Sure, Borrow My Computer Without Telling Me

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goofyfish

goofyfish

Analog By Birth, Digital By Design
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News.com reports that Kazaa file-swappers were unwittingly downloading software that could turn their computers into part of a new network. Apparently, when you downloaded the file-swapping software, it also installed software that
…has the ability to "wake up" and weld the millions of computers on which it has been installed into a new peer-to-peer network, in which each computer can talk to the other. That network, which would be controlled by Brilliant Digital, would be used to distribute content or perform complicated distributed computing tasks for Brilliant Digital's clients.
Click to expand...
While I'm not a user of file-swapping software, and am personally unaffected by this, it does seem rather arrogant of them to sneak peer-to-peer remote-controlled software on to your system, even if they later ask you for permission to activate it.

Peace.
 
Thanks the the info goofyfish. Was wondering what the hell b3d projector was =/
 
Spyware has become the hit of the computer advertising world. Invasion of privacy? Appearently, only if you are caught is it of any concern. You get them when you install programs, open articles, enter websites and no one seems to think this sneaky behavior is anything but an accepted business practice.

You think you have a problem with such? How about the site operators, such as Porfiry? I would wonder how many times he has run into underhanded tatics that advertisers use. (Being as Porfiry does not run ads on this site I would think it less than the average operator) Tactics such as renting space for an ad and at the end of the rental period has left spyware that is still active and the install program will not remove.

With that in mind this seems to be another offshoot of the same mentality. It is ok to use your computer, slow down your internet connection, and plunder you hd at the same time, as long as you do not know about it. If you do know about it, are you sure you got rid of it???
 
Know what's really annoying? Every time I restart my home page changes to www.globesearch.com (should be google.com). Every single time I restart the comp I have to go into IE options and change it back to google. I don't know why, I've deleted all temporary internet files, cleared history, still won't stop. Isn't this against the law or something? I mean, the government is all ready to make hundreds of laws against hacking, copying and so forth, but don't even attempt to pass any laws restricting this kind of 'advertising'. My computer, and what I want on it, is my business and nothing should be installed or run on it without my full knowledge of what it is.
 
Well, I only know what I've read here on this forum, but...
It seems to me that using such tactics as "...renting space for an ad and at the end of the rental period has left spyware that is still active and the install program will not remove..." is wrong. Isn't that basically the same thing as a computer virus? I don't know, I know nothing about advertising techniques (and I don't let them on my computer), this is just my impresson.
 
It should be considered a virus. Or it should at least be uninstalled with the software if it ever is. Still, at the beginning of the installer it should say "KaZaA will also install Cydoor, a 'harmless' program which collects information to help improve advertising techniques and blah blah blah.... if you do not want this spyware installed please cancel the KaZaA installation now."

If every program said that, I would have no problem with spyware because I just wouldn't install it or I'd delete it right after. These spyware companies are not only infringing on our privacy but also our rights. It's like ingredients on food products, every product needs them so people know exactly what they're buying. It should be the same with computer programs.
 
The main problem with spyware, is it adds to an ever increasing problem. Hackers are renound for there Reverse-engineering talents, and placing a near trojan piece of software infront of them is giving the humble script kiddie the chance to develop even more scripts for probing your systems security.

There are many ways of blocking ad-ware, either through firewalling or stopping the actually processes loading, what should really be asked of is the actual ntwork administrators to intervene, but in doing so some people might try to prove this a violation of their rights.

(The steps I mean is by banning certain adverts through configuration of their networks so not just one but all their users will not see a particular advert etc.)

This would be most notibly of use on ISP's, but then that would bring up questions to what information they would be collecting in exchange.
 
I ran into a nightmare simular to this from a music download search. In going through the sites, I ran into one I thought I liked. It "required" an installation to make use of the site. What a mistake. The next thing I know, there are so many ad pop-ups you could not shut them off as fast as they were loading. The site was unusable as any activity on your computer genereated more popups. To make matters worse, it opened sites that you did not want, changed your home page to a porn site, added all kind of stuff into your internet favorites, desktop, and even went through what appeared to be Russian sites in the process. What mayhem for wanting a download site. Think the music industry would encourage anything like this? Nah.....
 
Ugh. I mean, how far can customer information really get an advertising company anyways? You'd think this information was worth more than gold. And how exactly is causing 50 popup windows supposed to make you want to buy their shoddy product? I just don't get advertising in this form. I guess some idiots out there actually pay attention to such ads, which makes it profitable. If I ever meet someone who regularly clicks on such ads, remind me to bitch-slap them. :)
 
Banners and spyware, pure evil

Download Adaware and scan your system, I bet 1/10 will find something strange on your system.

http://www.lavasoftusa.com/aaw.html


A good tip is to check your running processes, in win2k press CTRL-Shift-ESC.
This is how I found out I once had a spyware. I saw this process called tsadbot.exe, didnt know what it was so I did a search on google and found out that it was a spyprogram.
 
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