Tag Archive for Google

News

Feds Issue Bulletin on Google Dorking

A bulletin issued by the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the National Counterterrorism Center earlier this month warns law enforcement and private security personnel that malicious cyber actors can use “advanced search techniques” to discover sensitive information and other vulnerabilities in websites. The bulletin, titled “Malicious Cyber Actors Use Advanced Search Techniques,” describes a set of techniques collectively referred to as “Google dorking” or “Google hacking” that are used to refine search queries to provide more specific results.

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Corporate

Google Inferring Events Based on Mob Source Video Patent

Methods and systems are disclosed for inferring that an event of interest (e.g., a public gathering, a performance, an accident, etc.) has likely occurred. In particular, when there are at least a given number of video clips with similar timestamps and geolocation stamps uploaded to a repository, it is inferred that an event of interest has likely occurred, and a notification signal is transmitted (e.g., to a law enforcement agency, to a news organization, to a publisher of a periodical, to a public blog, etc.).

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Corporate

Federal Communications Commission Report on Google WiFi Spying

Between May 2007 and May 2010, as part of its Street View project, Google Inc. (Google or Company) collected data from Wi-Fi networks throughout the United States and around the world. The purpose of Google’s Wi-Fi data collection initiative was to capture information about Wi-Fi networks that the Company could use to help establish users’ locations and provide location-based services. But Google also collected “payload” data–the content of Internet communications–that was not needed for its location database project. This payload data included e-mail and text messages, passwords, Internet usage history, and other highly sensitive personal information.

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Corporate

Google Advertising Based on Environmental Conditions Patent

This document describes a system for allowing advertisers to target on-line advertisements based on environmental factors of end users. When determining what ads to serve to end users, the environmental factors can be used independently or in combination with matching of keywords associated with the advertisements and keywords in user search queries. A web browser or search engine located at the user’s site may obtain information on the environment (e.g., temperature, humidity, light, sound, air composition) from sensors. Advertisers may specify that the ads are shown to users whose environmental conditions meet certain criteria. For example, advertisements for air conditioners can be sent to users located at regions having temperatures above a first threshold, while advertisements for winter overcoats can be sent to users located at regions having temperatures below a second threshold.

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China, Open Source Center

(U//FOUO) Open Source Center Constrained Discussion of “Internet Freedom” in China

While the Google incident and Secretary Clinton’s speech spurred online discussion on the subject of “Internet freedom” in China, reaction differed on two observed popular sites. Public comments in response to Secretary Clinton’s speech on a popular news website subject to state censorship were consistent with official media reaction, emphasizing nationalistic resistance to alleged US “Internet hegemony.” In contrast, discussion on a popular social networking site noted the irony in China’s official response to Clinton’s speech, questioning Beijing’s claims to have an “open” Internet.

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China, Open Source Center

(U//FOUO) Open Source Center Chinese Media Use Google Incident to Press Claim for Internet ‘Sovereignty’

Following Secretary of State Clinton’s speech on Internet freedom and Google’s announcement that it may withdraw from China due to hacking and censorship, PRC media commentary on China’s Internet policy suggests an attempt to portray the Internet as sovereign territory and China’s policies as defending against US “Internet hegemony.” PRC authorities could use these claims to expand control over the Internet. Some commentary, however, portrayed the Google dispute as commercial rather than political, suggesting an attempt to downplay the incident. Recent PRC media reporting suggests an attempt to extend sovereignty into cyberspace.

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Corporate

YouTube/Google “Claim Your Content” Content Identification and Claiming System White Paper

At all times during the Term, YouTube/Google shall facilitate and maintain content identification services in accordance with this Exhibit U. It is the intent of the parties that these content dentification services will_enable PARTNER to easily identify audiO and audiovisual materials on the Video Service that are owned or controlled by PARTNER, and enable PARTNER to elect in each case to either (A) license the content to YouTube/Google in connection with the Video Service on the terms and conditions prescribed in the Agreement or (B) remove it from the Video Service (the “Election”).

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Corporate

YouTube Key Messages and FAQs Internal Document

We have recently deployed tools for copyright owners that have massively simplified the process in which they go through to identify materials that they hold the copyrights for. Furthermore, this process is now automated and online. We have also implemented a back-end technique that applies a unique fingerprint on each piece of offending content that was removed. Future video uploads which possess a media fingerprint that matches that of a video that has been previously rejected will not be allowed into the system. In our most recent release, we have implemented a length ceiling on all incoming videos, rejecting all videos over 10 minutes in length. This is further iterating YouTube as being a platform for short, user-generated clips and promotional content, not for full-length content.

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Corporate

Google Log Retention Policy FAQ

When users search on Google, we collect information about the search, such as the query itself, IP addresses and cookie information. (More info on this is available here.) We had previously kept the logs data for as long as it was useful. When we implement this policy change, we will continue to keep server log data so that we can improve Google’s services and protect them from security and other abuses, but we will anonymize our server logs after 18-24 months, unless legally required to retain the data for longer.

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