Google Cloud

Grok Build AI Coding Assistant Secretly Uploaded Entire User Repositories Including Git History and Secrets to Google Cloud

Grok Build, the command-line coding tool developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, was found transmitting complete Git repositories — including full commit history and previously deleted sensitive files — to Google Cloud storage even when users issued minimal commands such as “OK”. Security researcher Cereblab discovered that the tool ignored explicit instructions not to access files and packaged entire codebases regardless of the task. The behavior contrasted sharply with competing assistants like Claude Code, Gemini, and Codex, which transmit only the minimal files required. After public disclosure, xAI enabled a server-side disable_codebase_upload flag and promised to delete all previously collected data, while also open-sourcing the tool and disabling data retention by default from July 12. Cereblab criticized the lack of secure defaults, noting that users had to manually run a /privacy command that did not actually stop the uploads. The incident raises ongoing concerns about whether xAI has truly erased the large volumes of source code, SSH keys, password-manager databases, and other secrets that were collected without explicit consent.

Google Urges European Commission to Stop Mass Blocking of IP Addresses, DNS Services and VPNs in Piracy Fight

Google has called on the European Commission to abandon the widespread practice of blocking IP addresses, DNS services and VPNs as a means of combating pirate sites, describing the approach as both ineffective and risky. The company explained that such blocks fail to remove illegal content permanently and allow users to quickly switch to alternative DNS providers, VPNs or new addresses, enabling piracy to continue uninterrupted. Blocking entire IP ranges is particularly problematic because a single address or range is often shared by multiple unrelated legitimate websites and cloud services, leading to collateral damage for lawful users. Google cited the December 2019 incident in Portugal, where ISP blocks on virtual IP addresses disrupted important Google services and affected Google Cloud customers sharing the same infrastructure. A similar outcome followed the blocking of The Pirate Bay in the United Kingdom, after which lists of proxy servers rapidly appeared online to restore access. The search giant stressed that these measures only create temporary obstacles rather than eliminating the source of pirated material and increase the chance of accidentally disabling legitimate online resources.