Your PC as an Internet server with a few clicks
Introduction
The ability to share information and link resources from a wide variety of sources is one of the factors that make the Internet such a phenomenal tool for corporations, public sector and individuals.
From the Internet's early days when there were relatively few servers hosting information, the number has been growing exponentially with new computers as well as new types of available services.
Software to set up any computer as an Internet resource has been freely available for a long time. However, the threshold to do so has been so high that not everyone has felt that this can be accomplished without some special skills. This situation may now change.
Opera Unite
Opera Unite is a new initiative from Opera Software, developer of the web browser Opera, which is available for a multitude of devices.
Opera Unite is, as of this writing, available for download and testing in an alpha version. The company's information about its functionality and usability is very interesting reading.
Some examples from the project's dedicated web site shows that functionality like the following will be available:
- Host your Web sites running from your own computer.
- Share your personal photos with friends around the world without the need to upload them.
- A fun place for people to leave notes on your computer.
- A simple and safe way to share files directly from your computer.
- Opera Unite services can be accessed from any modern browser, including mobile browsers!
In the words of Lawrence Eng, Product Analyst at Opera Software:
"With Opera Unite, everyday non-technical users can serve and share content and services directly from their own computers (...)
Opera Unite services can be just about anything. It’s up to developers, companies, entrepreneurs, end users, and anyone with a vision of what the interpersonal Web really means, to take that vision and build the next generation of applications that bring people together online in brand new ways. "
The concept is ambitious, in the spirit of the Internet as a device for interconnectivity between everyone, with possibility for great popularity. And it is potentially dangerous...
Not surprisingly, it is the latter which will be discussed in this security article.
How Opera Unite functions
The functionality in brief is that when you have installed the next generation of the Opera browser (version 10), you will also from a menu choice in the browser have the ability to
- install pre-defined services like turning your computer into a web server
- download new services that is developed for Opera Unite.
One may say that Opera Unite offers functionality to any user that previously was available only for those who had at least a minimum of expertise.
Security issues
There are two completely different security issues involved in a concept like Opera Unite. We shall discuss each of these separately.
Security issues in implementation of the system itself
As we have mentioned in several security articles, there is a conflict between ease-of-use/functionality and security. This fact has manifested itself in almost every application developed. The more functionality, the more potential security issues. Applications that works out-of-the-box, will often contain pre-defined choices for the users; choices which may be more insecure than many users would select if they had to configure the system themselves.
Without specific knowledge of the technical implementation of Opera Unite, one may assume that hackers will focus their attention on this product. It is tempting to have a complete new, huge range of computers as targets if security vulnerabilities in the applications are discovered and exploited.
Of course Opera Software is aware of this, and the company will presumably try to launch the product as secure as possible. But again we refer to the first sentence in this chapter about the conflict between security and functionality...
Security issues with inexperienced users
The other security issue has to do with the users of the system themselves.
When new functionality is offered to inexperienced users in particular, it is easy to be over focused on the "cool" functions that are available. That such functionality should be used with care may be forgotten in the rush to set up the system and use its services.
For example:
- It may not be very wise to share your private pictures with everyone with access to the Internet. There are numerous examples of pictures that appear on the Internet in settings that are not expected nor wanted, by the person who published the picture in the first place (or the person in the picture for that matter).
- Having your own web server may be tempting, but you should be aware that compromised web servers are currently the most popular malware spreading tool for cyber criminals. And are you sure that you have set up sufficient restrictions regarding who can access what on your new web server?
- Opera Unite enable other developers to create services that can be installed by end users. Are you sure that the fancy web application that you are offered to download and set up, does what it is marketing (only) and not something completely different (in addition)?
Targeted by criminal persons and groups
Providing the Opera Unite system receives sufficient popularity and enough users, hackers and other criminals will for certain focus on the system and attempt to exploit its users one way or the other.
The potential to have a complete new large group of computers under hacker control is of course tempting, and will allocate significant resources into finding exploits.
Summary
Opera Unite is an extremely interesting concept, which has the potential to make users of the Internet even more collaborative; thus enhancing the Internet's usefulness.
However, there may be security issues involved. The most important type of matter may be those which have to do with the users themselves.
More information
- Opera Unite - web site with lots of information about the system