On 19 December 2004, Google acknowledged that researchers had uncovered a security flaw in Google Desktop Search, a free program that allows indexing and searching of PCs' hard drives. Google moved quickly to fix the flaw, but Gartner still advises caution in enterprise deployment of this tool. New and innovative software tools typically carry greater risks than benefits for enterprise IT departments. Google's search tool, and its soon-to-be-introduced competitors, may be suitable for enterprise use in the long term, but have not yet been adequately vetted for security. In the short term, established personal knowledge search products have a more mature security profile (see "Discourage Broad Use of the Google Search Tool").
