Security flaw found in Google toolbar

On the face of it, this isn’t really “news”.    Saying that a security flaw has been found in a Google product is the same as saying that Microsoft has discovered a hole in Internet Explorer or that breasts have been found in a Playboy magazine.

A “security researcher” has warned that phishers may try to plant viruses on someone’s computer by tricking them into installing a custom search button on their Google toolbar.     Then the security researcher goes out and tells the whole world about it so all the other phishers think “hey, great idea!”.   Couldn’t he just have told Google quietly?

But as the article points out, since the whole process is rather convoluted, the chances of someone falling for it is minimal.     But all the same, if you are suddenly asked to install a custom search button on your toolbar, proceed with extreme caution!

This seems to be all the rage these days with “security experts” - they find flaws in the systems of big companies and then they go out and publicise it to everyone, making it public knowledge to both the good guys and the bad guys.    That’s like discovering the combination code of the local bank safe and then putting it on your blog.