BBC news - Developer finds Chrome eavesdropping bug23 January 2014Last updated from 06:25 ETShare th...

1. Chrome aids eavesdropping attack
BBC news - Developer finds Chrome eavesdropping bug
23 January 2014
Last updated from 06:25 ET
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Developer finds Chrome eavesdropping bug
Chrome may be
subverted to make some kind of computer work as a listening deviceContinue studying the main
story
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PCGoogle Chrome adds parental controlsAny computer operating the Chrome browser could be
subverted for you to eavesdrop on conversations occurring around it, claims a new developer.
Israeli coder Tal Ater discovered the particular bug although working in his as well as your ex own
speech recognition software.
Despite Google discovering the way to fix the particular bug within October 2013 the particular
update offers but to become rolled out to become able to Chrome, he said.
Google said there was clearly simply no immediate threat for you to customers from the speech
recognition system.
Listening in
"Even although not necessarily utilizing your computer - conversations, meetings and help make
make contact with with calls subsequent for you to your pc may become recorded and
compromised," wrote Mr Ater in the blogpost explaining what he had found.
The bug emerges when malicious sites make an effort to subvert the way Chrome handles speech
recognition, he said.
Typically, people must manually grant permission to each website in which wants to access a new
computer's microphone to spend attention in. As soon As permission has been granted Chrome
allows people recognize a website is listening by method of a new blinking red dot around the tab
regarding that site.
In the video accompanying the blogpost, Mr Ater showed how a malicious attacker might use

2. specially crafted code for you to exploit these permissions for you to launch a "pop-under" window
which begins the particular speech recognition system.
"The malicious website you visited can easily carry on listening in on you long afterwards you have
left it," mentioned Mr Ater. "As extended as Chrome is actually nevertheless operating nothing
mentioned subsequent to your private computer will be private."
Google was informed in regards for you to the bug within September last year, stated Mr Ater and
shortly right after discovered a way to fix it. However, this provides yet being included inside
updates for Chrome.
Mr Ater questioned why Chrome remains vulnerable and had been told that Google had been waiting
for that Web consortium (W3C), which defines how a web develops, to produce a determination in
what to do.
"The safety of our users can always be a leading priority, and this feature was designed with safety
and privacy inside mind," mentioned any Google spokesperson. "We've re-investigated yet still
believe there's simply no immediate threat, since any user must first enable speech recognition
pertaining to each website which requests it."
"The feature is in compliance with just about all the existing W3C specification, and we still function
in improvements," he added advised tech news site Your Register.