Register A Complaint With The Indian Gov't; Have Your Private Info Revealed

from the um...-I-think-I've-got-a-complaint... dept

Tue, Jul 28th 2009 11:16am — Mike Masnick

I think some folks in India may have multiple complaints with the government. That's because it's been revealed that the service that handles online complaints for the gov't just happens to be revealing all the private data of people who complain, including their passwords in plaintext. Apparently, when you looked at your own profile, you could see all of your own data (plus password) and then as you hit refresh you'd see others -- which you could edit if you wanted to. Not exactly a particularly secure system...

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Filed Under: complaints, india, privacy, security

17 Comments

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Dark Helmet (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 11:19am

The real question is...
...who do they call for tech support?

Personally, I like to think it's some deep south hillbilly with the world's worst country accent tryin' to help them Injun fellers out, y'heard?
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- aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 11:30am
  
  Re: The real question is...
  My accent isn't as thick as you think. On the even funnier side, one of my clients has locations in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. We provide support for them from here in Texas.
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  - Dark Helmet (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:01pm
    
    Re: Re: The real question is...
    Dark Helmet, right on the money once again!!!
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    - :Lobo Santo (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:09pm
      
      Re: Re: Re: The real question is...
      That's uncanny!!
      
      And for Visa & Microsoft we speak with somebody in India.
      
      Wowzers.
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      - aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:18pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: The real question is...
        Yep, but the difference is I can abuse the ones from Microsoft and Visa (and my electric company, TXU, and the guy from HP who hung up on me after telling me to go to hell and go #%@! myself), but I can't abuse my own customers over there. They also try not to abuse me which is a refreshing change from what I get from a lot of companies here in the states.
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        Dark Helmet (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:26pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The real question is...
        Maybe they ARE trying to abuse you, but like me you just can't take such abuse seriously when it comes with that British accent. Or am I overestimating the reach of British rule over language there?
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        aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:43pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The real question is...
        Depends on who you're speaking with exactly. There are some who sound British. Some sound like they should be running a Kwik-E-Mart. Others just sound like angry people from Asia that I can't understand...the more I think about it the more I think they may be abusing me in a language that I don't understand (I'm sure they say the same thing about the angry guy from the US when I call HP).
        
        I do try to use the chat option for some people. If I know their accent is very thick and we will just be yelling "WHAT?" over and over again I tend to use as little voice communication as possible.
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        aguywhoneedstenbucks (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:44pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The real question is...
        Amended: It depends on where they went to school as to whether they sound British. Just found that out.
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        Dark Helmet (profile), 28 Jul 2009 @ 1:01pm
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: The real question is...
        You learn something new every day...
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      - daniel, 11 Aug 2009 @ 5:17am
        
        Re: Re: Re: Re: The real question israsdfg...
        rasdfg vasdfr ijhji vasd fork
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william, 28 Jul 2009 @ 11:29am

nice...
and our tech company outsource most of their operation to this country?
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:09pm

But on the good side...
Obviously the government is doing a good job because complaints are down 70% so don't be so quick to judge.
Maybe trapanning will make a comeback for psychology as well!
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:10pm

That should be trepanning not trapanning.
OK now laugh.
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Curious Bystander, 28 Jul 2009 @ 12:42pm

OpenSource
I think they have misunderstood the meaning of OpenSource...
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jul 2009 @ 1:09pm

WOW, they must have used their own outsourcing companies for the programming... This type of quality is 100% on par with the typical India Ourtsourcing agencies quality...

Actually the fact that you had to hit refresh is more secure than my experience has shown their systems to be.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jul 2009 @ 2:20pm

It's indicative of the quality of work that Indian web developers do. We just launched a website that "sigh" used an Indian based web development company and to make a long story short it was like a used car that was buffed and polished to a high gloss finish, new tires and some newly upholstered leather seats. However under the hood there's a picture of an engine where the engine should be and the more people that get in the car the harder it is to push this piece of sh*t with your feet.

All sorts of issues that as the site gains popularity are popping up that no one could have foreseen unless they had done proper QA and stress testing - which they assured us was done but it is now obvious they didn't. I guess we can be thankful however that at least the locks on the car work great. No insecure coding (that we can identify), just overly complex code that's not documented and has more microscopic bugs than a cheap roadside motel bed.

We have threatened a lawsuit, but being a startup we can't afford to use the little funds we have to pursue it, so we are having the site redone and this time I feel like slapping a huge MADE IN THE USA label right at the top. The problem I have with them is that we DID NOT choose them because of the cheap price. All indications was they do excellent work. We checked them out as best we could, contacted a few prior clients (1 US and 2 in new zealand) and got great reviews. I can say though, we have learned our lesson thoroughly and will never use any type of outsourcing for any reason. It is just not worth it. And to the point of the article.... Indian developers just plain suck for the most part. I mean there are some good ones but good luck finding them.
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Anonymous Coward, 28 Jul 2009 @ 8:50pm

Private information is intangible and infinitely copyable. Trying to restrict the release of private information is anti-technology as technology for invading our private lives will only get better. Private information wants to be free. The trick is to figure out how to use your leaked private information to your advantage.

I suggest selling T-Shirts.
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