[RBASE-L] - Re: Off Topic: AdAware

[MikeB]

NO.  Unless you download an executable program on your machine, that can't happen.  The security model of ANY browser does not allow for Read or Write to disk....The activities you describe are within the purview of Viruses (Virii?) and would have to be an executable of some sort that would have to come to you through your email or as an activeX object (which you would have to agree to be installed on your machine)), which even minimal security settings will give you a heads up when ActiveX is involved.  I think the term "SpyWare"  is misapplied to the functions that are permitted by the elements that Ad-Aware  and others characterize as such.    ----- Original Message ----- From: Atrix Wolfe To: RBASE-L Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 3:49 PM Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Off Topic: AdAware Mike,   it sounds to me like shes asking about spyware programs actualy installed on her computer, not cookies or _javascript_ scripts.   If so, spyware programs are still programs so they can do what any other program can do, including scanning their local network for whatever reason and reporting data to some centralized server...or even more intrusive or harmful things.  Wouldnt you agree?   ----- Original Message ----- From: MikeB To: RBASE-L Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 1:39 PM Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Off Topic: AdAware absolutely not! The object model of ANY browser does not allow for that type of activity to occur.  There is no reading or writing of any kind permitted by ANY browser.  The data that is stored can only be read from the domain of the issuing cookie or by domains allowed in a third party context where your internet activities are logged whenever you visit cooperating sites for that particular cookie (Gator or DoubleClick for example).  The accumulated data can be forwarded at any time by a cooperating site.  None of this data has anything to do with any data on your computer whatsoever.  It only compiles a profile of your activities, so when you pop into a commercial site, they can target you with a popup ad or banner that more closely approximates your particular tastes.  That's All! Period.  I do however, feel that this is a bit intrusive for my tastes and regularly run Ad-Aware on my machines also.....   ----- Original Message ----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: RBASE-L Mailing List Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 1:37 PM Subject: [RBASE-L] - Off Topic: AdAware That client of mine who found all the spyware programs says that she ran it again a week later and found 10 more.  She asks the following questions and I don't know the answers. Do you? "Can people go into my network and view my data with those types of things? I noticed one recurring program called "Dataminer". Someone told me that my firewall is not working if those types of things get through. Is this true? Karen