[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

FYI: software spy



http://www.langa.com/whats_new.htm

gerade in der LangaList aufgeschnappt:

------------------------------- CUT ---------------------------------

The Aureate Mess

[...]
As it turns out, the Aureate software is a "phone home" application
that can (and does) send information about you and your system either
to Aureate or to the companies who have built Aureate's software into
their applications or downloads. But exactly *what* is sent and *how*
it's sent has been a source of great controversy.

Let's stop here for a sec: If you want to see if Aureate's "spyware"
resides on your system, search your system for "Advert.dll" which is
the central piece of the Aureate system (there are many other pieces
too, but this one's the biggie.) If you find Advert.dll, then Aureate
may have been spying on you.

Reader Rich Brennan was the first to wave the flag about Aureate to
me: He pointed me to
http://www.hardocp.com/news_images/2000/february_2000/aureatespying.html,
a page that has (in reverse order, with the older messages further
down the page) the original assertions against Aureate, and some
clarifying responses from an Aureate official. Many, many other
readers have written in too. (And thanks to all who did!)

CNET ran a more balanced story here:
http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1005-200-1558696.html?tag=st.ne.1002

As the above links show, a number of somewhat wild claims have been
made about this "spying" including assertions that that the DLL sends
back a list of all software in your PC (lifted from the Registry), and
monitors all multimedia clips you run on your system. These wilder
claims appear to be false. See
http://www.kumite.com/myths/myths/myth036.htm for a thorough debunking
of the issue--- although I personally believe that the debunking goes
too far. Here's why:

The software *does* seem to be either poorly designed or implemented.
For example, uninstalling the applications that include the Aureate
spyware often does NOT remove the spyware itself, and the spyware
doesn't show up as a separate app, and has no uninstall available on
its own. Once you have it, you have it forever.

Plus, although Aureate intends the software to be used in an above-
board manner, many apps that install the software do so silently and
with no user notification whatsoever. Thus some user data (though
nothing like what the wild claims allege) can be sent without the
user's consent.

I'm personally inclined to see this as a consequence of less-than-
stellar competence rather than active evil intent on the part of
Aureate. But even if their hearts are pure, the end result is that
there's a fair chance you have software on your system you don't know
about, and that it may be communicating some information about you or
your system to others without your knowledge or consent. That's not
OK.

Reader "Darren" found a freeware app (from a known hacker!) that
purports to remove Aureate components:

     Further info on the Aureate Spy software (the software that
     installs .dll files on your computer which connect to
     Aureate when you go online and send worryingly comprehensive
     information about you): Help has come from an unlikely
     source - Cokebottle (a renowned software 'cracker') has
     developed a little utility to detect and remove Aureate Spy
     components. The file can be downloaded from:
     http://www.download.com@3253986333/dload/antispy.zip
     The utility is virus & trojan free, but you should always
     scan ANY file that you download from the internet - don't
     take anybody's word for it...

Thanks, Darren--- though I'd wonder about using a known hackers apps
in any case. <g>

A more familiar name--- Steve Gibson, of www.grc.com fame--- also has
weighed in on the matter at http://grc.com/aureate.htm, and has
promised a freeware fix of his own.

My take on all this is that the software is indeed poorly done and
badly used, and I'll use Steve's cleanup app when it becomes
available. Meanwhile, I've manually deleted Advert.dll from my system
(this rips the heart out of the Aureate system) and erased any
references to Aureate in my Registry (using Regedit.Exe). Finally,
with ZoneAlarm running, I can detect and block attempts by Aureate or
*any* "phone home" app.

In short: While there's something not right about the Aureate software
and the way it's been used, it's also fairly easy to shut it down. And
that's exactly what I recommend you do.

------------------------------- CUT ---------------------------------

Aureate Network Members:

·       GetRight
·       Go!Zilla
·       CuteFTP 3.0
·       NetAnts
·       Net Vampire
·       Free Solitaire
·       JetCar
·       buddyPhone 2
·       CuteFTP 3.0 beta
·       NewsShark
·       Abe's MP3 Finder
·       Dwyco Video Conferencing
·       Delphi Tester
·       MP3 Fiend
·       WebCopier
·       Aureate Group Mail
·       Binary Boy
·       Download Wonder
·       ASP1-A3
·       NetCaptor 5.0
·       NetTime Thingy
·       TIFNY
·       ComTry Music Downloader
·       WebStripper
·       Sweep
·       Calypso E-mail
·       Netbus Pro 2.10
·       LOL Chat
·       PicPluck
·       Access Diver III
·       NetNak
·       Midnight Oil Solitaire
·       File Mag-Net
·       Alive and Kicking
·       BinaryVortex
·       CuteFTP/Tripod
·       InnovaClub
·       LapLink FTP
·       MP3 Grouppie
·       Iban Technologies IP Tools 3.1
·       NewsBin
·       Planet.MP3Find
·       3D-FTP
·       EasySeeker
·       Crystal FTP
·       MP3 Album Finder
·       FTPEditor
·       Free Spades
·       Capture Express 2000
·       DigiCams - The WebCam Viewer
·       3rd block
·       Address Rover 98
·       AutoFTP PRO
·       LOL Chat
·       RingSurf
·       Abe's Picture Finder
·       Web SurfACE
·       SonicMail
·       SBWcc
·       Dialer 2000
·       Free Submitter Pro
·       My Genie SE
·       StockBrowser
·       Ping Thingy
·       MP3 Mag-Net
·       FourTimes
·       Beatle
·       Grafula
·       Folder Guard Jr.
·       TWinExplorer Standard
·       Advanced Call Center
·       xBlock
·       VOG Backgammon Table
·       My Genie Patriots
·       More Space 99
·       VOG Backgammon Main
·       Active 'Net
·       SmartSum calculator
·       FreeZip!
·       Net-A-Car Feature Car Screensaver
·       My GetRight
·       Planet.Billboard
·       Infinite Patience
·       DNScape
·       CutePage
·       ReGet 1.6
·       SimpleSubmit v1.0
·       Acorn Email
·       Octopus
·       Internetrix
·       AcqURL
·       Pictures In News
·       ProtectX 3
·       NetSuck 3.10.5
·       SunEdit 2K
·       Advanced Maillist Verify
·       QuoteWatch
·       Cheat Machine
·       Wordwright
·       MX Inspector BIG AD
·       VOG Shell
·       Resume Detective
·       DownLoader v.1.1
·       CSE HTML Validator Lite
·       AdWizard
·       SBJV
·       WebCamVCR
·       The Mapper
·       Space Central Screen Saver
·       ProxyChecker
·       Meracl ImageMap Generator
·       PMS
·       Sound Agent
·       QuadSucker/Web
·       Scout's Game
·       JOC Web Spider
·       Free Picture Harvester
·       Check4New
·       MirNik Internet Finder
·       WinEdit 2000
·       hesci Private Label
·       ActionOutline Light 1.6
·       SuperIDE
·       Mp3 Stream Recorder
·       Add/Remove Plus!
·       Zip Express 2000
·       DigiBand NewsWatch
·       QWallet
·       Abe's Image Viewer
·       WebSaver
·       Auction Explorer
·       EZ-Forms FREE
·       Total Finger
·       FileSplit
·       Abe's SMB Client
·       Subscriber
·       SaberQuest Page Burner
·       Splash! Siterave
·       Abe's FTP Client
·       Photocopier
·       GovernMail
·       AutoWeb
·       DL-Mail Pro 2000
·       iFind Graphics
·       Netman Downloader
·       Shizzam
·       Visual Cyberadio
·       DateTime
·       imageN
·       CuteMX
·       AxelCD
·       VeriMP3
·       Charity Banner
·       Web-N-Force
·       Net Scan 2000
·       HangWeb
·       Mail Them
·       TI-FindMail
·       JOC Web Finder
·       Huey v1.8 Color Picker
·       Danzig Pref Engine
·       Personal Search Agent
·       NewsWire
·       SweepsWinner
·       TypeWriter 1.0
·       NotePads+
·       123Search
·       Aureate SpamKiller
·       Notificator 1.0b
·       FreeSite
·       Word+
·       Virtual Access
·       Gunther's PasswordSentry
·       HTTP Proxy-Spy
·       Idyle GimmIP
·       Download Minder 1.5
·       VOG Chess Main
·       Zion
·       Doorbell 1.18
·       SK-111
·       InstallZIP
·       EmmaSoft ChatCat
·       EnvoyMail
·       W3Filer
·       ScreenFIRE - FileKing
·       JOC Email Checker
·       MouseAssist
·       VOG Chess Table
·       ChanStat
·       HTML Translator
·       Win A Lotto
·       Website Manager
·       Text Transmogrifier
·       Net CB
·       MultiSender
·       Add URL
·       QuikLink Explorer Gold Edition
·       LineSoft Download
·       NfoNak
·       Classic Peg Solitaire
·       InterWebWord Companion
·       Cascoly Screensaver
·       DirectUpdate
·       Admiral VirusScanner
·       Visual Surfer
·       Digital Postman
·       NeuroStock
·       SimpleFind
·       RoboCam 1.10
·       Vagabond's Realm
·       www.devgames.com
·       VOG Shell
·       Web Page Authoring Software
·       Clabra clipboard viewer
·       EmmaSoft dBrow
·       VOG Reversi Main
·       FreeWebMail
·       Simple Submit
·       CamGrab
·       QuikLink Autobot
·       SmartBoard 200 FREE Edition
·       CDDB-Reader
·       Static FTP
·       InfoBlast
·       Blue Engine
·       MP3 Renamer
·       TheNet
·       UK Phone Codes
·       Quadzle Puzzles
·       WorldChat Client
·       ScreenFIRE
·       VOG Reversi Table
·       Worm
·       Music Genie
·       WEB2SMS
·       Idyle GimmIP
·       FreeImageEditor
·       MP3INFO-Editor
·       NeatFTP
·       FreeNotePad
·       Your ESP Test
·       WhoIs Thingy
·       WebType
·       Total Whois
·       NetBoard
·       CDMaster32
·       ChinMail
·       Vertigo QSearch
·       Real Estate Web Site Creator
·       Network Assistant
·       Internet Tree
·       VOG Shell History
·       Trade Site Creator
·       StartDrive
·       Go!Zilla WebAttack
·       FreeWebBrowser
·       Tracking The Eye
·       EmmaSoft Soundz
·       Web Coupon
·       Meracl FontMap
·       Smart 'n Sticky
·       Rosemary's Weird Web World
·       Web Registrant PRO
·       jIRC
·       Web Resume
·       Recipe Review
·       KVT Diplom
·       Delphi Component Test
·       alphaScape QuickPaste
·       QuikLink Explorer
·       PingMaster
·       JFK Research
·       BookSmith : Original
·       ScreenFlavors
·       Sea Battle
·       People Seek 98
·       EmmaSoft KeepLan
·       3d Anarchy
·       FreeIRC
·       Pattern Book