AfterDawn: News

Chrome OS hacked by researchers

It appears that Google's Chrome OS has been hacked by researchers, despite the search giant's claim that the OS would be safer than current offerings from Microsoft and Apple.

Chrome OS has only been available (commercially, not as beta) for a few months, so the news is even more disheartening.



Researchers at the recent Black Hat security conference say they hacked the system to access user’s emails, Google Docs, contacts, and Google Voice messages.

The researchers called for Google to fix the flaws, and soon. Hacking the built-in ScratchPad app the team easily grabbed user's contacts.

Google responded:

This conversation is about the web, not Chrome OS. Chromebooks raise security protections on computing hardware to new levels. They are also better equipped to handle the web attacks that can affect browsers on any computing device, thanks in part to a carefully designed extensions model and the advanced security available through Chrome that many users and experts have embraced.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 8 Aug 2011 1:08

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• 3 comments

• KillerBug

  [CorporateSpeak]
  This conversation is about the web, not Chrome OS. Chromebooks raise security protections on computing hardware to new levels. They are also better equipped to handle the web attacks that can affect browsers on any computing device, thanks in part to a carefully designed extensions model and the advanced security available through Chrome that many users and experts have embraced.
  [/CorporateSpeak]
  
  Translation:
  We care about security SO much that we didn't include any security and we have no intention of doing so. In addition, we won't be closing known holes that are now easily found using our own search engine.
  
  Chrome is looking worse all the time...and it never looked very good to begin with. I wonder if Google has finally found their white whale.
  

  
  

  8.8.2011 22:46 #1

• ddp

  DAR SHE BLOWS!!!!!
  

  8.8.2011 23:12 #2

• Bozobub

  I've been wishing Chrome ill from the start; the entire "cloud computing" initiative (AKA "Let's get everyone back to using dumb terminals!") has never impressed me at all.

  12.8.2011 09:10 #3