Software Turns Google into a Virus Scanner

Kfleming writes "Websense, a security vendor, has developed software that uses a binary search feature built into Google to hunt down malware. Using this technique researchers at Websense have uncovered over 2,000 websites hosting malware, and are also able to detect legitimate sites that have been hacked. Could this binary search feature also be used to exploit Google and trick users into downloading malware?"

what a good idea

You don't say? [slashdot.org]

Re:what a good idea

et tu, cowboyneal?

Note to the editors

Actually, a question:

Editors: Do you read Slashdot?

Sure, its flamebait, but this is a joke sometimes.

For his next project...

He plans on using Google as an means to track down dupes on Slashdot!

interesting ...

What is this google and where can i download it?

-Sj53

URL Turns google into a dupe-checker

URL Turns google into a dupe-checker [google.com]

Malware

Something that these 'security experts' seem to not understand is that the average user is ignorant of how computers/software work. Most users can't even be bothered to set up a password for their root/admin account. No amount of clever software is going to truly prevent the average user from loading his machine up with some form of malware. A step in the right direction would be simple things, like running as a non-root user by default.

"Binary search" ?!

Not only is this a dupe [slashdot.org], it is also confusing that they use "binary search" to mean "searching inside binary files", and not binary search [google.com] in its usual sense [wikipedia.org] .

What are they talking about?

What is a *.exe? Never seen that kind of file on any of my three operating systems. Good, one thing less to worry about.

... you dupe stories, I dupe replies.

the real story is ..

The real story is why are we still getting 'Internet viruses' in the latter half of 2006 and why don't these 'security vendors' produce a soluton to the problem.

The linked article is just looking for ad revenue

This looks suspiciously like self-promotion, trying to win a few dollars from Google AdSense placement. Yes, folks, Google can be used to make money. Who woulda known?

Skip the linked article and go straight to the source:
http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,126371,0 0.asp [pcworld.com]

All the link does is duplicate the story summary, and then link to the PCWorld article.

Pardon me...

But doesn't Google reliable obey Robots.txt ?

Seems like a DotBomb business plan....

So...

...they are using the SOAP API to find virus-laden files.

Theres gotta be a joke in there somewhere..

"In Soviet Russia, SOAP cleans your computer!"

No wait.

"I for one welcome our freshly-washed overlords!"

Crap, that doesn't really work, either.

"Let's pour hot SOAP down Natalie Portman's pants!"

Hmm. I wouldn't mind doing that, but it's not particularly funny.

"Netcraft confirms it, SOAP can eliminate viruses!"

"Hey, Goatse man, did you lose this?"

.....ah, SCREW it. I have better things to with my time than to write comedy. Stephen King died today, and there are 300 victims of a Sri-Lankan Tsunami to worry about!

Big Deal

Big Deal, I have figured out how to use Google to eliminate my need to excrete bodily solids or fluids.

Don't see a problem

I don't really see how this can be made to exploit code. Its a search for binary within a file. Within a file being the important phrase. I mean it could be code to hijack your computer but it won't run unless you download it. And I doubt mom and pop are using google search inside binary files ever. Hell I never heard of it before today. Those that use it probably are a bit OCD about protecting their computers.

soon my children...

google will be able to scan your bedroom and tell you if your enviornment will cause you cancer or not :P

The real Gem

This is good news. The real gem that nobody seems to have commented on is google's bots which allow them to list the contents of a site automagically. I presume they have tacked Webenese onto them and watched the stats.

It could be a real boon once it translates into search warnings. But I can see some nasty trouble ahead with False Negatives and False Positives once everybody making spyware/malware/adware/viruses/worms starts reacting to this new threat to their existence. If google decided my clever line of flash was an executable ...

Thank goodness none of this really matters when you browse under linux.

Perhaps this would make a good tool:

A database of sites comprimised, using this binary Google scanner, to keep an accurate up-to-date record. Plug that record into a Firefox plugin, that will show if the website has been compromised in any way.

(My apologies if this doesn't make much sense, I just had wisdom teeth dug out of my skull, and I'm on lortabs.)

sigh...

"Could this binary search feature also be used to exploit Google and trick users into downloading malware?"

OK, who disabled my CbN filter?

'Could an empty coke can can be used to exploit hungry bears and trick them into drinking week old urine?'

And please stop telling the idiot that it is ok to look, act, talk and otherwise communicate like an idiot in public...

Re:What about dups?

This is an outrage! Slashdot is an honorable and journalistically competent online-newspaper. There are no "dupes" here; it's all in your head.

Fucking un-American commie, offending our good god-loving, hard working editors.

I will see that your whole internet will be banned.

Re:What about dups?

Well if you put enough stuff on the internets the tubes will get clogged and you won't get your internets till today (Which was sent out three days ago of course.)

Re:What about dups?

Yeah, they'll implement that right after they add spell-check.

Let me introduce you to my friend, the Silent E!