Google Desktop Security

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PDAMan

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#6660 13-Feb-2006 08:52

Does anyone know of any security issues relating to the use of Google Desktop. I'm keen to use it, but want to make sure that I'm not opening my PC up to anyone or anything else.

Luigi
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freitasm

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#28284 13-Feb-2006 09:13

Welcome to Geekzone... Google Desktop opens some ports for local access to the built-in search server: that's how I managed to create a "search server" for a small network before.

However, if you have any personal firewall software installed (even the Windows Firewall present on Windows XP) then this port should not be visible to anyone scanning your computer. Also, if your PC is behind a router at home or office, you are most likely shielded from incoming connections, since most of these devices offer NAT and some firewall capability (probably secure enough for home or small office grade).

As for the new Google Desktop 3, it will store the index and some of your data on Google's own computers, so that you can then perform remote searches - if you are away from home you can still access some of your information.

In this case the issue is more of a privacy level than security (you would have to trust Google to protect their own computers from external access, but we do this anyway when we use any credit card or banking institution for example).

PDAMan

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#28312 13-Feb-2006 15:11

Hey, thanks for the reply, actually I asked the wrong question, it was privacy I was worried about. I want to know that if I use Google Desktop on my business computer, that noone would have the ability to access information about what is on my drive, other than at my desktop (assuming I have given them access).

Luigi
Helping companies with location based problem solving, blogs and social media
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freitasm

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#28313 13-Feb-2006 15:14

The new Google Desktop 3 will store data on Google's servers, but as far as I known this information is only avaialable if you log into your Google account.

PDAMan

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#28325 13-Feb-2006 16:20

Thanks Mauricio

I guess, as you say, it depends on how much you trust Google. I haven't heard anything that would make me distrust them, just want to know that any commercially sensitive data is safe. Maybe I should wait until some people have tried the beta and have reported in.

Out of interest are you testing it?

Luigi
Helping companies with location based problem solving, blogs and social media
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freitasm

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#28328 13-Feb-2006 16:29

PDAMan: Out of interest are you testing it?

Not yet - not sure when I will do it. Google Desktop 2 serves me well, and for remote data access I use Avvenu and gotomypc (remote control).

They both have a PDA interface, and Avvenu has an interface to Google Desktop - so I can do searches from my PDA through it...