If Twitter, Facebook, Google Reader, and Four-Squared weren’t enough to sort through every day, Blippy – the latest Silicon Valley creation – is another notable social media application to add to your already crammed smart phone. But user beware. Blippy may have a few “blips” to work out just yet. It was reported on CNET News that Blippy has inadvertently released the credit card numbers of five of its users to Google where they can be accessed by conducting a simple search.
Think of Blippy as Twitter, but for your credit card. Every time you use your credit card to buy something, it sends out a notification to your friends about what you purchased, where, and how much you spent. It’s a way for you to share the notable things you’re buying with your friends, keep track of their purchases, and then discuss. So every time you stock up groceries, fill your Sudan with gas, or splurge on the latest heel from Jimmy Choo, your friends will hear about it.
It’s also a way for your followers to know where you are in the city.
Blippy identifies the subset of users affected by the security breach. They had all signed up before February 3, and linked their account to a credit card from a bank that sends credit card numbers with purchase information when reporting a transaction.
The problem arose when Blippy neglected to update its code in early February, but it did not realize the problem until last Friday.
Blippy says they are working with Google to remove the information from the search engine, and that they’re analyzing their databases from January and February to see what other information Google may have gotten their hands on. CEO and co-founder Ashvin Kumar says they’ll be revamping their security measures.
The five people affected by the leaked information all reside in the United States. No users in Canada have had their credit card numbers show up on Google. Nevertheless, it may be wise to be cautious with Blippy until this all gets sorted out.
Until then, all you young professionals eager to share your purchases may just have to restrain yourselves. If you’re absolutely bursting at the seams about your new designer sunglasses, your best friend is just a phone call away!