Sony net notify and other spyware beefs!!!!

Comments

ken c wrote on 7/28/2004, 10:12 AM
I use zone alarm pro and don't let any regular software program have access to the internet when prompted. It's a wonderful feeling.

Ken
mbelli wrote on 7/29/2004, 9:04 AM

You can quote me on this, but in the next 2-3 years if something is not done about all of this, the situation is going to be severe. In addition to the ease of getting viruses one way or another, bloated spyware is going to force people to basically get off the Internet.

The way these companies are doing it now is really tricky and the PC user who doesn't like to get under the hood, is the one most effected.

The whole thing seemed to have started with convenience, You know, you just bought Microsoft Office or Windows XP, so Microsoft can automatically download updates for you, collect data -- do all sorts of things. Little by little, spyware was added to this and now -- well, absolutely anything goes. So Microsoft and other companies, sneakily include 4-5 ways that they access your data, of course, deeply buried underneath menus.


IMB
soundguy10 wrote on 7/30/2004, 4:13 AM
Like a previous poster, I also run ZoneAlarm (free version though...) on all 7 of my local Windows machines and the 13 that I administer as an IT consultant. Nothing gets in or out. In addition, all of these are behind NAT routers, so there is no direct IP access from the outside.

The primary cause of virus propagation is BILL GATES and his stupid HTML email clients that run scripts and executable attachments. Only a complete idiot would have thought it was a good idea to run executables without warning. (I run text-only email clients. There's NO REASON for HTML mail and ALL of it goes into the trash around here!) The best way to eliminate spam in your inbox is to demand that your ISP or other mail system install SpamAssassin to screen your incoming mail and label the spam, then set up a filter rule in your email client to dump the tagged ones into the trash. I have a 'catch-all' on one of my domains so I'm getting about 10,000 pieces a day lately because the spammers are using dictionary attacks against whole domains.

Since the firewalls block all unauthorized in & out traffic, I am able to stop 90% of the (as far as I'm concerned...) CRIMINAL 'phone home' behavior by the more aggressive software houses. I never allow file sharing apps, instant messengers, or insidious, proprietary junk like Real on any of the machines under my control. I don't even allow Quicktime except for temporary short periods because of it's irritating habit of rewriting it's spyware startup routine into the registry every time you run it.

Compared to what we all have to put up with on a daily basis, the single check box in Vegas is not all that intrusive. What DOES irritate me though, is this stinking ABSOLUTE FONT SIZE on this forum. I run a 1280x1024 desktop and I can't read this thing at ALL without going into the settings for the 'differently abled' and changing the default to 'disregard web page font sizes'. OK, I do wear bi-focals, but still... :)

One more thing...if you're the least bit concerned about your privacy, you should ALWAYS run your browsers with cookies turned off. Then if you MUST visit a site that uses them (banks, eBay, this forum, etc) you just add the URL to the 'trusted sites' category in your security settings.

I've never had a virus. (and I've never used anti-virus software) I've never suffered an exploit or gotten spyware from a website. You CAN be safe out there, but it take a lot more work that the average person is capable of.

BTW, as a veteran hot-rodder from the glory days of automobiles, I firmly believe that anyone who can't change their own oil or reset the advance curve in their distributor should NOT be allowed to drive, so you can imagine how I feel about idiot computer users. :) (both kinds of people DO pay my rent though, so I guess i need to give them a little slack...but not much...)
Jimmy_W wrote on 7/30/2004, 7:51 AM
Ditto!