Spyware, In a Galaxy Near You (What Microsoft Windows Might Be Blabbing About You)

Wired ^ | 2:00 a.m. Jan. 24, 2002 PST | Jeffrey Benner

[toupsie]

The latest scandal over so-called spyware involves a mysterious and particularly insidious program that tracks your surfing, delivers pop-up ads and could even collect your credit card information.

You may not have heard of the VX2 Corporation, but if you've downloaded Audio Galaxy lately, VX2 may know a lot about you.

[toupsie]

Scary!!! If you are running Windows (you really should know better!), the Ad-Aware software is a great first step in making your Microsoft Windows secure from creepy snoopers. Its amazing how often I work on a friends PC and find it junked up with Ad software that is leaking every bit of surfing information they generate.

Also there is another Freeper (forgot your nick) that has posted excellent information on the hidden files in WIndows that stores incredibly detailed information about you and your use of Windows. That is another area that you have to watch to protect your privacy.

Or you could just get a Mac and not worry about those things. But that's a hair brained idea since the whole point of buying a computer is not to use it but spends hours and hundreds of dollars fixing it.

[toupsie]

I would also caution Windows users that your firewall will not protect you from VX2 and other privacy stealing programs. The data being sent out sounds like it would go out like a normal web request to VX2 which would bypass a normal firewall setup.

Firewalls, generally, provide a false sense of security and only protect against obvious attacks.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

My understanding is if you keep javascript disabled, or active scripting, you can prevent these spyware programs from executing. They also stop the pop-ups.

[NEJake]

ZoneAlarm is freeware, and seems to work well. Also - AdSubtract is a great Ad Stopper. I'm not an expert, but I'm happy with the results so far...

[Reaganwuzthebest]

This is true, I have ZoneAlarm, and it has worked great, at least so far. I also keep javascript disabled in the browser, and pop-ups are non-existent.

[RippleFire]

BUMP

[toupsie]

Only if the popups are being controlled by Javascript. In this case, it is a browser plug-in that is generating the pop-ups which is seperate from Javascript.

[RippleFire]

Turning off javascript will stop most web page based popups, but these spyware programs get installed on your machine and execute when they see a live internet connection. No web page or javascript required.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

I'm not for regulating, or legislating the internet. But they should make exceptions in these cases. This is just another form of hacking, because it's executing programs on your computer without your knowledge.

[toupsie]

Beware of thinking that ZoneAlarm or other firewalls are protecting your web surfing. The only real protection while "surfing the web" online is a proxy server that filters the links and HTML content. I user Squid Cache and Squid Guard to protect my surfing online.

[toupsie]

I'm not for regulating, or legislating the internet. But they should make exceptions in these cases. This is just another form of hacking, because it's executing programs on your computer without your knowledge.

Actually you are giving permission for this software to be installed. Most software packages come with a "User Agreement" that you must agree to before you are allowed to install the software. Software companies know that you do not read those agreements and stuff all kinds of wonderful rights for themselves in them. Once you click "Agree" and install the software, you given VX2 the right blunder your privacy.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The anti-virus software I use - McAfee VirusScan, has at least four different programs trying to access the internet. If not for my firewall, I would have never known this. It may be they're simply trying to monitor possible viruses, but who's to know what else they're tracking? I just disallowed any of them access to the internet.

The user agreements that very few people read may inform users what they do, such as permission to execute a program, but they're ambiguous about what information they might be getting out of it.

[Orangedog]

Only if the popups are being controlled by Javascript. In this case, it is a browser plug-in that is generating the pop-ups which is seperate from Javascript.

Go to download.com and get a copy of a program called pop-up stopper. It's free and puts an end to all pop up ads, javascript or not.

[steve50]

I ran OptOut awhile back, dectects spyware problems, think I might hold the record, had 38 spyware programs on my box.

[shadowman99]

Another reason I am glad to use Linux, and think you should too. XP? Not for me.

[toupsie]

Another reason I am glad to use Linux, and think you should too. XP? Not for me.

No XP for me either. I use Mac OS X. Love that UNIX! I use Linux quite a bit for a server OS. I have moved all my old DEC Alphas from OSF/1 to Red Hat Linux Alpha. I am just too spoiled by Mac OS X's interface to use Gnome or KDE. It just hurts my eyes to see an unpolished Window Manager though I think KDE is getting closer to the goal of being visually attractive.

[steve50]

I just installed AdWare and ran it, scary. My son puts alot of stuff on this box and I now have 87 hits. Will it crash alot of programs if I let AdWare remove them?

[toupsie]

I ran OptOut awhile back, dectects spyware problems, think I might hold the record, had 38 spyware programs on my box.

Amazing isn't it? To me, Windows is starting to look like those NASCAR racers with ads covering up every inch of the body! But instead of getting paid for all those ads like the NASCAR racer, the Windows user ends up paying for the right to have all those ads stuffed down their throats.

[toupsie]

I just installed AdWare and ran it, scary. My son puts alot of stuff on this box and I now have 87 hits. Will it crash alot of programs if I let AdWare remove them?

I have never had a problem with AdWare destroying a PC. A lot of those "hits" most likely are cookies from ad serving companies such as doubleclick.net and hitbox.com. Just be sure to review the list and make sure that software you use daily is not in the list -- which I doubt would be.

Another good reason never to leave your kid alone with the computer! I know when I was a kid with my Apple ][ in the early 80s, anything I could do that was wrong, I was doing it. I couldn't imagine the trouble I would have been if the Internet was available to me back then!