[20143] in bugtraq
Re: AudioGalaxy Satellite - SPYware
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Alex Arndt)
Wed Apr 11 02:33:01 2001
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Message-ID: <000a01c0c12e$b73f28c0$2c567018@slnt1.on.wave.home.com>
Date: Mon, 9 Apr 2001 15:53:15 -0400
Reply-To: aarndt@home.com
From: Alex Arndt <aarndt@home.com>
X-To: Derek Reynolds <dreynol@columbus.rr.com>
To: BUGTRAQ@SECURITYFOCUS.COM
In-Reply-To: <1722020018.20010408133634@columbus.rr.com>
Greetings,
According to a quote posted on the CounterExploitation website
(http://cexx.org/webhancer.htm), this so-called SPYware is
designed to perform a specific client-side function: (FYI, the
CounterExploitation page includes detailed removal instructions...)
"webHancer Customer Companion resides on the end-user's computer,
where it transparently monitors Internet performance. webHancer
Customer Companion measures overall network/site delay and the
performance times experienced by actual end-users."
Here's another quote right from the webHancer site:
(http://www.webhancer.com/site/)
"webHancer measures web site performance from the perspective of
millions of end user desktops, giving e-businesses a window on the
levels of performance real people will tolerate."
Essentially, this is a distributed network performance monitoring
application - by including it in their software distribution, it
would appear AudioGalaxy is trying to keep tabs on the available
network BW to ensure quality service for their users.
IMHO their heart is in the right place but end-users should be given
the opportunity to opt out if they want to.
Alex Arndt, GCIA
PGP Fingerprint: 6AB4 C192 640A 93C0 A802 38B7 9FC5 1D14 F121 3E24
"Within all order is the potential for chaos..."
-----Original Message-----
From: Bugtraq List [mailto:BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com]On Behalf Of Derek
Reynolds
Sent: Sunday, April 08, 2001 1:37 PM
To: BUGTRAQ@securityfocus.com
Subject: AudioGalaxy Satellite - SPYware
Wasn't sure if this topic has already come up.
Installing Audiogalaxy automatically installs a small tracking or "spy"
program called Webhancer. This program not only tracks where you go on the
Internet
but also reads files on your hard drives and sends info to some company.
<snip>
Best regards,
-Derek Reynolds mailto:dreynol@columbus.rr.com
