[FYI] Undetectable 'son of cookie' system wins grant

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/content/6/25182.html

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Undetectable 'son of cookie' system wins grant  

By John Lettice  

Posted: 07/05/2002 at 16:02 GMT  

The developers of a 'son of cookie' web monitoring system have 
received a Proof of Concept grant from Scottish Enterprise to 
commercialise the system. Their non-cookie based web monitoring 
software does not (as indeed the name suggests) rely on cookies, but 
instead is intended to replace them with something far more powerful. 
 
It has, as the features list makes clear, great privacy-invading 
potential. The "sensors" it uses: - can be individually customised 
for any web visitor; - can collect information rather than return pre-
downloaded data. - can be reconfigured remotely; - are difficult to 
detect and delete; - can be used to block access to sites, documents, 
data, emails, etc., based on content, - can be preferentially 
customised for each user.  

So the system can provide highly detailed tracking information for 
market research purposes, and "is also suitable for Internet and 
general computer surveillance on behalf of commercial organisations, 
governmental bodies and educational establishments alike. It can 
enable tracking of visitors to any website worldwide, and help to 
address Internet crime."  

But dont worry, because: "The development of appropriate safeguards 
to prevent misuse of the technology in these contexts will be 
developed in parallel to the technology itself. These are a critical 
part of this project, and will include a modular approach to allow 
exclusion of technical capability and prevention of sensor re-
configuration."  

[...]

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See

http://www.eee.strath.ac.uk/news/internet-monitor.htm




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