Source URL: https://www.freshpaint.io/blog/rudderstack-collecting-passwords
Source: Hacker News
Title: Web Analytics Accidentally Collecting Passwords
Feedly Summary: Comments
AI Summary and Description: Yes
Summary: The text highlights a significant security concern related to RudderStack’s data collection tool, emphasizing how the autotrack feature can inadvertently capture sensitive user information, including passwords, due to its implementation based on a flawed model from Mixpanel. The analysis underscores the critical need for robust safeguards in data handling mechanisms to protect user privacy.
Detailed Description: The discussion reveals serious vulnerabilities in how RudderStack collects data, particularly in the autotrack feature. The key points include:
– **Data Collection Mechanism**: RudderStack collects information from users’ interactions on websites using Javascript, but this functionality has flaws due to how DOM attributes are handled.
– **Security Flaw Identified**: The critical issue involves the collection of passwords and other sensitive data through DOM attributes when users engage with input fields. Specifically, it is noted that:
– The autotrack feature collects all attributes of clicked DOM elements.
– Hidden and password fields may inadvertently have their values stored in these attributes due to changes in the React JavaScript library.
– **Comparison with Mixpanel**: The text draws parallels with a prior incident involving Mixpanel, where similar vulnerabilities were identified and mitigated. Mixpanel had implemented safeguards to prevent sensitive data collection but RudderStack initially omitted these protections.
– **RudderStack’s Response**: After being notified, RudderStack implemented some safeguards but still falls short in preventing the capture of sensitive data from non-input elements, which can also contain critical information.
– **Concerns Over Insufficient Safeguards**: The author opines that the measures put in place by RudderStack do not comprehensively cover the risk, suggesting that sensitive data can still be collected from other types of elements on the webpage.
– **Best Practices in Similar Functionality**: The text mentions that other companies provide autotrack functionality with a more secure approach by strictly limiting the attributes they collect, thereby circumventing the risk of capturing sensitive information.
This analysis serves as an important reminder for professionals in security, privacy, and compliance that the design of data collection mechanisms must take into account the potential vulnerabilities that may expose user data. Implementing comprehensive safeguards that go beyond merely filtering input elements is critical to maintaining user trust and compliance with privacy regulations.