or strategy for addressing such topics as a part of ongoing development and operations. Stuff goes into production (I don't care whether you call it beta) that has not been adequately vetted. Rapid development and iteration have some nice benefits, but they are NOT excuses for oversights in security and privacy.
- csytan 17y ago
  It's easy to say that there should be some protocol that should be followed to prevent security lapses (and I bet there is at Google), however, even Googlers are only human, and it's very likely that these things are going to happen when building large interconnected systems. On a related note.. When will the time come when we stop caring about making email addresses public? For me, my gmail account very rarely gets any spam, and I'm not careful with it at all.
- est 17y ago
  Google Groups actually leaks your IP and user-agent for what, 5 years now.
piramida 17y ago
The use of numeric URL in Picasa has been blocked by google now. In either case, if you had your gmail address as an URL in Picasa you have been exposed to email harvesters all along, that's why there is an option to create any alias you like for Picasaweb.

36 points by alexandros 17y ago

deleted 17y ago

[deleted]

If I understand this properly, it means that if you want to use Google Buzz, your Gmail address becomes public and you can't hide it. Whereas on twitter, people can't find out your e-mail address. That's quite important because the whole point of twitter is to offer this semi-public presence without being bombarded by email spam.

dutchflyboy 17y ago
No, if you use Picasa, people who have access to your history can find your gmail address.
- pasbesoin 17y ago
  Linked in the RWW article http://theharmonyguy.com/2010/02/12/using-google-buzz-can-expose-your-gmail-address/ http://theharmonyguy.com/2010/02/12/using-google-buzz-can-ex... In my testing thus far, it matters little whether you’ve Picasa before – if you have a Gmail account, Picasa is also enabled on your account. And while individual Picasa albums have privacy controls, I have not found a way to block simply loading your Picasa home page.
felideon 17y ago
Not really. Aside from the Picasa issue (showing your email by default if no username is set) I don't see how your public Google profile gives away your e-mail address.

vaksel 17y ago

You can use it to find Eric Schmidt's email: http://picasaweb.google.com/109938146389129062343 http://picasaweb.google.com/109938146389129062343 I doubt it's his real one though

jorgeortiz85 17y ago
All I see now is: We're sorry, but your computer or network may be sending automated queries. To protect our users, we can't process your request right now. Maybe it was his real address.

pasbesoin 17y ago

Over the years, I've experienced that Google's products/services are full of such security and privacy lapses. They have at times taken some serious and appreciated steps to promote security and privacy. But they do not appear to have a coherent and comprehensive policy or strategy for addressing such topics as a part of ongoing development and operations. Stuff goes into production (I don't care whether you call it beta) that has not been adequately vetted. Rapid development and iteration have some nice benefits, but they are NOT excuses for oversights in security and privacy.

csytan 17y ago
It's easy to say that there should be some protocol that should be followed to prevent security lapses (and I bet there is at Google), however, even Googlers are only human, and it's very likely that these things are going to happen when building large interconnected systems. On a related note.. When will the time come when we stop caring about making email addresses public? For me, my gmail account very rarely gets any spam, and I'm not careful with it at all.
est 17y ago
Google Groups actually leaks your IP and user-agent for what, 5 years now.

piramida 17y ago

The use of numeric URL in Picasa has been blocked by google now. In either case, if you had your gmail address as an URL in Picasa you have been exposed to email harvesters all along, that's why there is an option to create any alias you like for Picasaweb.