Google Code Search makes hacking a piece of cake for stupid people too

OK, I’€™m kind of torn for posting this, but I guess it’€™s better to point to a problem so that it stands a chance to get fixed, rather than just pretend it isn’€™t there, right?

Jason Kottke writes about the launch of Google Code Search, still in the Labs category at Google, which is meant to search in open source code. Clearly a tool that could be interesting for developers I’€™d reckon, although I can’€™t think of anytime it would have suited my needs in the past. Then again, maybe I would if it existed… Ah, nevermind.

Kottke points to some of the riskier parts of this nifty little search engine. Such as people putting their Wordpress files in a ZIP or TAR file, including the wp-config.php file containing MySQL passwords for the site for instance. That’€™s probably not so good, right? Well, there are other examples as well and Kottke seems to collect them. Hopefully these people will get notified of any serious stuff they unknowingly might have put online and public in this manner.

Well, it could be worse. The admin users for your blog is located in the database and you won’€™t find the administrator username and password in wp-config.php for instance. Then again, if you got the passwords you need to access the database it doesn’€™t take a hacker wizkid to get in there and do some damage.

See Also
University Art Showcase

Have a look at Kottke’€™s post, and make sure you haven’€™t put anything stupid in a compressed file. If not, don’€™t fret ‘€“ Google Code Search won’€™t mess with your regular PHP files or anything like that.

Ah Google, the things you put us through.

Neuroscientist reveals a new way to manifest more financial abundance

Breakthrough Columbia study confirms the brain region is 250 million years old, the size of a walnut and accessible inside your brain right now.

Learn More

Picture of Thord Daniel Hedengren

Thord Daniel Hedengren

Thord Daniel Hedengren is a designer, writer, and blogger, and also the former editor of The Blog Herald. He used to be a hotshot in the gaming industry in Sweden, but sold everything and went International. Most recently he wrote a book called Smashing WordPress: Beyond the Blog, and does loads of kickass design.

RECENT ARTICLES

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

8 signs you’re more emotionally intelligent than you give yourself credit for, according to psychology

8 signs you’re more emotionally intelligent than you give yourself credit for, according to psychology

Hack Spirit

4 zodiac signs who bring out the best in the people they care about

4 zodiac signs who bring out the best in the people they care about

Parent From Heart

8 things you’re doing that show you’re an optimist at heart, according to psychology

8 things you’re doing that show you’re an optimist at heart, according to psychology

Small Business Bonfire

7 subtle signs somebody is unhappy with life (even if they never say it)

7 subtle signs somebody is unhappy with life (even if they never say it)

Global English Editing

People who grew up feeling invisible tend to develop these 7 traits later in life

People who grew up feeling invisible tend to develop these 7 traits later in life

Global English Editing

4 zodiac signs who appear strong on the outside but are hurting inside

4 zodiac signs who appear strong on the outside but are hurting inside

Parent From Heart