-Caveat Lector- March 7, 1999 Microsoft Will Fix Privacy Problem By The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) -- Microsoft Corp., whose Windows software runs most of the world's personal computers, acknowledged that the latest version of its dominant operating system can be used to help trace the identity of authors of some types of electronic documents. A software programmer, Richard M. Smith of Brookline, Mass., first noticed last week that documents created using Microsoft's popular Word and Excel programs in tandem with its Windows 98 operating system included within their hidden software code a 32-digit number unique to his computer. The number, called a Globally Unique Identifier, is at least partly based on a 12-digit number unique to a computer's so-called Ethernet network adapter, a hardware device common in business environments that allows high-speed Internet connections. The disclosure carries important privacy implications, since those documents can be traced back to a specific computer even when an author wishes to remain anonymous. The majority of home computers aren't equipped with such network cards -- although they're becoming more common as even consumers in their homes opt for high-speed Internet connections. But even without an Ethernet card installed, Windows 98 still generates this 32-digit identifier -- it merely bases the number for those computers on a ``dummy'' network address that is the same for all such machines. Robert Bennett, Microsoft's group product manager for Windows, said Sunday that the company will create a software tool to let customers clear the ID number from the Windows repository of system settings, called its Registry. The ID number is transmitted to Microsoft whenever a customer registers his copy of Windows 98 using the automated ``registration wizard'' included in Windows. ``Since people's Ethernet addresses are also being placed into Word documents, someone at Microsoft could use this database to look up where a document came from,'' Smith warned in e-mail. Bennett said Microsoft was investigating whether the number ever was sent to the company even when customers had explicitly indicated they didn't want information sent about their computers, such as their network address. ``Microsoft is in no way using that identifier, or any identifier, to track user behavior or to do any marketing,'' Bennett said, adding it was never intended to be sent regardless of consumer preference. ``If it is, it's just a bug,'' Bennett said. ``If it is indeed happening, and we have testers working this weekend, we'll absolutely fix that.'' Bennett promised that Microsoft also will wipe any of those numbers from its internal databases that the company can determine may have been inadvertently collected. Privacy groups said they were appalled by Microsoft's decision to generate an identifier that can so easily be traced. They warned, for example, that a coworker could easily verify the address of a colleague's network card and then prove whether that colleague anonymously wrote specific Word or Excel documents. ``The impact is, if you have one of these tattooed numbers, you can extract the Ethernet address of the computer that created the document,'' said Jason Catlett, president of Junkbusters Corp. of Green Brook, N.J., which lobbies on privacy issues. Microsoft's decision and its implications comes as Congress considers whether to propose new federal privacy laws governing the high-tech industry. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
