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Message To Spyware: Get Off Our Private Property
Tech News World ^ | Gene J. Koprowski

Posted on 04/10/2004 5:37:46 AM PDT by j_tull

By Gene J. Koprowski TechNewsWorld March 25, 2004

"We monitor these trends for our customers, and we've been telling them that this is something they need to worry about," Bruce Hughes, director of malicious code research at TruSecure's ICSA Labs, a Herndon, Virginia-based computer security consultancy, told TechNewsWorld. "The number of complaints is increasing."

Keystroke loggers and spyware developers may soon be silenced, as Congress is debating a bill that would outlaw the intrusive software and declare it akin to trespassing on private property.

"It's my computer. It's my private property," said Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Montana), during a public hearing in the U.S. Senate earlier this week, talking about his bill to ban spyware. "I bought it and paid for it for my use only. Not some leech."

Spyware is generated by a number of nefarious sources. Generally, purveyors of faux shareware, offered over the Internet, will include a spy program with their download as the undisclosed purchase price.

Other spyware spreads like a computer virus, secretly, through banners, pop-ups and other means that help install malware on a user's PC.

The installation often takes place instantly if the user's browser security features are left at the default setting. The software may monitor your keystrokes to see what Web pages you visit, he added. Or it may be even more pernicious, such as a Trojan that can link you to whatever Web site its programmers command.

The plague of spyware is getting so bad that it might rival spam if it does not abate soon. "We monitor these trends for our customers, and we've been telling them that this is something they need to worry about," Bruce Hughes, director of malicious code research at TruSecure's ICSA Labs, a Herndon, Virginia-based computer security consultancy, told TechNewsWorld. "The number of complaints is increasing."

Many Are Annoyed Sen. Burns isn't the only one burning up about the spyware problem. Sens. Barbara Boxer (D-California) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) also are backing the Spyblock Act. Like so many pieces of legislation, the Spyblock acronym stands for an almost bizarre title -- Software Principles Yielding Better Levels of Consumer Knowledge -- apparently written by young Capitol Hill lawyers with questionable literary talent.

The primary provision of the bill would prohibit spyware developers from installing their software on a PC without the owner's consent and also would mandate that deinstallation software be made easily available. Spyware and adware developers also would be forbidden to share any information gathered on individuals' PCs with other marketers without the consent of the user.

The goal of the legislation is to help the Internet continue to grow as a communications medium for home PC users.

Fear of Declining Computer Use "If people think they are being spied on, they are going to use that computer a lot less," said Senator Burns during the hearing. There is a risk, witnesses at the hearing testified, that such a broad-brush approach to prohibiting spyware could inhibit the growth of legitimate, contextual advertising agencies on the Net.

Witnesses at the hearing also raised the concern that, in the future, browser developers and other legitimate businesses might sell spyware and adware services to their customers as another revenue source, and, if prohibited from such activities by law, would see a major potential revenue stream dehydrated. Lastly, witnesses claimed a ban on spyware could harm the free e-mail business that relies on adverts for revenue.

But some were not persuaded. "Certain issues are no-brainers," Sen. Boxer said during the hearing. Spyware is "going to drive people away from their computers." Don't miss a story -- sign up for our FREE e-mail newsletters and view the latest headlines at a glance.


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Technical
KEYWORDS: computersecurity; congress; spyware; wasteoftime
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To: Howlin
Yes.
21 posted on 04/10/2004 7:25:52 AM PDT by Archangelsk (Shall we have a king?)
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To: Archangelsk
Thanks.
22 posted on 04/10/2004 7:32:31 AM PDT by Howlin ((Please stop.....you know I don't have the intellect to keep up with you!))
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To: Howlin
Yes. You should also try Spybot-Search and Destroy. Both are free.
23 posted on 04/10/2004 7:33:14 AM PDT by Buck W.
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To: j_tull
A future regulation with a 0% chance of funded enforcement, why bother?

One thing you can do is avoid Drudge's spyware ridden, pop up loaded, computer invading site.

Have you ever run a spyware check specifically after visiting his site? You will be shocked at the heaps of trash Drudge throws at your computer.

24 posted on 04/10/2004 7:37:43 AM PDT by BJungNan
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To: philo
A UK-based website called Cyber Tech Help is visited by quite a few HijackThis experts. If you post your HT log, they will read and interpret it for you.
25 posted on 04/10/2004 7:42:07 AM PDT by Buck W.
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To: BJungNan
Go to Bayden Systems site & download PopUpPopper, a free pop up eliminator. I have it set to block everything from Drudge.
26 posted on 04/10/2004 7:46:04 AM PDT by Buck W.
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To: j_tull; martin_fierro
M_F, this might be a good time to trot out those links you have relative to this issue. They sure have helped me fight this problem . . .

Jethro, I agree with you. Any solution conjured up by the government will be less than acceptable.

As a personal observation, 98% of my troubles disappeared when I installed Zone Alarm Pro. Money well spent.
27 posted on 04/10/2004 7:54:36 AM PDT by BraveMan
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To: Buck W.
"Yes. You should also try Spybot-Search and Destroy. Both are free."

I found a new one called "Spyware THIS!". Installed it and am impressed.

--Boris

28 posted on 04/10/2004 9:24:33 AM PDT by boris (The deadliest weapon of mass destruction in history is a Leftist with a word processor)
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To: Rifleman
The vulnerability of MS products to malware is becoming an unmanagable problem for the industry. If Bill and Co don't fix their security problem in Longhorn MS will be a much smaller company in a few years.

This is the problem with Windows. I went to Linux in June, I got 3 pieces of SPAM in Nov and 1 last month. I don't get any popups, and NO spyware.

I don't run any virus scanners, spyware blockers, I don't have to defrag, or check the 'regisity'. I now work WITH my PC and not ON it.

And I reboot when ever the power goes out.

If MS doesn't fix thier problems more and more people will be switching

29 posted on 04/11/2004 2:17:24 AM PDT by amigatec (There are no significant bugs in our software... Maybe you're not using it properly.- Bill Gates)
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To: j_tull

30 posted on 04/11/2004 11:03:56 AM PDT by B Knotts (Salve!)
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