Scumware targets AA !

Discussion in 'privacy problems' started by MickeyTheMan, Apr 22, 2002.

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  1. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    It appears to me that, regardless of what the RadLight people are saying, that we've made remarkable progress in getting their threat contained.

    Due to the fact that they're foreigners, there is no means of legal recourse (yes, I talked to my lawyer).

    Since the people involved with supplying the d/l of their 'product' have been very responsive to everyone's concerns (i.e., Cnet stopping the d/l and Simtel - at least - looking into it) and we've gotten at least two different programmers (Pepi and Javacool) to come up with programs to actively combat the RadLight malware, I've decided that the best way to continue the offensive is to ask SpyCop, WWM and Anti-Keylogger to add detection of RadLight freeware (any and all ) to their detection databases. (I emailed them all this morning).

    What everyone else can do is check out your favorite d/l location and see if Radlight products are listed there. If so, you need to drop them an email pointing them to this thread so that they can become aware of and join in this issue.

    I'd like to take this opportunity to personally thank everyone who took the time and made the effort to email anyone involved in this, either to complain, educate or make them aware of the situation - and I ask you to keep doing so!

    Only by letting everyone involved know exactly where we stand on these kinds of issues can we continue to make a diffference in this and future issues.
    Pete
     
  2. discogail

    discogail Security Expert

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    Simtel dropped it......

    "Sorry, but we are unable to find the file you requested"
     
  3. TonyKlein

    TonyKlein Security Expert

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    I'll certainly do my best to keep people at my regular boards informed.
     
  4. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    It's on WebAttack, too - this is their 'Feedback' link:
    http://www.webattack.com/feedback/ . Pete

    PeteNote: Thanks, Mike!
     
  5. Mike_Healan

    Mike_Healan Registered Member

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    Errrrrr.........

    This page might work better.   ;)

    http://www.webattack.com/feedback/
     
  6. Mike_Healan

    Mike_Healan Registered Member

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    Dear Sir or Madam,

    It has come to my attention that you offer for download a product from Radlight INC, Radlight Divx multimedia player. Please follow the URLs listed below. They will explain how this software company is engaging in unethical and possibly illegal activity. Specifically, the author of the software has included code which searches for and destroys our software without notice to the user.
    We respectfully request that you remove this software from your downloads area.

    Regards,
    Mike Healan
    Lavasoft Support

    http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/176075.html
    http://www.spywareinfoforum.com/issues/04222002.html
    http://www.security-pro.co.uk/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=privacyissues;action=display;num=1019507174;start=
    http://www.lavasoft.nu/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi
     
  7. Lurker

    Lurker Registered Member

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    Hi,

    Someone from Lavasoft might want to drop http://www.divx-digest.com/index.html a note as well that  the program Radlight that they host here http://www.divx-digest.com/software/radlight_player.html quite possibly, illegaly deletes Ad-aware program files.  :-/

    I think it would look better and mean more from an official Lavasoft source.

    Update: I do see they have a forum and it has been mentioned  http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?s=9fd8020ecbbd3e0aff5428e22df139ea&threadid=6345

    Also the contact page is http://www.digital-digest.com/contacts.html if needed.

    I posted a screen shot of the latest version of Radlight's Ad-aware disclaimer http://paulgien.home.mindspring.com/misc/RLLA.htm that is displayed after the EULA is displayed.

    Me, I am running Ad-aware from a floppy from now on. HAHA. Actualy I would never install ad-ware or spyware knowingly on any computer and use Ad-aware just to be sure nothing sneaks by.  ;)


    Paul,
     
  8. Paul Wilders

    Paul Wilders Administrator

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    Paul,

    Mike Healan is part of the Lavasoft Team as far as I know of.

    regards.

    (just another:) paul
     
  9. snowman

    snowman Guest

             complaints have been filed with several state and federal agencies.....as a registered stock trader it was possible to lodge complaints with security exchange commissions in several countries...

            complaints have been filed with numerous state and federal representives.


           complaint filed with <webattack> with notice that it shall not be used again so long as the offending software is offered there.

           some of the complaints/notices may not be seen as having merit ...each agency must make that call.


                           snowman
     
  10. discogail

    discogail Security Expert

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    RadLight is back in the Simtel.Net collection as rl3r52.exe

    David Kirschbaum, Archivist for Simtel..
    "the corrected version, just posted to the Simtel.Net collection, clearly and unmistakably informs the user installing the program as to exactly what's going to happen..........
    ...Because fair is fair: RadLight is doing no more than Ad-Aware does........the ONLY site in the Known Universe complaining about this? Why, the home of Lavasoft....."

    http://forum.simtel.net/ubbthreads/postlist.php?Cat=&Board=looking
     
  11. Paul Wilders

    Paul Wilders Administrator

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    discogail,

    As it seems, Radlight has altered its EULA in the meanwhile (from a legal point of view: smart move).

    That said: there's absolutely no guarantee other spyware infested software will act likewise. For that reason, an app alerting/preventing tampering with anti-spyware software is in place.

    IMHO one should uninstall any spyware infested software asap anyway.

    regards.

    paul
     
  12. discogail

    discogail Security Expert

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    Paul,
      I agree. This is just the beginning. The disabling  program is out there now.....& there's no putting it back in the bottle...& this particular one is in the hands of Save Now......bundled w/ other apps besides Radlight.
     
  13. Mike_Healan

    Mike_Healan Registered Member

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    That person at Simtel was without a doubt the most naive, arrogant, and foolish person I've seen involved in this, aside from the fellow who's avatar I've stolen. ;)
     
  14. FanJ

    FanJ Guest

    The free program NIS File Check from Albert can warn you for changes in or the removal of ADAware files.

    I have posted about it in the NIS File Check forum:

    http://www.security-pro.co.uk/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=qna;action=display;num=1019644150

    For questions etc. with respect to that, please post over there.
     
  15. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    So he did all that just to make a point, eh?

    http://216.194.92.96/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=226

    Methinks not. Pete
     
  16. Bud Allen

    Bud Allen Guest

    I just read the Radlight Agreement.

    "Privacy

    By downloading SaveNow you give permission to SaveNow to display relevant contextual information and offers.  In order to provide SaveNow users with such information, SaveNow delivers content based on the URL visited by the user and/or search terms entered by the user into a search engine and/or content on the web page being viewed by the user.   SaveNow protects users’ privacy by determining on the client side whether or not to retrieve information from WhenU.com servers.  Client-server communication takes place only on an as-needed basis, and SaveNow does NOT transmit a full history of URLS visited by the user to the WhenU.com servers.  WhenU.com does NOT assemble personally-identifiable profiles of SaveNow users and personally identifiable information is not required in order to use the SaveNow software.   WhenU.com may update it’s privacy policy and license agreement for SaveNow at any time at the discretion of the company.

    Limitation of Liability

    To the maximum extent permitted by law, in no event will WhenU.com or its agents be liable for any damages arising from the use of or inability to use the software, including, without limitation, damages to users’ systems and/or software and/or data, computer failure or malfunction, computer virus transmission, performance delays or communication failures, security breaches or any and all other damages or losses."

    It appeares that WhenU.com and SaveNow are the offenders. It's gatherinfoware.
     
  17. spy1

    spy1 Registered Member

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    Bud Allen - Welcome to the forum!

    You're right in one respect -  WhenU.com and SaveNow developed and make available the spyware, but RadLight willingly provided the platform for their spyware - so let's not ever forget that. Pete
     
  18. Mr.Blaze

    Mr.Blaze The Newbie Welcome Wagon

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    :eek:those mofoes i just send them the e-mail.

    i cant belive they would do that and all aol user are in danger save now  comes standard with aol 7.0 or there aol aim instant messeanger i think?

    :mad:blaze pulls out spam cannon.

    :mad:mawha let my spam be there passage to hell

    :Dhold on i need to get a kelt and some blue paint for my face lol.

    :DThey may have are cyber space but they will never have are hard drives lol
     
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