Re: Microsoft XP spying

Tech-Archive recommends: Repair Windows Errors & Optimize Windows Performance

From: David Candy (david_at_mvps.org)
Date: 04/27/04 

Date: Wed, 28 Apr 2004 06:02:28 +1000

Alexa is just a link to their web site with your current page tacked on (so it can look for related pages). It like saying google is spyware because you typed a search from the address bar and it actually got google to search.

Alexa does provide intrusive features in their other products. But their is no alexa code in XP. XP actually goes through MSN Search to give it to alexa.

This is the total code
<script>

//Build the query
userURL=external.menuArguments.location.href;
RelatedServiceURL="http://related.msn.com/related.asp?url=";

//Perform simple check for Intranet URLs
//this is where the http or https will be, as found by searching for :// but skip res:
protocolIndex=userURL.indexOf("://",4);
serverIndex=userURL.indexOf("/",protocolIndex + 3);
urlresult=userURL.substring(0,serverIndex);

//Check if Intranet URL - then open search bar

if (urlresult.indexOf(".",0) < 1) userURL="Intranet URL";
finalURL = RelatedServiceURL + encodeURIComponent(userURL);
external.menuArguments.open(finalURL, "_search");

</script> 

-- 
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http://www.g2mil.com/Dec2003.htm
"Phil (purplehaz)" <I.fix.probs@for.you> wrote in message news:un7fv0ILEHA.1272@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> True, people could use those components to get some info from you, but
> windows has many vulnerabilities. I guess I missed the point you're trying
> to make. Alexa and the WMP ID are not spyware, they are just possible ways
> that someone using a malicious website could get some info about your
> machine and possibly identify your machine. They don't send information,
> they simple hold info that someone else could get at. Not really technically
> spyware, but it is good to let spybot fix them.
> 
> Steve Nielsen wrote:
> > While you are correct that M$ does not spy it is true that Windows XP
> > does in fact contain spyware vulnerabilities which include Alexa
> > What's Related in IE6 and an ID exploit in Media Player. Spybot S&D
> > and Ad-aware both catch at least those two on every single fresh
> > install of XP I have ever seen.
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > Phil (purplehaz) wrote:
> >
> >> First of all....... there is NO spyware in windows, including
> >> windows xp. This is a false tale perpetuated by the MS haters.
> >> Nothing EVER gets sent to ms. Windows update doesn't even send info,
> >> it just logs ip addresses and such, but EVERY website out there does
> >> this. So just take the thought of MS gathering info and sending it
> >> out, because it is just not true. Second....... real player has
> >> nothing to do with windows XP or Microsoft. I do know that real
> >> player sends usuage stats and server stats to its parent company in
> >> hopes to collect data to make the product better. I'd hardly call it
> >> spyware, but I'd also remove it just the same. Unless you frequent a
> >> site that uses real audio it isn't needed.
> >> Last......... to take care of your spyware problem.......It sounds
> >> like your computer is full of spyware, and this comes only from not
> >> practicing safe and secure computing habits.
> >> You've got spyware, adware, a trojan, a search engine hijacker, or a
> >> home page hijacker.
> >>
> >> Run these tools weekly
> >> spybot -- http://www.safer-networking.org/
> >> ad-aware -- http://www.lavasoftusa.com/
> >> CW Shredder --
> >> http://www.softpedia.com/public/scripts/downloadhero/10-17-150/
> >>
> >> steve wrote:
> >>
> >>> My new machine has XP and I understand that Microsoft is
> >>> still getting away with taking stealing information from
> >>> my compouter and sending it there offices.  Does
> >>> RealPlayer do the same thing.  I jumped form 98 to XP and
> >>> my experience has been that one of the first things to do
> >>> is to uninstall or never install RealPlayer.
> >>>
> >>> Is there a solution to disable this spyware or catch them
> >>> in the act.
> >>>
> >>> Thanks
> >>>
> >>> Steve
> 
>

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Microsoft XP spying
    ... There should be one alexa per computer and it is not spyware. ... > Steve Nielsen wrote: ... >> While you are correct that M$ does not spy it is true that Windows XP ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.general)
  • Re: microsoft is making spyware ????????!!!!!!!!
    ... Alexa on Windows XP is not really spyware. ... Alexa is the component used with the "Related" function of Internet ... information that goes to microsoft evertimes you donīt ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
  • Re: microsoft is making spyware ????????!!!!!!!!
    ... >>pepimk software one of the best antispyware that exist ... >>and in my windows xp os computer and detect one spyware ... >>suprise was that the tecnic used from alexa is to ... >>spyware and windows is not in the spyware list why?. ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
  • Re: microsoft is making spyware ????????!!!!!!!!
    ... >pepimk software one of the best antispyware that exist ... >and in my windows xp os computer and detect one spyware ... >suprise was that the tecnic used from alexa is to change ... >spyware and windows is not in the spyware list why?. ...
    (microsoft.public.security)
  • Re: Help on SEARCH with MSN
    ... It is not spyware or any of those as I have them all ... You should periodically defragment your hard drives as well as check them ... using Windows XP "prettifications". ... You should at least turn on the built in firewall. ...
    (microsoft.public.windowsxp.configuration_manage)