Serious Google security glitch restores Webmaster Tools, possibly Analytics access to revoked accounts

Earlier tonight, reports began rolling in of a serious breach in Google accounts security. Some sort  of glitch has granted access to Webmaster Tools, Google Analytics and perhaps even more tools to users who previously had access, but then had that access revoked.

This means that ex-employees or contractors which formerly had access to a site’s records, reports and tools that could affect its place on the web have suddenly had their access restored. This is an enormously dangerous situation, obviously, as there is no guarantee that those people won’t do something malicious with that access.

You can see some evidence of the Webmaster Tools access on David Naylor’s blog here, where he demonstrates some of the things that could be done to his firm’s ex-clients. He has reported that he has access to Analytics too and that the issue has been going on for several hours at least.