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

[Javier Valencia]

Mike: It is my understanding that all the so called “data miners” indeed have access to your computer and can do things such as keep track of sites you have visited, files you have used, and in many cases your profile and personal information as well. The information is periodically send to the owners of the software who then sells this demographic information and this is how you end up getting e-mails from companies you never dealt with. In my opinion, a gross and illegal invasion of privacy. This mining software is hidden inside other software (mostly freeware or shareware) such as screen savers, etc., which you download and agree to install in your computer, what they do not tell you is that “data mining” software is also installed in your computer without your permission, again, in my opinion it constitutes fraud. These are full-blown programs that install in your computer and you need to go to the “remove software” at the control panel to get rid of them. It is my understanding that this is how shareware developers make money now a days as they get paid by the “data mining” companies every time their software gets downloaded. A couple of week ago, I run into one of these programs that attaches itself to Google and every time I did a search, it opened an extra page, similar to Google but with different selected sites; the only hint was the web site on the address bar. I contacted Google and they indicated that they are tired of having to deal with what they call parasite programs. I accessed the web site on the address bar and the site has a description of what their “data mining” software does and instructions on how to remove it; as I indicated before, I had to go through Control Panel>Add-remove Software> and I finally got rid of it. It was a full- blown program that I never agreed to have installed on my computer. Currently I use AdShield to prevent pop-ups, Lavasoft weekly to get rid of the above software, McAfee Virus Scan Online to prevent viruses and Zone Alarm to prevent unwanted intrusions in addition to the firewall on the router. It is a shame that we have to have so much software cluttering or systems just to prevent unwanted junk, but it is better to be safe that sorry. Javier,   Javier Valencia, PE President Valencia Technology Group, L.L.C. 14315 S. Twilight Ln, Suite #14 Olathe, Kansas 66962-4578 Office (913)829-0888 Fax (913)649-2904 Cell (913)915-3137   -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]On Behalf Of MikeB Sent: Tuesday, June 24, 2003 5:02 PM To: RBASE-L Mailing List Subject: [RBASE-L] - Re: Off Topic: AdAware     http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/spyware/   You will see the harmful variety are installed as I stated previously, as an activity of an executable that the user agreed to install, such as the file sharing programs.  The Add variety that is within the security model of the browser does not have any method to get at your email lists or any other information on your machine.  That is the way the web is designed.  ----- 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