Privacy Risk

[Mark]

If I have two windows open at the same time. One secure
and the other not (i.e. https:// and http://) is the
information on the https screen able to be captured or
sent to the other http screen without my direct knowledge?

We have a bet going on here that it is possible for a
spyware or other tool to be tied to a popup or other
mallware applications to be run that could capture data
entered on a secure site if the user were to enter
information on the secure site while other sites are open.

Thanks.

 

[Altrus]

Hi,

It would be possible for an application to intercept requests made to such a
site, as well as the text displayed on it. There presently exist several Trojans
/ virii that already log all websites (including, if desired, the content of
those websites), and email it, upload it, or transmit it to a remote client (the
evil doer).

If you allow a java applet to run or load, I would _think_ that it would also be
possible. Alone however, a popup isn't able to do that. . . For the most part,
it would require explicit user permission (in effect, it must be run by the
user) to access resources outside its purview (such as that webpage).


Altrus


| If I have two windows open at the same time. One secure
| and the other not (i.e. https:// and http://) is the
| information on the https screen able to be captured or
| sent to the other http screen without my direct knowledge?
|
| We have a bet going on here that it is possible for a
| spyware or other tool to be tied to a popup or other
| mallware applications to be run that could capture data
| entered on a secure site if the user were to enter
| information on the secure site while other sites are open.
|
| Thanks.