[Love Calm Quiet]

In a rather sketchy general-public news item, BBC story today says:
"Do you know what is lurking in your hard drive?
"The average computer is packed with hidden software that can secretly spy on online habits, a study has found.
"The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year." . . .
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3633167.stm

An *average* ?!? Aside from all the discussion on MS Entourage, etc in another thread, has anyone (using "Little Snitch" or whatever) documented prime examples of what software "phones home"?

I know Adobe & MS are big on that. What about more malicious cpu-hogging processes by minor software players that might be doing more than just checking for updates or license violations?

[wataru]

The "average computer" does not run Mac OS. You are safe. There is no known spyware for Mac.

[Arkham_c]

Originally posted by wataru:
The "average computer" does not run Mac OS. You are safe. There is no known spyware for Mac.

Well, there was LimeShop. I'm not sure if it's still part of LimeWire, but I use acqlite instead of Limewire now to be sure.

[wataru]

Originally posted by Arkham_c:
Well, there was LimeShop. I'm not sure if it's still part of LimeWire, but I use acqlite instead of Limewire now to be sure.

They claimed to have removed it after I raised a fuss about it here and on MacUpdate. I don't know if it's back yet since I haven't touched LimeWire since.

Regardless, LimeShop is pretty benign when compared to what some backdoor trojans and whatnot could do.

[Millennium]

There is only one known spyware application for Mac OS X: LimeShop (there is no known spyware for Mac OS 9, as it largely predated the era of spyware). As others have noted, LimeShop was supposed to have been removed from LimeWire.

This does not mean that other spyware cannot be written: LimeShop proved that it can be done. However, none has been written yet.

[tooki]

I will also take the opportunity to note that Earthlink's software [correctly] does not count as spyware legitimate programs like Adobe's that phone home for updates, and only send info out if you permit it. Their program looks for surreptitiously installed software that collects info and sends it out, or takes over control.

Note also that one of the Office v.X updates removes the network serial number checking.

tooki

[C.J. Moof]

Ummm... which Office update is that? I've seen the "already in use by <other computer>" when both systems had the latest patch- 10.1.5.

[wataru]

Originally posted by C.J. Moof:
Ummm... which Office update is that? I've seen the "already in use by <other computer>" when both systems had the latest patch- 10.1.5.

Seconded. My girlfriend and I get that all the time with the latest version of Office.

[spiky_dog]

Originally posted by wataru:
Seconded. My girlfriend and I get that all the time with the latest version of Office.

time to turn on the firewall.

[C.J. Moof]

Or find that friend with the copy of the academic license installers, which doesn't do the serial check....

[tooki]

http://support.microsoft.com/default...roduct=macoffx

Indeed, though, the site-license version is blissfully serial-checking-free.

tooki