It is no secret anymore that two databases containing private informations on car registrations and phone numbers have been leaked for official entities, and widely available on the "black" (not so black and kind of overt) market. A couple of days ago, a Lebgeeker published his new product LebTel, a facebook app that allows you to browse this database. Today I stumble across this fellow Lebanese blogger
denouncing an iPhone App that does the same. (The app somehow found its way in the Apple App Store, talk about strict policies).
These databases are highly illegal, and constitute a great invasion of privacy. In the total absence of any official reaction (they react when the president is insulted on Facebook, but when the whole country has their privacy torn apart, they're awfully silent), I'm sending this call to Lebgeekers and every other geek in the country.
Our access to data is a great power but a great responsibility. It is our duty to show that the hacking community here on Lebgeeks (and in Lebanon) has strong ethics. Whether you happen to own these databases or know someone who does, please avoid publishing the information publicly. Keep the databases, I do not care. But be responsible. Do not publish them on the internet.
Think about every person close to you that has their name, maiden name, address, car plate number, personal phone number widely available (without their consent) on the internet. If no one is going to protect their privacy, maybe we should.
I call for a application hunt. Everytime one of us crosses path with these applications, please report them and bring them down. Contact the publisher, and ask to take the application down on terms of illegal content. If they refuse contact us here, we have ways of making them do it.