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Given Up to Spyware?
Khuffie writes "Wired has an interesting article about how some people have given up to spyware, knowing that the software they're installing virtually takes over their internet connection. What's even more ironic is that they claim it's a necessary evil for free software, when things like the Google Toolbar virtually replace Gator, and there are many spyware-free P2P programs available."
I'll blame sites like Download.com that started this trend.
Download software foo from us, but it would come with Gator and a whole shitload of spyware. And then, everyone else started following suit.
I still remember times when spywares and trojans were hacker-only. Greedy corps brought it to the masses, and now it's become an accepted part of the "Internet experience."
Spybot
Adaware
Oh, and Linux.
People just don't care... they can't be bothered to think about it. I've talked to so many people, "yeah.. I need to get a new computer, this one's slow" their system gets hosed, they just get a new computer. wtf is with that?
You know...what's disturbing about the theme of this article, is there is so much free software out there that doesn't require spyware, and all of these people are completely unaware.
---Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A START
Quite simply, this is a situation that can be addressed with education. Since we don't have access to big media, we have to do it by word-of-mouth. This means spreading Firefox and other crap-free alternatives, even free plugins for IE if someone chooses to use that browser. It's also important not to force things on people in our typically annoying geek ways. Educate people, so that they can decide for themselves and realize that there is a world of software in which this stuff is frowned upon and actively fought against. Someday with enough effort, spyware will become an amusing memory.
Oh great so now these authors of these spyware programs are going to think that we don't actually mind about their takeover of our pc's.
Spyware makers hear us - we do NOT like your damned "software".
In the Slashdot moderating system, humourless based offenses are considered especially heinous.
They're called morons.
Shouldn't all this anti -virus, -spyware, -malware, etc. software be added to the TCO for a Windows license both in cost and time?
The cost of the privacy lost is invisible and (apparently) non-intrusive, while the cost of the time and effort is obvious and immediately quantifiable.
Think about how many times you've heard someone say things along these lines: "Can you believe I spent 6 hours cleaning spyware off my system and had to reinstall Windows twice? Then I had to find new software with a privacy policy acceptible to me, and it took hours to download and install it all."
Compare that to how many times you've heard someone say something like: "Wow! I had spyware all over my system. It was tracking my shopping and browsing habits, reporting my computer usage stats to ad agencies, and sending my IP and passwords to a scam company in Russia!"
The cost former is obvious to even the most ignorant users, while the cost of the latter requires much more insight and knowledge.
Someone needs to make spyware illegal unless someone actively buys a PC sponsored with the crap. ie. those 'free' bannered PCs from years ago. The average computer user just is not capable of keeping this crap off of their computer. Windows is becoming more and more useless as a plaform because of this 'stuff'.
All I can say is THANK YOU KDE for kiosk mode. I now have my parents surfing with a crap free computer, dynamic DNS, auto-updates, and has been running bug free for months now. 8)
What we need is a good hacking job on one of these companies. Every now and then we hear "Amazon.com/newegg.com/etc Hacked, millions of credit card numbers stolen". But Amazon.com has deals with Visa, Mastercard, etc. and they happily protect their customers. What would happen if a company like this was hacked, and tons of information was stolen? Maybe people would wise up to the fact that no, its not OK for these people to monitor your activities, even if "it's not like there's anything interesting or criminal in my e-mail.""
As horrible as it may seem to some /.ers most people don't really care about their privacy - convenience is more important. Hence this acceptance of spyware and reluctance to switch from Windows to a less spyware-prone system.
No wonder many prefer spyware-infested Windows box to a clean Linux system - it's more convenient that way.
The other day I installed Firefox extension SearchStatus 1.0.4 - the main features being display of PageRan and Alexa rank of pages browsed. Of course soon afterwards I realized in order for it to work the extension sends all URL I visit to Alexa.com (and Google, which is indicated in their toolbar privacy-related help pages).
This is how convenience wins over privacy (I disabled the Alexa Rank only).
I've heard from several ISPs that some customers complain when all spam is blocked - they LIKE to receive spam because they're bored or like "specials".
Good idea, but many ISPs (Comcast) don't support routers. I have called Comcast when their crappy connection goes up and down (happens about once per week these days for a whole day). The first thing they ask is if you have a router. If you say yes, they tell you they do not support routers, and refuse to help you any further. I asked them if they sell a router solution, and the answer is "no." Apparently their solution to the problem is for you to use WinXP and enable firewalling, or buy ZoneAlarm (which they also don't sell).
Comcast is a monopoly where I and many others live. Let's hope the Supremes force them to open their cable lines to competitors. The result of them forcing BellSouth to do so has resulted (finally) in my recent switch to an unlimited local and long distance provider for $45/month.
If they are indeed "routing all internet traffic" through them, they may be operating as your proxy for HTTP and HTTPS. When you try to make a secure connection to a site, you tell them. They make an HTTPS connection to the site, their connection is encrypted to the site. The make an HTTPS connection to you. The connection between you and them is encrypted. They see the unencrypted data. So do you.
</wild speculation>.
You like splinters in your crotch? -Jon Caldara
It's people like those interviewed for the article that are the reason spyware and adware exist. People who are CLUELESS, in general and specifically with computers, that don't see the irony in installing a program that records your user/pass combinations and web history to get a "free" "antivirus" "scanner".
Just like Nigerian scams, enlarge your penis spam, etc.
I just returned from Sierra Leone, likely the poorest country in the world.
A good internet connection is 8kbs and that's when the power hasn't failed or you have petrol for your generator and the phone system delivers a dial tone.
Even so, the 8kbps costs $200 a month in a country where an OK wage for a laborer is $2 a day -- when a job can be had at all.
When time after time I see 30-50 percent of that 8kbs bandwidth wasted by spyware, it really makes me angry.
Spyware hurts entire developing countries.
This is one of my two favorite parts from this article:
Of course the only "supported" way is through Add/Remove Programs, and NOT through the use of Spybot, etc.
And here is the second tidbit (also from the linked article):
Fucking Asshats.
This phenomenon is known as slashdotting a site to death. You must be new here? ;)
OK, how many of you play the role of tech support for your ignorant friends and family members? I do it, and I hate it, as I'm sure many of you do also. So, here's what you do.
First, compile a list of good books for beginners to teach them about their computer. Many of the Dummies books are good places to start. Just get your list together.
Now, the next time that big support call comes...you know the one...the one where the computer is really hosed, take a copy of your list with you and present it to your ignorant user. Tell them that you're going to fix their computer for free one last time, and this is that time. If they want any more, and I mean any more support from you, they must get to work on your reading list the following day. Occasionally, you're going to check in with them and see what they've learned so far. If they stop educating themselves, the support stops, period. No more reformats, no more virus/spyware cleanups, no more help formatting a word processing document. Nothing.
If they look at you dumbfounded, put it to them this way. Most likely, their biggest investment is their home, followed by their car, followed by their computer. There's no good reason that they shouldn't spend some of their time learning how the thing works, especially since you're spending your valuable time fixing it for them. They don't ask you to come over and change their oil, clean their gutters, or unclog their sink, so there's no reason to expect someone to continually fix their computer.
If your plan works, you'll surely get some questions as the person starts to read, but at least they're starting to educate themselves. As for those who won't listen, a couple of trips to the local computer store, at $50 an hour, will sober them up.
This statement is not founded upon facts.
I work in tech support. These days spyware calls are the largest number of calls we get. Let me tell you a sampling of the problems we face:
1. Customer's system is slow, gets loads of popups and shutting it down takes ages.
2. We try starting it up in safe mode after shutting down non-essential services via msconfig. Many times, though not all, mouse and keyboard freeze and we are unable to proceed in that mode. (No I didn't stop MS services)
3. We uninstall all suspicious programs from control panel (after researching and confirming they are indeed malware). Sometimes it takes the crap out, sometimes it just comes back.
4. It is reported that (though I am not sure) that there is a symbiotic relationship between some spyware and trojans. So if you take a spyware out and the trojan is still present, the trojan pulls back the spyware the next time you go online and similarly spyware pulls back trojan if you take trojan out.
5. Some customers lose internet connectivity. Depending upon the savvy-ness of the customer, we may sit from half-an-hour to 2 hours fixing their Winsock - walking them through registry settings, deleting winsock keys, adding TCP/IP protocol, etc.
You can see that by this time, we have spent quite some time with the customer. And this assumes that everything has gone smoothly. However, in real life, what happens is:
"Sir, please click your start button and then click run."
"I can't find Start button. Oh there it is. Now what is it you wanted me to click?"
and so on...
6. Sometimes, spybot and adaware find hundreds of problems/critical objects (as they call them). You fix them. But the system is still slow. There are no popups but performance is still atrocious. What do you tell the customer now?
7. Repair install or restore *does not* fix the problem. Spyware is insidious enough to remain there.
At this point the customer gets very frustrated. He has typically spent several hours on the phone, first with his ISP and then with us spread over a period of several days sometimes.
I would never call such a person lazy!
So at this point he just wants the problem fixed. Throw the PC out the window or reformat. Clearly, reformat is much less painful than going through hours of registry cleanups, reboots, waits, frustration and lost productivity.
Morever, these people aren't stupid, they just don't know about computers. Lack of knowledge of a particular field does not equal stupidity. For example, many of our customers are doctors, economists, journalists, etc. (One was a very nice old lady trying to get her email working so she could email her grandkid serving in Iraq).
Hence it is my considered opinion that to call people stupid or lazy without having more information is incorrect.