Google to Fix Location Data Leak in Google Home, Chromecast
Summary: Tripwire researcher Craig Young found that Google Home and Chromecast devices leak precise location data because they answer unauthenticated requests on the local network for nearby Wi-Fi network lists, which can then be sent to Google's geolocation services to pinpoint a user to within about 10 meters. Google initially closed his May 2018 report as "Won't Fix (Intended Behavior)" but, after KrebsOnSecurity inquired, said it would ship an update in mid-July 2018.
Why it matters: The attack needs only that a victim open a link - which could sit inside a malicious ad or a tweet - while on the same network as the device, and the resulting precision is enough to support blackmail and extortion scams that cite a victim's actual street address.
Read the original at Krebs on Security ↗
- Topics
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