4 ms·

What are you actually trusting them with by entering your number? those details are already available in the database(s) they're querying, the only data you're

What are you actually trusting them with by entering your number? those details are already available in the database(s) they're querying, the only data you're giving them is that you're a phone number that reads hacker news.

xeromal 4y ago
I assume they'd know that you're the kind of person to be interested in this. Just an additional data point to what they already have.
woodruffw 4y ago
It's an additional data point. These databases tend to have low S/N ratios -- having a bunch of people put in known good numbers (since they're being confirmed with a text) allows a moderately invested consumer to confirm one of the identities believed to be linked to the phone number. (My phone number is public, but it doesn't show up in any of these public DBs. I have no idea why.)
- idiotsecant 4y ago
  How are they confirming anything? They're literally just confirming that someone who clicked that link owns that number. I'm not sure how that's confirming an identity linked to the phone number. If I click that phone number and I have information in there for John Smith and Adam Jones how does this contribute to them knowing whether they're seeing John, Adam, or someone else?
  - woodruffw 4y ago
    Like I said, it's a data point. I don't think it fundamentally deanonymizes the number (not that it's even anonymous to begin with). Instead, it: * Confirms that a number is a live subscriber; * If there are N possible identities tied to the number, it strongly suggests that the most recent one is the "current" one; * Links my phone number to a browser session, which provides further information. Edit: It also fundamentally turns a passive source of information (a DB of phone numbers, of unknown quality) into an active one (people are actively confirming that some of these numbers are real and currently subscribed).
    - ahaseeb 4y ago
      Hypothetically if your assumption is correct, this is the most expensive way to collect this information since there are dumps of data available on the dark web for pennies, while these queries are 100X more expensive. Criminals are trading this information without your permission and exploiting it. We just wanted to create a tool to create awareness
jimhi 4y ago
This is not correct. A bad actor can find search for numbers a million ways (buy numbers that connect to a cell tower, search by birthdate, who responds to your spam, etc). We are a cybersecurity company and our entire leadership team has a decent online presence. You can just look any of us up. Edit: Whoops meant to reply to the comment below

xeromal 4y ago

I assume they'd know that you're the kind of person to be interested in this. Just an additional data point to what they already have.

woodruffw 4y ago

It's an additional data point. These databases tend to have low S/N ratios -- having a bunch of people put in known good numbers (since they're being confirmed with a text) allows a moderately invested consumer to confirm one of the identities believed to be linked to the phone number. (My phone number is public, but it doesn't show up in any of these public DBs. I have no idea why.)

idiotsecant 4y ago
How are they confirming anything? They're literally just confirming that someone who clicked that link owns that number. I'm not sure how that's confirming an identity linked to the phone number. If I click that phone number and I have information in there for John Smith and Adam Jones how does this contribute to them knowing whether they're seeing John, Adam, or someone else?
- woodruffw 4y ago
  Like I said, it's a data point. I don't think it fundamentally deanonymizes the number (not that it's even anonymous to begin with). Instead, it: * Confirms that a number is a live subscriber; * If there are N possible identities tied to the number, it strongly suggests that the most recent one is the "current" one; * Links my phone number to a browser session, which provides further information. Edit: It also fundamentally turns a passive source of information (a DB of phone numbers, of unknown quality) into an active one (people are actively confirming that some of these numbers are real and currently subscribed).
  - ahaseeb 4y ago
    Hypothetically if your assumption is correct, this is the most expensive way to collect this information since there are dumps of data available on the dark web for pennies, while these queries are 100X more expensive. Criminals are trading this information without your permission and exploiting it. We just wanted to create a tool to create awareness

jimhi 4y ago

This is not correct. A bad actor can find search for numbers a million ways (buy numbers that connect to a cell tower, search by birthdate, who responds to your spam, etc). We are a cybersecurity company and our entire leadership team has a decent online presence. You can just look any of us up. Edit: Whoops meant to reply to the comment below