Bruno Miguel23h ago

"Every time any of LinkedIn’s one billion users visits linkedin.com, hidden code searches their computer for installed software, collects the results, and transmits them to LinkedIn’s servers and to third-party companies including an American-Israeli cybersecurity firm.

The user is never asked. Never told. LinkedIn’s privacy policy does not mention it."

https://browsergate.eu/

LinkedIn Is Illegally Searching Your Computer

Microsoft is running one of the largest corporate espionage operations in modern history. Every time any of LinkedIn’s one billion users visits linkedin.com, hidden code searches their computer for installed software, collects the results, and transmits them to LinkedIn’s servers and to third-party companies including an American-Israeli cybersecurity firm. The user is never asked. Never told. LinkedIn’s privacy policy does not mention it. Because LinkedIn knows each user’s real name, employer, and job title, it is not searching anonymous visitors. It is searching identified people at identified companies. Millions of companies. Every day. All over the world.

BrowserGate
Show threadFace Thumb17h ago

@brunomiguel "hidden code searches their computer for installed software"

Not to defend sleazy behaviour from a sleazy company, but that's not quite true, it detects browser extensions in the current browser, it doesn't break out of browser isolation and go search the hard drive for files like an antivirus for example.

It is still a reason to get off privacy invading software/websites like Chrome/Edge, and Linkedin, though.

Show threadpunIssuer4h ago
@chrisp @brunomiguel fwiw, browser extensions are installed software
Show threadFace Thumb
@punissuer @brunomiguel Sure, but fingerprinting browser extensions of the browser the page is running in is not the same as reading arbitrary files on the filesystem.
1:28pmWeb
Show threadBruno Miguel3h ago
@chrisp @punissuer it can be the entry vector for it, though. Of course, this is speculative, but possible nonetheless. I don't think LinkedIn would do it, but I wouldn't bet the third-parties that also get the info will use it ethically
Show threadpunIssuer3h ago
@brunomiguel @chrisp I wonder *if* there is an ethical way to use that information
Show threadBruno Miguel3h ago
@punissuer @chrisp unfortunately, that's a whole rabbit hole on its own