Popular software may be monitoring your habits and slowing your PC

03/27/2003

By DOUG BEDELL / The Dallas Morning News

When Roger Olney used the KaZaA file-sharing service to download a utility for his home computer, he got a rude introduction to the slippery world of spyware.

First, he mistakenly downloaded and installed a file called eblaster.exe.

"I am aware now after some research that eblaster is a program that monitors keystrokes (gulp) in super stealth mode (shiver, double gulp)," Mr. Olney told members of the discussion group alt.privacy.spyware, where he turned for emergency help.

But, as group members would later inform him, the KaZaA Media Desktop program itself was already monitoring much of Mr. Olney's activity.

Unbeknownst to most users, Sharman Networks Ltd.'s KaZaA – the world's most popular post-Napster file-sharing program – has built-in software that spies on its users.

KaZaA is partnered with Brilliant Digital, which makes software that is downloaded and invisibly installed with KaZaA Media Desktop. Also, Brilliant's software automatically hooks users into yet another network, Altnet, which can track behavior as well as store and retrieve targeted banner ads and pop-ups.

It even seeks to profit from siphoning off processing power from its customers' computers.

Last year, the revelation that Brilliant's software had been piggybacking on KaZaA led to some consumer backlash. Technically, the Altnet program could be called adware, tracking software that users agree to download as part of the End User License Agreements. But EULAs are so filled with legal jargon that they're largely unread.

Many KaZaA users protested that Brilliant's tactics qualify it as spyware, software that monitors users without asking permission. The EULA language is 5,000 words long and almost incoherent, they argue. One programmer even developed KaZaA Lite (www.kazaalite.com), which is KaZaA without Altnet.

Still, more than 60 million users worldwide have installed the KaZaA Media Desktop. Most are unaware that their machines can track their behavior and hook into Altnet.

"The masses are being victimized all the time," says Grey McKenzie, CEO of SpyCop Inc. (www.spycop.com), makers of a program that detects spy- and adware. "I think you now have to protect yourself against these programs, just like you scan for viruses."

Spyware and adware are being increasingly used by programmers to make money. When Mr. McKenzie started his company three years ago, for example, SpyCop's database recognized only about 30 commercially available spyware programs – mostly monitoring software used by spouses, parents and corporations.

Today, after expanding SpyCop's reach to include adware, Mr. McKenzie's database encompasses more than 350 monitoring programs.

"It's a huge industry now," Mr. McKenzie says. "Let's face it. There's big bucks in getting people's attention, and people willingly partake of these programs. Then suddenly they notice they're getting pop-ups all over their computers when they visit certain Web sites."

Mr. McKenzie's company sells SpyCop for $49.95, but free adware/spyware scanners are also available. They include Ad-Aware by Lavasoft (www.lavasoft.de), which last year won PC World Magazine's top award for software.

Ad-Aware has become an indispensable tool for many savvy computer repairers. Increasingly, users are complaining about problems directly attributable to adware and spyware.

F. Lee Pyles, owner of Compyles Computers in Rowlett, says it has become commonplace to find dozens of monitoring software installations on machines he repairs. Often, these programs run in the background, invisibly sapping processing power.

"I had one the other day that had more than 125 executable files that Ad-Aware found," Mr. Pyles says. "It was running like a dog. No sooner had I removed all that stuff and it was like I'd released the emergency brake on a car. It just came back to life."

Some monitoring software programs are almost impossible to uninstall. They may contain fake uninstallation components that trick users into reinstalling, rather than deleting them.

"Other times, you'll try to uninstall and they'll want you to take a survey, or they ask you, 'Why are you leaving?' " says Mr. Pyles. "Others will try and take you to their Web site. And they'll never completely clean out the directories they create. You've got to do that manually."

Much of the modern adware and spyware programming is poor quality, says Mr. McKenzie.

"It messes up your computer big time, and who's to know?" he says. "If people realize that this kind of stuff is going on, maybe something will happen."

Perhaps popular spots such as Download.com will some day become spy- and adware free zones, he says. But until consumers encounter widespread identity theft or machinery problems, Mr. McKenzie holds little hope for reform.

"You've got an epidemic here," Mr. McKenzie says. "This kind of programming gives an 8-year-old the ability to become a seasoned hacker. And that's just scary."

E-mail dbedell@dallasnews.com

DEFINITIONS

Spyware – Any software that monitors users without their knowledge or permission. The software might monitor your Web-browsing habits or record your passwords, credit card information or other e-commerce data. It usually relays the data to a third-party company or funnels the information for unethical purposes.

Adware – This software installs itself after you click "I agree" or legally consent to putting the program on your computer. The software might monitor your Web-browsing habits or ask for your demographic data to generate ads targeted to your interests. In general, users agree to view ads inside the program interface in exchange for a free version of the software.

Malware – Short for malicious software or files that are developed to do harm. This broad term includes viruses, worms and Trojan horses, which can be used to take control of a user's computer.

RESOURCES TO FIND AND RID SPYWARE

Spychecker – This online index allows users to check software end user license agreements (EULAs) before they download any program. It currently contains descriptions of about 1,000 pieces of software available on the Internet. For use by Mac, Linux and Windows.

SpyChaser – A downloadable program for Windows machines that allows users to search a database of more than 700 known spyware programs. This free index notes which programs contain uninstall options that do not actually uninstall, a trick used by dozens of adware and spyware programs.

Ad-Aware 6.0 – A free download for Windows machines that scans a user's hard drive for spyware and adware components, then allows easy removal. Ad-Aware comes in versions designed for large-scale businesses as well as home users. PC World Magazine gave this program its award for Best Software Product of 2002.

Spyware/Adware Remover 7.0 – A try-before-you-buy, Windows-only download created by BulletProof Software. It scans your PC's memory, registry and drives for more than 45 of the most common spyware and adware programs and helps you remove them. It also monitors your computer and warns you when spyware is being installed.