Cybersecurity

Could your Google Home leak your location to hackers?

Google is preparing to plug a potential privacy leak with its Google Home smart speakers and Chromecast television devices that could reveal your location. 

The vulnerability was discovered by the Tripwire security firm. Researcher Craig Young blogged that the problem stems from fundamental design choices that he says are prevalent among Internet of Things devices. 

One such issue, Young writes, is that such “devices rarely require authentication for connections received on a local network.”  

Although the Home app you use to configure Google Home and Chromecast performs most actions using Google’s cloud, Young says that some tasks are carried out using a local HTTP server. And that's where a remote intruder or scammer might be able to break through.

Google said it's fixing the vulnerability, which security researcher Brian Krebs first reported on. In a statement emailed to USA TODAY, Google said that, "Security is an ongoing focus for our teams. We're aware of the report and will be rolling out a fix in the coming weeks."