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> Analysis of the “Oxy” database revealed an almost complete scrape of LinkedIn data, including recruiter information. "Oxy" most likely stands for Oxylabs[1],

by krn 7y ago

> Analysis of the “Oxy” database revealed an almost complete scrape of LinkedIn data, including recruiter information. "Oxy" most likely stands for Oxylabs[1], a data mining service by Tesonet[2], which is a parent company of NordVPN. It is probably safe to assume, that LinkedIn was scraped using a residential proxy network, since Oxylabs offers "32M+ 100% anonymous proxies from all around the globe with zero IP blocking". [1] https://oxylabs.io/ https://oxylabs.io/ [2] https://litigation.maxval-ip.com/Litigation/DetailView?CaseID=Epee88Womxg%3D&logstat=false&Party=Luminati%20Networks%20Ltd.%20v.%20UAB%20Tesonet https://litigation.maxval-ip.com/Litigation/DetailView?CaseI...

gorbachev 7y ago
How is that possible? LinkedIn blocked mining the data this way several years ago. Is it still possible if you pay LinkedIn enough? Or is this old data?
- tyingq 7y ago
  A large number residential proxies and fake LinkedIn accounts would look the same to LinkedIn as normal browsing.
  - gorbachev 7y ago
    There's information on the leak that wouldn't be widely available without accessing LinkedIn data using their APIs. Phone numbers and emails, for example.
    - tyingq 7y ago
      The article mentions it is a blend of data from http://oxydata.io/ http://oxydata.io/ and https://www.peopledatalabs.com/ https://www.peopledatalabs.com/ Both are aggregators that get data from many sources, correlate them, and sell it. The phone numbers and emails could have come from anywhere. See this screenshot from PeopleDataLabs: https://d1ennknj6q36vm.cloudfront.net/images/cblead.png https://d1ennknj6q36vm.cloudfront.net/images/cblead.png
- avip 7y ago
  It is strictly impossible to "block mining data" on the public web. Double that if the miner has free access to a pool of residential IPs. [source: experience]
tyingq 7y ago
The article says it is "Company 2: OxyData.Io (OXY)"* (http://oxydata.io http://oxydata.io)
- krn 7y ago
  OxyData and OxyLabs seem to be sister companies[1]: the former sells data as a product, the latter sells scraping as a service. [1] https://vpnscam.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-08-24-09_09_14-Window.png https://vpnscam.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-08-24-09...
  - trymas 7y ago
    Tesonet is true cancer. I am amazed how unethical (and successful) they are. Knowing how quickly it's expanding, do the employees are just as unethical or they do not connect the dots (company got too big)? I hate fb, et al as any other person here, but most of people know that "if it's free - you are the product". Though with NordVPN users are paying money and are getting stabbed in the back.
    - ativzzz 7y ago
      > do the employees are just as unethical Most people's ethics are easily bought. Does working for a company that operates with questionable integrity outweigh providing a stable income for your family? Remember Facebook is still a very highly desirable company to work at.
    - 867-5309 7y ago
      > NordVPN users are paying money and are getting stabbed in the back. could you please expand on this claim?
      - emayljames 7y ago
        From the comment they replied to: https://vpnscam.com/ https://vpnscam.com/
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
toxicFork 7y ago
I'm a nordvpn user. Practices like this scares me though. I guess it's time to switch to a new vpn?
- vermilingua 7y ago
  https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29 https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29
  - toxicFork 7y ago
    Ah... but that is very inconvenient :( I guess comfort comes at a cost. Is there at least a less shady provider if I would like to compromise myself but a bit less than nordvpn? How far do we go in assuming all are bad?
    - vermilingua 7y ago
      All the way. It isn’t as if all VPN providers are part of a shadowy cabal to steal your data from an otherwise valuable service; the very premise of commercial VPNs is flawed. Any VPN service is inherently harmful.
    - Mirioron 7y ago
      You could set up your own VPN on a server you run.
      - emayljames 7y ago
        Yes. This. And is free to setup on big cloud services. Like free 24/7 with whatever amount of data. Guides are online.
    - jeltz 7y ago
      Mullvad seems trustworthy (I used to share an office with one of their IT infrastructure staff), but it is impossible to say for sure.

by krn 7y ago

gorbachev 7y ago

How is that possible? LinkedIn blocked mining the data this way several years ago. Is it still possible if you pay LinkedIn enough? Or is this old data?

tyingq 7y ago
A large number residential proxies and fake LinkedIn accounts would look the same to LinkedIn as normal browsing.
- gorbachev 7y ago
  There's information on the leak that wouldn't be widely available without accessing LinkedIn data using their APIs. Phone numbers and emails, for example.
  - tyingq 7y ago
    The article mentions it is a blend of data from http://oxydata.io/ http://oxydata.io/ and https://www.peopledatalabs.com/ https://www.peopledatalabs.com/ Both are aggregators that get data from many sources, correlate them, and sell it. The phone numbers and emails could have come from anywhere. See this screenshot from PeopleDataLabs: https://d1ennknj6q36vm.cloudfront.net/images/cblead.png https://d1ennknj6q36vm.cloudfront.net/images/cblead.png
avip 7y ago
It is strictly impossible to "block mining data" on the public web. Double that if the miner has free access to a pool of residential IPs. [source: experience]

tyingq 7y ago

The article says it is "Company 2: OxyData.Io (OXY)"* (http://oxydata.io http://oxydata.io)

krn 7y ago
OxyData and OxyLabs seem to be sister companies[1]: the former sells data as a product, the latter sells scraping as a service. [1] https://vpnscam.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-08-24-09_09_14-Window.png https://vpnscam.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/2018-08-24-09...
- trymas 7y ago
  Tesonet is true cancer. I am amazed how unethical (and successful) they are. Knowing how quickly it's expanding, do the employees are just as unethical or they do not connect the dots (company got too big)? I hate fb, et al as any other person here, but most of people know that "if it's free - you are the product". Though with NordVPN users are paying money and are getting stabbed in the back.
  - ativzzz 7y ago
    > do the employees are just as unethical Most people's ethics are easily bought. Does working for a company that operates with questionable integrity outweigh providing a stable income for your family? Remember Facebook is still a very highly desirable company to work at.
  - 867-5309 7y ago
    > NordVPN users are paying money and are getting stabbed in the back. could you please expand on this claim?
    - emayljames 7y ago
      From the comment they replied to: https://vpnscam.com/ https://vpnscam.com/

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

toxicFork 7y ago

I'm a nordvpn user. Practices like this scares me though. I guess it's time to switch to a new vpn?

vermilingua 7y ago
https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29 https://gist.github.com/joepie91/5a9909939e6ce7d09e29
- toxicFork 7y ago
  Ah... but that is very inconvenient :( I guess comfort comes at a cost. Is there at least a less shady provider if I would like to compromise myself but a bit less than nordvpn? How far do we go in assuming all are bad?
  - vermilingua 7y ago
    All the way. It isn’t as if all VPN providers are part of a shadowy cabal to steal your data from an otherwise valuable service; the very premise of commercial VPNs is flawed. Any VPN service is inherently harmful.
  - Mirioron 7y ago
    You could set up your own VPN on a server you run.
    - emayljames 7y ago
      Yes. This. And is free to setup on big cloud services. Like free 24/7 with whatever amount of data. Guides are online.
  - jeltz 7y ago
    Mullvad seems trustworthy (I used to share an office with one of their IT infrastructure staff), but it is impossible to say for sure.