Market Research Company Secretly Installs Spyware

An anonymous reader writes "Forbes reports that two security experts are raising new questions about comScore, claiming that company's tracking software is being installed without consent on an unknown number of computers. The widely-used online research company takes screenshots of every Web page viewed by its 1 million participants, even transactions completed in secure sessions, like shopping or online checking. ComScore then aggregates the information into market analysis for its clients, which include such large companies as Ford Motor, Microsoft and The New York Times Co." From the article: "'[The] software is sneaking onto users' computers without the user agreeing to receive it,' says Harvard University researcher Ben Edelman, who documented at least ten unauthorized comScore downloads. Eric Howes, director of malware research at antivirus company Sunbelt Software, and his researchers separately observed hundreds of unauthorized comScore downloads in a three-month period this fall."

Comments

Yawn...

[Colin Smith]

I'm sorry but monocultures and all that. I've given up warning people. It's their own responsibility to look after their computers? What they can't? Dearie me, that'll be hmmm, $$$ then.

Re:Yawn...

[Harmonious Botch]

But most Windows users are as interested in secure computers as teenagers are in condoms.

Win-win-win solution

[straponego]

I think everyone who isn't a total scumbag agrees that spammers and spyware makers are evil and a drain on society. Furthermore, in terms of lifetimes wasted, they time they cost us surely adds up to many times the lives we've lost due to terrorism. I have the answer, one which will heal the political rift in the US as a side effect.

First, we have the NSA, DHS, et al target their illegal wiretapping programs at spammers and spyware makers. They've got the infrastructure to track these people down, and this is a justification for the programs everybody can get behind.

Second, when a spammer is caught, we ship them down to Gitmo. It doesn't matter, in this case, whether torture is an effective means of getting information. We don't need information from them, we just want them out of circulation. We can hope that it would be a deterrent, but really they'll be getting it for the simple reason that they deserve it. Republican/Christians get to torture and sodomize to their shrivelled little hearts' content, and we don't have to worry about damaging our reputation in the world community. Everybody's happy!

Gentlemen, there is no way that we can lose on this one!

Re:Win-win-win solution

[ScrewMaster]

Republicans/Christians? What kind of trolling idiot are you?

I'd say a Democratic/Atheist one, you know, so long as we're making snap judgments about people.

They have to! Think of the poor marketers!

[orkysoft]

They have to install it on the computers of people who don't agree to it, because if they only monitored people who agreed to it, it would skew their results, because they'd be using self-selected samples! Think of the marketers!

Re:Your best bet

[the_humeister]

Indeed. That's why I use Minix as my operating system, vi as my word processor, and links as my web browser. Come and get me, you bastards!!!

Re:Well?

[gardyloo]

Personally,
I think we should all write in this style.
A real Story-of-Mel style.

Hawt.

Seriously. The world
might not be made better for it.
But *I* might be made better for it.

When Congress writes anti-spam/anti-spyware laws
in this style, and the FBI enforces them,
with judges reading sentences in
i-am-bic pentameter,
humanity will be restored
(whatever THAT means).

[Now, watch slashdot's formatter totally f this up]

It's the stupidity, stupid.

[rudy_wayne]

from the article:
"Two years ago, university IT managers busted comScore for tricking students into installing tracking software packaged with a free Web-accelerator program."

Why are university students downloading a "Web-accelerator program"? Because they're too stupid to know that these programs are worthless bullshit. Once again, we see that the biggest problem is not viruses or "spyware" -- it's user stupidity.

Re:More examples of software Mac users don't have

[db32]

1. Users are the larger factor in vulnerability to this type of thing.

2. Mac users are an entirely different type than Windows users

3. Mac users are only interested in buying into the hip and trendy

4. Companies trying to get Mac user money already know this and don't need to study habits

This is works out well because since they aren't being targeted Mac users tend to get uppity about how Macs are the best, thus increasing the hip and trendy value to other potential Mac users and gathering the next generation of Starbucks sippping, one button clicking, iPod listening hipsters willing to spend twice the value of the computer to get the pretty white Mac logo and the trendy points with their hipster friends.

No reason to be worried !

[Mr Europe]

Don't be alarmed ! It affects only Windows.

We Linux users are safe.