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Undetectable 'son of cookie' system wins grant

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


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."

[...]


See

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

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