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LinkedIn security issue | Class action

Francesca Bernardis — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 08:46:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Francesca Bernardis
Post title: Class action

[quote]The Misha wrote:

Also, do some research to see if similar complaints have already been lodged and if there's already a class action in the works that you could join. If not, see if you can get some feelers out to lawyers that may be interested in cooking one up.
[/quote]

In case someone is interested, there is a class action already:
[url removed]

[quote]John Fossey wrote:

The fact is, it doesn't really help not giving LinkedIn your details, they will figure them out from somewhere else. For example, I have realized that OTHER people have uploaded their address book with my email address in it. When 2 or 3 people upload their address book and all have my email address in it, LinkedIn starts making the connections without me having anything to do with it. When someone then views one those people's profiles, LinkedIn makes the connection that I might know that third person, and often they're right. Meanwhile, I never told LinkedIn anything about my contacts. [/quote]

Also, if you don't have a profile and 2 or 3 people upload their address book with your contact in it, LinkedIn will create what looks like a profile, a placeholder with your name and e-mail visible, and throw it at people you may (or may not) know. Showing your e-mail address in clear. I realized this a couple of days ago when I saw my husband's address in the "People you may know" section, and I know for sure he's not on LinkedIn. I had never realized that those names were mixed, real profiles (with the "connect" button) and these placeholders (with "join network" or something).

LinkedIn security issue | Other people's data

John Fossey — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 21:20:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: John Fossey
Post title: Other people's data

The fact is, it doesn't really help not giving LinkedIn your details, they will figure them out from somewhere else. For example, I have realized that OTHER people have uploaded their address book with my email address in it. When 2 or 3 people upload their address book and all have my email address in it, LinkedIn starts making the connections without me having anything to do with it. When someone then views one those people's profiles, LinkedIn makes the connection that I might know that third person, and often they're right. Meanwhile, I never told LinkedIn anything about my contacts.

But personally, I don't care. I have got business through LinkedIn and I have also kept track of client contacts who have changed jobs - in that case, without LinkedIn I would have no idea where they had gone.

LinkedIn security issue | Cross-referencing

Shai Navé — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 14:24:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Shai Navé
Post title: Cross-referencing

LinkedIn and any other platform might seem creepy (and possibly are) if you ignore how they work and how people conduct their lives these days.

Data sharing is a two-way street. Assume that one is using an email address and was registered with it to a social network but doesn't have any contacts associated with it, and assume that one uses that email address to connect with people outside of a prying eyes of certain platform. This doesn't mean that the other party didn't disclose his or her contacts to that platform, which then crossed-reference the data to come up with that suggestion. Also in this day and age there are plenty of other resources to harvest information from, starting from geo-location (based on IP address and/or GPS) that allows better guesstimate about any potential relationships between two "names" or email address, through LinkedIn own work history and group memberships (that helps refine suggestion by time and place), to data harvesting from other sources (including telephone numbers).

The lack of privacy might be worrying, but it is not creepy considering how the mechanism works. Profiling and cross-referencing information (that could be even shared by others - this is the biggest issue, I think - people who share information about other people without their consent) are huge part of any web operation, and LinkedIn potentially more than others (it is all about so-called 'networking' after-all), and the masses, unfortunately, are happy to oblige and provide endless streams of information, even about others (a lot of time indirectly).

You just have to be smart about it and manage your online identity by limiting your exposure to those avenue that you see some utility in, and carefully choosing what to share. "Creepy" connections will pop-up with time no matter what, many of those are probably the result of information shared by others and information that was indirectly and/or unintentional shared by one.

LinkedIn security issue | Linkedin Is creepy

Chiara Sodi — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 12:49:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Chiara Sodi
Post title: Linkedin Is creepy

When I joined Linkedin, I had what I thought was the good idea of first creating a completely new email account, to use just for the Linkedin website.

I had no contacts in the address book, did not import any address book from any other site, there was very little info about me on my profile and I selected my profile to be private.

In the following few weeks, I found out that relatives, friends and other people who might know me were receiving notifications that I had a profile on Linkedin and they were invited to connect.

I also found out that one of those relatives suddenly had an account with Linkedin too. Why is that creepy? Because that person didn't even have a clue of what Linkedin was and obviously never decided to join Linkedin.

I contacted Linkedin regarding my profile and the fact that it was supposed to be private and this is the reply I received:

"Your profile is not viewable when you make the profile private, however, your name is searchable. LinkedIn is a professional networking site, which allows people to connect with other members with similar jobs, education, and interests. If you had your full name and professional headline showing then you could be included in such emails. By making the changes to your name and headline that you have, you will no longer be included in that type of email. The changes that you recently made can take 24-72 hours to take full effect in our system.
If you have further questions, please feel free to reply to this message."

I DID have other questions.....they never replied.

The point is, if I set my profile to be private (whatever the reason), why is Linkedin allowed to distribute to people I may know or not know, the fact that I am on that website?

The way I see it, the fact that your name can be searchable is not the same as having your name distributed when you don't want your name to be advertised yet.
Especially, if that profile has to represent you as professionals.

Search is not the same as Distribution....

My account on Linkedin is pretty much empty now and I modified my name. I mainly use it to read about the few groups I am interested in.

I might be not open minded enough for Linkedin.....but I didn't like what they did.

[Edited at 2014-02-06 12:51 GMT]

LinkedIn security issue | Two thoughts

Oliver Walter — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 11:40:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Oliver Walter
Post title: Two thoughts

Two thoughts occur to me on reading this thread:
1. Change your email password.
2. If you want to quit LinkedIn, first edit your profile to remove as much information as possible from it. If the account remains in existence, as "dormant", presumably only the latest profile will still be there.

General comment: With all social, and similar, Internet networks, it's probably wise to supply only information that you would permit the whole world to know. Given the possibility of "hacking", the whole world may well eventually have access to all of it, even if you chose to reveal it only to certain people.
Oliver

LinkedIn security issue | Nothing creepy about it :)

Pavel Mondschein — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 23:18:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Pavel Mondschein
Post title: Nothing creepy about it :)

[quote]Andrea Muller wrote:

What I find creepy about LinkedIn is how they use information about your location.

I rent desk space in a shared office with an internet connection. I signed up to LinkedIn from that location, and immediately they displayed the other people working in my office as 'People You May Know'.

A new guy moved in and set up his computer on a day when I was not even in the office. He showed up as possible connection when I logged on to LinkedIn from my home computer.
[/quote]

There is nothing creepy about it. You share the workspace - you share the IP :).

But back to topic. I do not approve this attempt of LinkedIn to sneak into your mailbox either. Rule of thumb - Never ever give anybody your e-mail/e-banking/forum/gaming or any other password. Never. Ever. Especially if you use the same (or very similar) password everywhere.

LinkedIn security issue | This is what did it for me

Daina Jauntirans — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 22:54:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Daina Jauntirans
Post title: This is what did it for me

[url removed]

LinkedIn security issue | "Continue" button

Susan Welsh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:52:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Susan Welsh
Post title: "Continue" button

Yes, I also thought that you had to put in your email password in order to do anything at all. Dumb me.

LinkedIn security issue | Beware of Yellow 'Continue' Button

Andrea Muller (X) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:26:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Andrea Muller (X)
Post title: Beware of Yellow 'Continue' Button

LinkedIn ask me for access to my email account nearly every time just after I sign in. I find the way this is done quite misleading. There is yellow a button with 'continue' on it, which makes it look as if you have to click on it to continue with your session on LinkedIn.

I think I clicked on the yellow button once by mistake. I was taken to another page, where they asked me for my email password, so they could send invitations to everyone in my address book. I managed to get out of that page somehow and am a lot more careful now.

What I find creepy about LinkedIn is how they use information about your location.

I rent desk space in a shared office with an internet connection. I signed up to LinkedIn from that location, and immediately they displayed the other people working in my office as 'People You May Know'.

A new guy moved in and set up his computer on a day when I was not even in the office. He showed up as possible connection when I logged on to LinkedIn from my home computer.

LinkedIn security issue | Same experience

Tina Vonhof (X) — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:55:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Tina Vonhof (X)
Post title: Same experience

I see LinkedIn as a valuable way to connect with people professionally, not as a 'social network'. But a while ago I was looking for someone on LinkedIn and it became clear that LinkedIn has email addresses of people who are in my email address books, some of whom are definitely not on LinkedIn. I have a separate password for LinkedIn, not my email password, so this has me worried as well. How far do LinkedIn's tentacles reach? Quite far obviously but I haven't yet decided if I want to withdraw at this point - the damage (if there really is any damage) cannot be undone.

LinkedIn security issue | @Daina

Susan Welsh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:52:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Susan Welsh
Post title: @Daina

[quote]Daina Jauntirans wrote:

...people I know personally, but who know nothing about my work or translation in general, "endorsing" my skills. Worse than useless. [/quote]

Yup. I dumped it.

LinkedIn security issue | Dumped it

Daina Jauntirans — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:27:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Daina Jauntirans
Post title: Dumped it

I read about something similar recently and decided to dump my LinkedIn account. It wasn't doing me any good anyway. The most annoying thing was people I know personally, but who know nothing about my work or translation in general, "endorsing" my skills. Worse than useless.

LinkedIn security issue | @Misha

Susan Welsh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 14:38:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Susan Welsh
Post title: @Misha

[quote]The Misha wrote:

I may be paranoid, as they say, but it doesn't mean they are not out there to get me.[/quote]

Thanks, Misha. They must indeed be out to get you. Yours was the first message posted by time-stamp, but I only received notification of it now, long after the others.

:-)

LinkedIn security issue | @Shai

Susan Welsh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 13:16:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Susan Welsh
Post title: @Shai

Thanks for your further explanation. I think I'm going to quit LinkedIn, since I don't see that it's of any use whatsoever, anyway.

LinkedIn security issue | Another comment

Shai Navé — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 12:57:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Shai Navé
Post title: Another comment

Whenever you post something on the web, whether it is in a social media platform or otherwise, that content can be later harvested. Social media platforms are a great source for information, mostly because people volunteer (and sometimes encouraged) to provide as much information about themselves as they only can. One just have to smart about it.

When one joins an online group, forum, or platform one has to take basic measures to protect others from hacking into one's account; but one also should be aware that the database of that website or platform could be hacked anyway, i.e. sometimes the platform's security is the weakest link. Therefore, one should manage his or her online presence with care.

[quote]How do you know?[/quote]
Well, I don't, because I'm not privy to their inner working; but I think that if the email service provider grants their API access to the full content of your email, then the problem lies more with the email service provider than with LinkedIn.
Also, to learn about potential business or other relationships between people one just have to search nowadays because information is already quite readily available.
What I'm trying to say is that even if the email addresses are stolen, and even if the hacker can somehow deduce any relationships between two or more random email addresses, this isn't much different from what is already available on LinkedIn and other social media platforms. When you use a certain email address and connect it to an online service, you increase the risk that information about and in association of this email address will leak out one day.

Regarding privacy, what I take more offense with is the fact that many users volunteerly expose the email addresses of their contacts and disclose them, without consent, to any of several online platforms (and new one pops up each day), The amount of invitations I get each month from platforms I didn't even know existed and sent by people in my address book is amazing. I blame the people not the platform.

I think that the sensible approach for managing one's online presence and activity and separating it from one's data or offline activity, is compartmentalization.

LinkedIn security issue | replies to points above

Susan Welsh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 12:26:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Susan Welsh
Post title: replies to points above

Vadim, I am not talking about "personal details" like who's sleeping with whom. I'm talking about financial transactions, client lists -- the sort of things that add up to theft and identity theft.

Robin, thanks for the suggestion. I'm not a member of the BP list, but maybe I'll join.

Shai, I am not talking about gmail or other free services. I use email from a paid service provider.

[quote]They are using your contacts email addresses just to check who of them is also a LinkedIn member (registered with the email address in your Address Book), and suggest you to connect with those in your Address Book that you are not already connected with. LinkedIn does not have access to the content of your emails.[/quote]

How do you know?

Have you forgotten about the mega-theft of LinkedIn data on its users, a year or two ago?

LinkedIn security issue | Some comments

Shai Navé — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 11:07:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Shai Navé
Post title: Some comments

I don't mean to criticize, but some comments.
[quote]Susan Welsh wrote:
I thought that was weird, but obediently did as I was told.
[/quote]
The reason for this request is clearly stated on-screen, although it it usually one of several other notices so I understand how it could be missed. Still, one should be more careful before obediently doing anything online, especially providing personal or potentially sensitive information such as login credentials.
[quote]
This seems to me a massive violation of privacy as well as a security issue.
[/quote]
It is not, because you as the user approved it. Nothing was done without your consent.
[quote]
Now employees at LinkedIn, as well as any hacker who gains access to LinkedIn's user records (as happened a year or so ago), also has access to my address book, my email password, and untold amounts of personal information that is contained in emails.
I wrote to LinkedIn, but got no reply. There is no phone number anywhere that I can find on the site.
[/quote]
They are using your contacts email addresses just to check who of them is also a LinkedIn member (registered with the email address in your Address Book), and suggest you to connect with those in your Address Book that you are not already connected with. LinkedIn does not have access to the content of your emails.
I assume that you are using Gmail or any other popular email platform (otherwise the email connection process wouldn't have been so seamless), and in that case your email content is already scanned and indexed for advertisement (as well as other, as wed disclosed recently, not that should have surprised anyone) purposes.

Unencrypted email is not a secure mean of communication. Paid hosted email could be potentially (but not necessarily) safer from prying eyes than a free email account (there are no free meals in life, and that holds true even in the digital age), but the rule-of-thumb and the general assumption should be that unencrypted email is not a secure channel and therefore sensitive information should not be transmitted that way. Furthermore, you should assume that anything that you post or do online (on someone else's server) could be exposed to any number of parties, and potentially abused.

Nowadays you can't just live off the grid, especially professionally, but there are some best practices to follow.
- Separate your professional and personal online identities;
- Register to social media using a dedicated email address; you can even use the + email address in Google and Outlook.com (formerly Hotmail) to add some flexibility (but the latter method is still connected to your primary email address so it wouldn't have helped you in this case);
- Don't use free email services for professional purposes (except, maybe, for secondary email address for backup purposes). Personally I think that it also makes you look more professional, but this is debatable;
- Always check carefully what you are doing online, and take extra caution before entering or disclosing any personal or sensitive information, Login credentials included.

[Edited at 2014-02-05 11:25 GMT]

LinkedIn security issue | Disturbing

RobinB — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 10:38:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: RobinB
Post title: Disturbing

Hi Susan,

Yet another good reason for avoiding social media like this, to be honest. Can I suggest you also bring this up on the bp list, where you might elicit rather more constructive replies?

Robin

LinkedIn security issue | Not so important

Vadim Kadyrov — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 08:34:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Vadim Kadyrov
Post title: Not so important

I am sorry, but we all here sometimes overestimate our importance, if you like. I don`t think that emails of any translator are of any value to LinkedIn, Google, etc.

I also don`t believe that any confidential information people send via email accounts will ever be of any interest to these giants.

[Edited at 2014-02-05 08:38 GMT]

LinkedIn security issue | Read the small print, as usual

esperantisto — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 05:23:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: esperantisto
Post title: Read the small print, as usual

I was prompted to invite all my contracts to LinkedIn. I think, I cancelled it, at least my LinkedIn screen looks the same (however, I'm not active in that social network). I bet, they will reply that there was a respective message, and it was there in very small print. Well, you have to watch out such little dirty tricks.

LinkedIn security issue | Oopsie!

Michael Kapitonoff — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 03:32:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Michael Kapitonoff
Post title: Oopsie!

Hi, Susan! Sorry to hear about your predicament, but really, what did you expect? Once you post your personal information online, wherever it is, you really have no business expecting any privacy whatsoever. They latch onto you and never let go. Once upon a time, when I was younger and stupider, I also opened a LinkedIn account that I never actually used and never posted anything to it. It remained dangling for a while before I wisened up and closed it altogether - and mind you, received all kinds of confirmations and assurances it was indeed closed. Now guess what - the last time I checked, a year or so ago, the account was still there, albeit "inactive". It's going to stay there and never be expunged - and that's a sad fact.

These days, the wise old guy that I am:) I still keep what's mine where it belongs - in my head or on a scrap of paper at home. I may be paranoid, as they say, but it doesn't mean they are not out there to get me. They are, and I'll be damned if I willingly make it any easier for them. If more of us were of the same opinion - rather than hail certain traitorous individuals as great role models while at the same time spilling their guts at every online corner for everyone to see - we wouldn't have this kind of problems to deal with.

As a practical matter, forget LinkedIn itself. This seems to be the stuff class action lawsuits are made of. To begin with, I would file an online complaint with your own state's Attorney General's office. We have that where I am and I am sure you do to. Then send LinkedIn a formal cease and desist letter with a copy of your complaint attached. Also, do some research to see if similar complaints have already been lodged and if there's already a class action in the works that you could join. If not, see if you can get some feelers out to lawyers that may be interested in cooking one up.

Oh, and did I say RUN! yet? Stop using that miserable account and close it to stem any future damage.

Once again, sorry to hear about it. It's a bummer all right.

LinkedIn security issue

Susan Welsh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 02:27:00 +0000

Forum: Safe computing
Topic: LinkedIn security issue
Poster: Susan Welsh

It suddenly dawned on me that when I go to LinkedIn, I have been seeing faces of people that I hardly know, but do have some relationship to, on my screen--because LinkedIn has downloaded my private email address book! I never gave permission to do any such thing. But I did notice that some time back the login screen started asking for your EMAIL password, rather than your LinkedIn password. I thought that was weird, but obediently did as I was told.

This seems to me a massive violation of privacy as well as a security issue. Now employees at LinkedIn, as well as any hacker who gains access to LinkedIn's user records (as happened a year or so ago), also has access to my address book, my email password, and untold amounts of personal information that is contained in emails.
I wrote to LinkedIn, but got no reply. There is no phone number anywhere that I can find on the site.

I am really appalled. Do any of you have knowledge about this sort of thing?