Google Fixes Flaw Quickly and Quietly

Google Inc. fixed a security vulnerability on its search-engine Web site within days of being notified by security vendor Finjan Software Inc., Finjan said Monday.

Finjan’s Malicious Code Research Center notified Google of a cross-site scripting vulnerability in September, according to San Jose, California-based Finjan. Google fixed the problem within “a few days,” said a Finjan spokeswoman.

The vulnerability could have allowed a remote attack to take over Google accounts or to fake Google’s content and deceive computer users into going to a bogus site and giving up personal information, Limor Elbaz, Finjan’s vice president of business development and strategy, said in a press release.

Two Google.com sub-sites contained forms that did not validate and filter input. Because of the lack of data validation and filtering, the vulnerability could have allowed an attacker to inject content and scripts and steal Google.com users’ cookies. When users were logged on, an attacker could then gain access to Google services such as account information, saved searches, Google alerts and the user’s Google Groups identity, Finjan said.

A Google spokesman wasn’t immediately available for comment Monday.

By Grant Gross, IDG News Service