Internet search giant Google’s Thursday-unveiled new Web page, Google Dashboard, will enable users to easily gauge the extent of information stored about them by Google, thereby seeking to address some of the pertinent privacy concerns of the users.

The Dashboard essentially marks Google’s response to queries pertaining to its use of the consumer data, and the amount of control users have in accessing their personal information on sites like Gmail, YouTube and Google Docs, along with the word-processing and spreadsheet software of the company.

However, with the Google Dashboard presenting all the important information about users in one place, it would elevate security concerns because one specific web page will provide the hackers much greater convenience in compromising the accounts of users.

The security concern that the Dashboard raises is all the more disquieting given the fact that a lot of hacking already involves the use of Google searches – a mere hitting of the right queries easily enables hackers to find usernames and passwords, financial spreadsheets, confidential documents!

Commenting on the Dashboard, Ben Rothke, BT Professional Services’ Senior Security Consultant, said: “Google Dashboard is akin to putting all of one's eggs in a single basket. The problem is that the average end-user is clueless on how to guard that digital basket. So once that Google account is breached or hacked, the victim has their entire Google experience compromised.”

(via TopNews New Zealand. Contributed by Surjit Singh)