New SiteAdvisor - Privacy Concern

I apologize if this is not the correct forum for this post. I have alresdy posted my concerns on McAfee's own forums but but consider it important enough to post here as well.
http://community.mcafee.com/showthread.php?p=526727#post526727

It seems that the new updated SiteAdvisor v.2.8.271 (freeware) is leaving a list of every website visited in plain view for anyone to see. In my opinion, this is a heinous breach of privacy and it abhors me to think that a security company like McAfee would knowingly do this sort of thing. Many people take great pains to ensure that browsing history, cookies, cache etc. are swept away from the hard drive. And now, without any prior notice to users, McAfee have decided to secretly leave some sort of browsing history in Documents and Settings\NetworkService\Application Data\SACore\Cache

The contents of the "Data.dat" files seem to be SiteAdvisor's rating for each of the websites visited. Although this info is not in any way nefarious, just the fact that this list even exists has infuriated me to the point where I will uninstall this peice of foistware and be done with it. It also goes without saying that my opinion of McAfee has definitely been tarnished.

I don't use Firefox, maybe its different with that browser. Someone else can check that out if they want.

Response from moderator is not very re-assuring, although he promises to inquire into the matter:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ex_Brit
It's not doing anything that your browser doesn't already do. However that file is hidden under normal circumstances.

In XP it is: C:\Documents and Settings\LocalService\Application Data\SACore\Cache

To see it one has to enable "View Hidden Files & Folders" under Windows Explorer Tools/Folder Options/View and regular computer users shouldn't normally have access to those hidden files and folders.

I will ask why SA keeps a list locally, however. I don't have an old version handy to compare whether or not it also did that.

My rebuttal:
I realize the browser also leaves a history trail. My point is that the browser's cache is a *known* location which one can easily erase if desired. I forgot to mention in my last post that this folder is a hidden folder that would not show up on a regular user's inspection of the hard drive. So, firstly it is put there without the user's knowledge. Secondly, it is hidden so the average user will never know it is there. Again I will say that the info contained in this folder is not damaging in any way other than one could be questioned as to why they have been surfing to whatever websites. I do not imply that SiteAdvisor is spyware but, the tactics involved are definitely akin to spyware. I am astounded that a company such as McAfee would not take great caution to ensure that their software could never be perceived in this manner.

I believe it is safe to say the old version did not behave this way since the creation date of the SACore folder is very recent, (07/30/200 on my machine. I have deleted the contents, so I don't know the dates of the files and subfolders. Would be interesting though to know how many files and used up hard drive space others can find on their machines.

My question(s) to this forum at Wilders: Am I being too paranoid? Is McAfee so trustworthy that it's OK for them to keep a list of every website I go to? Is it better to have this list on my computer rather than their servers? Is this list on their servers? What are they going to do with this list?

 

Thank you for your response. And yes, I did read the EULA (albeit it was after I made this post but, before I read your response. ). In any event the older verison did not store this list on the hard drive. Apparently, this new version (about three weeks old) is a total re-write of the software and was automatically downloaded/installed. (No...I don't want to go there!) There were other bugs and complaints which to my knowledge have now been rectified. My infuriation upon the discovery of this "hidden list" on my system was just too damn reminiscent of the detached corporate arrogance which has been seen too often over the years by many vendors. I can almost forgive this sort of thing by a young and upcoming company but, not by an icon of the industry, and a security icon at that!

Regardless of the EULA and the very unlikely prospect that McAfee could or would ever use this list for nefarious purposes, it is still IMHO a privacy concern to have it sitting there on the hard drive. I agree that the "typical non-techie user" has little-to-no concern and therefore no real reason to see these files... But for someone who is tech-savvy and perhaps a little too curious for their own good - this is an open invitation to snoop into the private surfing habits of less knowledgeable Mr./Mrs./Ms "Typical User". Of course there are other ways to snoop, this is just a new one.

 

I've avoided McAfee for years, and I must say after reading this (glad I finally did), I will be avoiding them for many many more years to come.

 

I use this -

http://www.iecustomizer.com/

 

I'm not a pro-norton fan anymore by any means either... McAfee used to dog any system I saw it installed on. and I was a Norton fan so I switched.. Now I'm a NOD fan. (its fast.)

 

Too paranoid ? I know (I checked!) that earlier versions of the SiteAdvisor store data on your computer !

You object that McAfee (does not equal SiteAdvisor) collects data on the websites you visit (and possibly more) ? McAfee has an 'arrangement' with Doubleclick to share (commercial) data, and Doubleclick shares data with ...