Court halts sale of spyware program

[ronjor]

-{ Quote: "By Jeremy Kirk

November 18, 2008 (IDG News Service) A federal court in Florida has ordered a software company to stop selling a program that secretly records keystrokes on a person's PC, the Federal Trade Commission said.

Cyber Spy Software, based in Florida, has sold the RemoteSpy program since at least August 2005, according to an FTC complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Orlando. The complaint also names Tracer R. Spence, Cyber Spy's CEO." }-Story (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9120726&intsrc=hm_list)

[Fontaine]

wonder why they don't order the "dozens of other companies" referenced to stop producing software as well?

[Beto]

It is absolutely amazing what they can get away with--it is clearly illegal snooping and the court should be commended. This said it is only the tip of the iceberg and many snooping application need to be nixed as well.

The courts are too slow and there should be a internet Czar with the powers to quickly shut down these sites in the U.S.

Needless to say other countries also need the equivalent to a internet Czar to do the same in their countries.

[cheater87]

I have seen rouge program commercials on TV!!!!! WHY does the FCC not do anything about this??? The one I saw was Finally Fast :(

[ronjor]

I suppose you could file a complaint. http://www.onguardonline.gov/file-complaint.aspx

[dw426]

-{ Quote: "It is absolutely amazing what they can get away with--it is clearly illegal snooping and the court should be commended. This said it is only the tip of the iceberg and many snooping application need to be nixed as well.

The courts are too slow and there should be a internet Czar with the powers to quickly shut down these sites in the U.S.

Needless to say other countries also need the equivalent to a internet Czar to do the same in their countries." }-


No thanks, we have enough "Czars" here already. What are we trying to be, Russia? Anyway, what about the majority of U.S companies (especially data entry facilities) that record the screenshots and keystrokes of every employee? I certainly don't like them, but we all know without those programs, productivity falls like a brick, and that is exactly what the companies would tell the government. To play devils advocate here, most of these sellers of this type of software INTEND for their products to be used in company settings or government facilities (a.k.a-spying). It honestly is not their fault if Joe Blow uses the product to spy on his wife, though this particular app is a little over the top.



These products have a place and a legit use, and, like all other legitimate things, they can be abused. The privacy argument is the beating of a long dead horse because true privacy only exists in the countries you may not be so thrilled to call your home. Just an opinion of course.

[Page42]

-{ Quote: "Story (http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9120726&intsrc=hm_list)" }-
Excerpted from the linked story... "RemoteSpy was advertised as being undetectable by antivirus software"

A quick check shows it is in SpyCop's database and Sunbelt's CounterSpy database, plus avast! alerted me when I tried to visit their web site. :thumb:

[TechOutsider]

-{ Quote: "Excerpted from the linked story... "RemoteSpy was advertised as being undetectable by antivirus software"

A quick check shows it is in SpyCop's database and Sunbelt's CounterSpy database, plus avast! alerted me when I tried to visit their web site. :thumb:" }-

That is a deceptive and inaccurate marketing claim, part of the reason why it was shut down.