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December 14, 2004

Gartner warns against Google Desktop

Research firm Gartner has issued a public warning that businesses should avoid allowing the Google Desktop search to be installed on business machines, until more can be ascertained about the security and privacy issues involved in using it. Gartner instead suggest waiting for an Enterprise release.

According to CNet in Gartner: Google desktop search not enterprise-ready

Responding to Gartner's comments, Dave Girouard, Google's general manager of enterprise products, said that the tool was never intended to be an enterprise-ready application in its current incarnation and that the company is working on a more robust version for large-scale deployments.

Overall, a sensible precaution worth taking note of.

Posted at 10:08 PM
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November 30, 2004

Google desktop: security fears

Speculation about the powers and risks of desktop search - especially from Google - are percolating around the internet. Bruce Schneier writes in Desktop Google Finds Holes that the Google Desktop software could be exploited to search a users cache for passwords and banking information.

This is something I've also warned about in passing on other forums. After all, spyware and trojan writers are getting much more aggressive at how widely they can target surfers. The idea that someone will write software to ride on the back of desktop applications, to further the aims of such individual and organisations who profit from spyware and trojans, is simply a matter of timing now.

At least the wider internet community also recognises these fears - and by offering it's developer tools, Google may go some way to combating malware applications exploiting desktop search processes.

Posted at 07:10 PM
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