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SPYWARE
They Are In You Right Now
E.C.McMullen jr. April 12, 2003 Report by
E.C.McMullen Jr.
Copyright 2003 by E.C.McMullen Jr. for feoamante.com

Some programs that offer themselves as freeware, or offer you otherwise free services, are doing far more than simply showing you large numbers of Internet ads. They are also getting into your computer, reading all of your personal files, and reporting back to their servers. Sounds like paranoid fantasy? abcnews.com, cnn.com, and cnet.com are just a few of the news sites covering this story.

One site, TomCat Internet Solutions, has provided an extensive and ever growing list of those who would surreptitiously, try to get on your computer and invade your privacy. They know your name, your address, and everyone else who uses your computer (like your children and their friends that they chat with online). Who do they sell this information to? Who ever they want. Keep in mind, as this list grows old, that all subsequent versions of the software, and any software by the named companies, is suspect.

Here is a partial list:

123Search 1.0 (created by Aureate / Radiate.)

1stRiadaMelt (Supplier: WinSite. File Name: 1rmit100.exe. created by Timesink / Conducent)

3D Anarchy (created by Aureate / Radiate.)

3D Morris (owned by Cydoor. File Name: 3DMorris.exe.)

3rd Block 2.0 (owned by Aureate / Radiate.)

Aadcom Screensaver Software (Supplier: aadcom.com File Name: vx2.dll. owned by: Onflow)

Abe's FTP Client (Supplier: abes.org. created by Aureate / Radiate.)

Abe's Picture Finder 1.4 (Supplier: abes.org. created by Aureate / Radiate.)

Abe's Image Viewer (Supplier: abes.org. Owned by: Aureate / Radiate.)

Abe's FTP Client (Supplier: abes.org. Owned by: Aureate / Radiate.)

Abe's MP3 Finder (Supplier: aadcom.com File Name: vx2.dll. Owned by: Onflow )

AcqURL 3.1 (Supplier: abes.org. Owned by: Aureate / Radiate.)

ActionOutline 1.6 (Supplier: abes.org. Owned by: Aureate / Radiate.)

Active 1.0 (Supplier: abes.org. Owned by: Aureate / Radiate.)

Add Remove Plus! 1.1 (Supplier: WinSite. File Name: arfree11.exe. Owned by: Timesink / Conducent)

Add URL 1.0 (Owned by: Aureate / Radiate.)

AddAce (Supplier: WinSite. File Name: aasetup.exe. Owned by: Timesink / Conducent)

Add Remove Plus! 1.1 (Supplier: WinSite. File Name: arfree11.exe. Owned by: Timesink / Conducent)

Admiral VirusScanner (Created by: Aureate / Radiate.)

Advanced Directory Printer (Supplier: Segobit Software. File Name: ADP.EXE. Created by: Internal)

Gator (all versions Supplier: gator.com. Run by: OfferCompanion) Special Note: According to Symantec's Norton AntiVirus (NAV), the Gator installer is infected with the Backdoor.Trojan, allowing unauthorized access to the infected computer.

JFK Research (Created by: Aureate / Radiate.)

jIRC (Created by: Aureate / Radiate.)

KaZaA (Dec. 2001 releases up to Jan. 3, 2002. Supplier: kazaa.com. File Name: DLDER.EXE. Created by: ClickTillUWin. Distributed by Cydoor Technologies.)

LimeWire 2.0x (Dec. 2001 releases and earlier. Supplier: limewire.com File Name: DLDER.EXE Created by: ClickTillUWin. Distributed by Cydoor Technologies.)

Net Vampire 3.3 (Created by: Aureate / Radiate.)

Net2Phone (Dec. 2001 releases and later Supplier: net2phone.com. File Name: DLDER.EXE. Created by: ClickTillUWin. Distributed by Cydoor Technologies.)

Yo Mamma, Osama! (Supplier: twistedhumor.com. File Name: wnad.exe. Created by: EyeGrab.)

Most Internet game demos have spyware and so do most Internet file sharing programs. The best solution is not to download any programs off of the internet before researching this issue. Its probably best to beware of anything affiliated with the companies, Aureate, ClickTillUWin, Conducent, Cydoor Technologies, Gator, Onflow, Radiate, and Timesink. For more and complete information, visit TomCat Internet Solutions, which provides a credible list of both confirmed and suspected Spyware programs.

Bitty Skull







 

 
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