John,
Where did you sign up to recieve these emails? could you give me the
link please? This is definatelly something to keep watching...
- Joe :)
>From: John Arkoulis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>Subject: [newbie] Fwd: Steve Gibson's July/2000 News from GRC.COM ...
>Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2000 00:18:43 -0700
>
>What do you make of this??
>If it is true can those programs track you as you are surfing the net and
>downloading RPMs with Linux ??/
>
>
>
>---------- Forwarded Message ----------
>Subject: Steve Gibson's July/2000 News from GRC.COM ...
>Date: Sat, 15 Jul 2000 23:35:48 -0800
>From: Steve Gibson's MailBot <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>
>
>Hello Enigma,
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>
> The File Download Utilities from Real Networks,
> Netscape/AOL, and NetZip *ARE* Spying On Us!
>_________________________________________________________________
>
>
>Before I tell you about this latest threat to our privacy ...
>
> I MUST ASK YOU PLEASE not to reply directly to this eMail. This
> mailing is being sent to more than 325,000 people, so there is
> JUST NO WAY for us to read and answer individual questions.
>
> I have created two resources for you to use for follow up:
>
> 1. A comprehensive new page on my web site which discusses this
> threat at greater length and shows the detailed contents of
> a "spyware packet" as it was leaving a test machine of mine:
>
> <a href= "http://grc.com/downloaders.htm" >File Downloaders</a>
>
> 2. A very active PUBLIC DISCUSSION FORUM which you are invited
> to use for asking questions and getting more information.
> Any standard Internet newsreader -- like those included in
> Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator -- can be used to
> participate in the free discussion forums at grc.com. Just
> click the link below to launch your reader and begin
> participating ...
>
> <a href= "news://grc.com/newsletter" >The Newsletter Forum</a>
>
> Or, if that doesn't work, you can access the forum through
> our web-based interface (though it is much less cool.)
>
> <a href= "http://grc.com/newsletter.htm" >Web Discussion</a>
>
>
>The SERIOUS New Spyware Threat ...
>
> NetZip's "Download Demon" was purchased by Real Networks and
> renamed "Real Download". then Netscape/AOL licensed it from
> Real and called it "Netscape Smart Download."
>
> By watching the "packet traffic" flowing out of one of my
> machines while downloading a file through the Internet, I
> verified the rumors which you may have heard regarding these
> programs: All of these programs immediately tag your computer
> with a unique ID, after which EVERY SINGLE FILE you download
> from ANYWHERE on the Internet (even places that might not be
> anyone else's business) is immediately reported back to the
> program's source, along with your machine's unique ID *and*
> its unique Internet IP address.
>
> This information allows them to compile and create
> a detailed "profile" about who you are based upon the
> web sites you visit and the files you have downloaded.
>
> Perhaps you don't mind being watched and tracked as you move
> around the Internet ... and having every file you download
> reported along with your unique ID and IP address. But the
> idea of this being done WIHTOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE, seems invasive
> to me in the extreme. And even if you carefully read the
> program's license, you might not be aware that this is going
> on or that "you agreed to it" when you accepted their terms!
>
> More than 14 Million people are already using the original
> NetZip Download Demon. NetZip knows the exact number, since
> every copy of their program "phones home" to report on what
> their users are doing! And I'm sure people are downloading Real
> Network's ReadDownload and Netscape's SmartDownload like crazy.
>
> A Class Action lawsuit was recently filed against Netscape/AOL
> because of this privacy invasion, so perhaps the PC industry
> will begin to receive the message that this sort of secret
> spying and profiling is not okay with the rest of us, even if
> it is buried within a lengthy license agreement. You decide.
>
> And, of course, the next release of my own OptOut spyware
> detection and removal utility WILL consider these programs to
> be dangerous, and warn its users of their presence in their
> systems. But I wanted to be sure that you knew RIGHT AWAY what
> was going on, and that I had independently confirmed that this
> invasive file download and trackability really was occurring.
>
> Our web page has the FULL STORY, with plenty of background:
>
> <a href= "http://grc.com/downloaders.htm" >File Downloaders</a>
>
> And if you have questions or comments, please see ...
>
> <a href= "news://grc.com/newsletter" >The Newsletter Forum</a>
>
> ... or ...
>
> <a href= "http://grc.com/newsletter.htm" >Web Discussion</a>
>
>_________________________________________________________________
>
>Thank you for your time. I hope this has been useful to you.
>
>Steve Gibson. <a href= "http://grc.com/" >GRC Website</a>
>
>________________________________________________________________
>You may change your eMail address or remove yourself from this
>eMail system entirely, by visiting your personal page anytime:
><a href= "http://grc.com/x/ne.dll?6bmqj0js46" >Update Info</a>
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>--
>Windoze is a virus with a user interface.
>This message was created with Linux
>
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