Google, Microsoft can get your passwords via web browser's spellcheck

The Editor mentioned is found in the Settings, Languages options in Edge:

I just use the basic checker simply because the grammar checker/suggestions is annoying.

I think we have to be aware that there is a risk to any data you trust others to process for you. We all want to use the latest aids to improve or simplify our computing life. We have to be realistic though, as home and small business users we do not have the raw processing power to perform the processing of our own data locally.

this has always been a consideration with small business' you have to trust whoever you use to process your data, you can go to a specialist and pay them for their privacy. or you can use a free service and take the risk. Yes, of course there is a risk, but being realistic apart from the general data used by the online companies we have to ask " how many of my spelling errors really are of any interest to Google or Microsoft" the data can be useful on a broad scope if the same errors are seen often the systems can be adjusted to improve the results.

In the end only the user can decide if the risk / ease of use factor is acceptable to them

I would imagine both Google and Microsoft "know" that their extended spellchecker can grab passwords and other important personal information.
Even if their original intention wasn't to grab such information, I hardly think they'll avoid making use of information like that, after they acquire it.
Too often I think we credit large corporations like Google and MS with a benevolence they don't really possess.

They eat, sleep and breathe in the business world where the first commandment is kill or be killed.
When a company gets as large as Google or MS, the days of slow pitch softball are long gone.

Ghot said:

I hardly think they'll avoid making use of information like that

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How will they make use of it?

Denis

Try3 said:

How will they make use of it?

Denis

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Sell it.
Both Google and MS are too much in the limelight, to stoop to "using" the information directly.
I mean, they might use it to find which judges or senators are visiting less than cherubic websites, so they have leverage they might need in the future.
But neither company would be foolish enough to say... hack your bank account.
They are playing in a whole different league than 99% of us.

Regardless of these companies benevolence or lack thereof, the wider issue is that if people choose the show characters option on a password field then the password is transmitted to these companies in plain text form.
The large companies may not directly make use of such information beyond usage metrics and monetisation, but unencrytpted passwords being held in a database could be a huge security hole for some.

And it gets wider than that.

If it is digital, it can be hacked. Which means that users need to periodically asses what they do and do not share / allow to be shared from their machines, and not just accept all aspects of what a particular program, platform, or OS "say" is OK to share because they promise they will not use it in a nefarious manner.

The larger issue is that, while the information can be disseminated to the people, too many users simply do not know where to look, or else don't *want* to / **care** to look.

My biggest concern would be a hack that exposes the information. As someone who has 5 separate identity theft accounts due to data breaches, I believe anything is possible. My name, email addresses and cell number are apparently on the dark web for what that's worth. Mind I don't have any important data in my email, but the risk is real

A Guy

johnlgalt said:

If it is digital, it can be hacked.

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A Guy said:

My biggest concern would be a hack that exposes the information.

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I agree with both of you.

All the best,
Denis

Thank you, A Guy, for the article.


Just a heads up... for the longest of time, mine was set to 'Basic'. But apparently somewhere along the line, with an Edge update, if was automatically switched for me, to 'Microsoft Editor'.

I was unaware, until reading the article.

If not already, you guys might consider checking that it hasn't happened to you, as well.


Take care, all.

DigitalGoat said:

The Editor mentioned is found in the Settings, Languages options in Edge:
View attachment 39486

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I don't see "Use writing assistance".

jvickers said:

I don't see "Use writing assistance".

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It's here,

jvickers said:

I don't see "Use writing assistance".

Click to expand...

Fabler2 said:

It's here,

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I do not see any of that block, "Use writing assistance", either.
[Edge v103 - I've just started letting it update in case that's the difference but my Win10 Edge is up to date already v105 & that does not have that block either.]


Denis

Try3 said:

I do not see any of that block, "Use writing assistance", either.
[Edge v103 - I've just started letting it update in case that's the difference but my Win10 Edge is up to date already & that does not have that block either.]

Denis

Click to expand...

I have Version 105.0.1343.42 (Official build) (64-bit). Windows 11.

My Win10 Edge has just started another update [from 105.0.1343.42] and that use writing assistance block has just this minute appeared. It says it has completed but it is still on the same 105.0.1343.42. Perhaps it has been faulty up until now, I don't know.
My Win11 Edge has also just finished updating to 105.0.1343.42 & the Use writing assistance block is now shown so I've been able to choose basic.


Denis

DigitalGoat said:

The Editor mentioned is found in the Settings, Languages options in Edge:

Click to expand...

Thanks for that.
Now that I have been able to see that Use writing assistance block, I've been able to set it to Basic.

Denis

Fabler2 said:

It's here,

View attachment 39506

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As I said, I don't have it: