What is the thrill? [Archive] - PC Tools Community Forum

rabnud

01-10-2002, 03:10 PM

Am I just too old, or is there something I'm missing here....

Seems like every Windows OS I see these days wants me to provide Internet access.
And a network connection.
And my bank account information.
And my email address.
And my kids ages.
And more.

The I see there is a big security problem with this new XP release.

The OS, then, passes this information out whatever way it wants (maybe for good purposes, but maybe for a hackers purposes).
And windows has been passing out my CPU information.
And Windows was once slated to passout my memory capacity, hard disk capacity, date Windows was installed, video card capabilities, mouse information....

Now maybe I'm too paranoid, but hey, it happens that cybercrime is not decreasing, there is good reason why I won't use these "Features".

Still, am I the only one around who wants to remove these risky "features"? I think not, so I ask:

"Is someone out there in C++ land (assembly land, Pascal land, etc) writing anything which can reveal, and better still, uninstall or otherwise disconnect the software which does these things"? Should I simply delete winsock stuff? No, I'd like to surf, that wont be productive, so I think I want to disconnect the dlls, the vbxs, and whatever else provides the service to the OS.

Seems that the most recent developments in the Windows OS camp is to spread my data around.
Since you only get that data by permission, the software shopuldn't decide who gets what, *I* should be deciding that.Edited by rabnud on 01/10/02 09:17.

palerider

01-11-2002, 09:37 AM

Hi rabnud,

try this http://www.xp-antispy.de
Its a german site, but with an english version.
I think this solves most of your problems.

;-) Wish you success PR

rabnud

01-11-2002, 01:22 PM

Thanks, but I'm not running XP, and from what I can translate of the Google cache, I think the product is intended for XP. I couldn't get to that website, my browser locked repeatedly. I then tried Googles cache of the page, but that is blank. Finally, in Google, I found some text describing the antispy product, in German... which I do not comprehend. I copied the text, pasted it into a babelfish translation site, and learned that it refers to XP registration and subsequent data transfers, after XP is installed.

My concern is not over any one OS, but the general trend toward putting what I consider to be really high risk data onto PCs, where any OS could pass it out. That combined with the fad toward Internet being tightly integrated with my home life... that I'd want all of my lifes data stored on a PC. My policy is that if the information is not stored on my PC, it cannot be delivered via the internet in any fashion, neither deliberately transferred nor hacked. And since I do not use internet banking, nor internet bill paying, why must I deal with all of the excess Internet access software: I can hardly avoid installing the software, because the installation routines seem to provide no alternatives, when I give up avoiding installation (because the installer cannot seem to cope with "no"), it takes up space when stored on disk, uses more memory and CPU when running, opens up greater opportunity for software conflicts (which result in core dumps or lockups), you get the idea. I run on the premise of KISS and TIMPCIDWIIOI ("Keep it simple, stupid", and "This is My PC, I decide what is installed on it").
I guess I'm whining.

Thanks again for the tip, I might research this concept more at a later time.

Mocha

01-11-2002, 07:39 PM

I think we have to live with it.;o\

There are things you can do. For example: Install a Firewall, Tiny Personal Firewall is a good program...(my choice).

Get IEspyad, a registry add-on with a LONG list of things to add in Restricted Sites in the security section of I.E. Read instructions, because you have to choose Custom under Restricted and choose either disable or promt in order to use.

http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm#IESPYAD

Uninstall or disable Windows Scripting Host, unless you're a programmer or something. There's a very small program called 'NO Script', Norton script disabler.

You can hide Links and Favorites list, etc. in your browser. Change your Password every once in awhile.../images/forums/icons/tongue.gif

Carol

coolsights2000

01-11-2002, 07:53 PM

also when you registry the stuff Is there anybody twisting your arm with a knife to your throat...

Don't use you real name... and address or phone number.....

And if you use a puter on the net with all your personal information or company info then you are the fool!!!

when you go to a site use a junk email addy I have a few email address I use each one for different reason.... Just let the junk mail addy fill up....

so the junk mail will get returned

Just think of how many computers have more information about you than you think!!!!

Here is one I got a in my email today!!!

BEST IDEA I'VE HEARD OF IN A WHILE

When you get ads in your phone or utility bill, include them with the payment. Let them throw it away.

When you get those pre approved letters in the mail for everything from credit cards to 2nd mortgages and junk like that, most of them come with postage paid return envelopes, right? Well, why not get rid of some of your other junk mail and put it in these cool little envelopes!

Send an ad for your local dry cleaner to American Express. Or a pizza coupon to Citibank. (I especially liked this!)
If you didn't get anything else that day, then just send them their application back! If you want to remain anonymous, just make sure your name isn't on anything you send them.
You can Send it back empty if you want to just to keep them guessing!

Eventually, the banks and credit card companies will begin getting all their junk back in the mail. Let's let them know what it's like to get junk mail, and best of all THEY'RE paying for it! Twice!

Let's help keep our postal service busy since they say e-mail is cutting into their business, and that's why they need to increase postage again! Send this to a friend or two or three...or fifty...

LOL just venting

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

Mocha

01-11-2002, 08:10 PM

Fantastic ideas!! I may just get on mailing spree here. lol

BTW, if you can find out how to keep MCI off my back, PLEASE let me know. I've told them everything I can think of, hung up on them, the last time....told this guy "MCI ripped me off, they've called me a million times. For the last time 'don't ever call me again'!"

The next time they call me, I'm going to press charges.....Reason: telephone harrassment.

ME

coolsights2000

01-11-2002, 08:30 PM

LOL MCI loves to rip people off you didn't fall for there line

This is the latest gimmick on the market and maybe the biggest rip-off of all. Is it safe to assume that 6.9¢ means 6.9¢ a minute? Not any more. Several unscrupulous companies are using calling units instead of per minute rates. A 30 second call could mean 6.9¢ x 2.5 calling units. You wind up paying more than l7¢a minute for that call and you never know about it! Even their fine print is confusing. Unless you know what to look out for, you will get burned by these companies.

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

rabnud

01-11-2002, 08:32 PM

1] "put me on your do not call list"
federal law requires them to have such a list.

2] right around telemarketer time, i.e., dinner time at my house, when anyone calls, try this (worked for me):
a] pick up the phone as fast as you can - the computer which initiates the call might never detect a first ring.

b] say hello softly and quickly - the computer which initiates the call might not hear you.

c] stay on the line, do not breathe loudly, and just listen - say nothing, you already said hello, it's their turn.

Eventually, the computer which dialed the call guesses that the phone was picked up, it transfers the call to a human; but not right away, if you performed all of step 2 the right way.

Then, since you already said hello, you are waiting for *them* to say hello. But they are waiting for *you* to say hello, so they patiently (or not so patiently) wait for you to say hello. But you never will, you already said hello.

Finally, by being silent, they might hear some background noise in your house (my house certainly makes noise!). They keep waiting, and waiting, and waiting, because the telemarketing company either trains them to *wait* for "Hello?" from you, or maybe even requires them to wait.

One guy waited for about 3 minutes, mumbling about "...pickup... ...pickup..." and finally my kids made enough noise "What the...", I hear noises (click click) in the background, then he got a clue: "Have a nice F***ing day ma'am!" and he hung up.
I really liked this - I'm a guy - he had no clues.

Anyway, he wasted his own time by waiting for me to speak, all because he trusted his computer dialer did the job correctly.

I figure this has a 20 - 30% chance of success.

coolsights2000

01-11-2002, 08:40 PM

get caller Id... if it says no name or number or blocked
tell them you do not talk to people who block there caller id.... It will **** them off royal....

I have noticed all these junk call show up this way
also bill collectors calls come in that way...

they were always calling for jeff at my last job
jeff was the boss do you think he was going to dock his own check..

forgot to say he used to thank the bill collector for paying his bill. In the state that I live in they can not sue you for medical bills...

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

rabnud

01-11-2002, 08:44 PM

Real names? No, certainly not: usually, my first name is "Tired of" and my last name is "Spamm"!

Sometimes it is "U.R. IInosey"

Am I a fool? I hope not, I do not use that software deliberately, but ain't it a bother to convince the software that you do not want it, but it gives you no choices?

That's why I posted - I don't want to install Internet Exoser on every Windows PC, but - try to avoid installing it!

The installer will whine here, whine there, the installation balks at every step, if you decide you don't want what Microsoft tells you to use.

I do not wan't to use "lookout - PressX", but you just can't get around the default email client choices: Microsoft forces you to choose either Exchange or Outlook Express - no "fill in the blank", no "do not use email".

Thats why I posted, in hopes that there are some enterprising coders out there who have either created a "Get disconnected" suite of tools, or at the very least, can tell me how to regedit the whole shooting match to suit *my* fancy, not Billys.

And yes, I realize that I'm using the net to post these messages!!

By the way - thanks for the ideas about the junk return mail!

rabnud

01-11-2002, 08:48 PM

Well, I'm a newbie, so here goes: a firewall restricts access by knowing to leave only so many holes open, but if I am legitimately opening port 1000 for POP3 email, there is a hole where somebody can exploit a connection, and they don't have to popup a message telling me they are coming.

www.grc.com offers a lot of neat information about AdAware, but cookies are still collecting data against my will (try surfing without cookies for a day - what a chore!).

Edited by rabnud on 01/11/02 14:50.

coolsights2000

01-11-2002, 08:52 PM

LOL

You don't mind if I steal your identity I could use a new credit card U.R. IInosey

Oh buy the way is that Mr Mrs or Miss

Oh what the heck I'll just use U.R. IInosey Jr.

you can look at my site I have some links to some good blockers

Click here (http://www.geocities.com/putertuneup/CTP1.html)

lavasoft .com is down so use

Click here (http://www.lavasoftusa.net)

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expertEdited by coolsights2000 on 01/11/02 14:55.

Mocha

01-12-2002, 01:00 AM

Did you download that IE-spyad file I mentioned. It's a file to merge into your registry. It adds a VERY long list in the Restricted sites.

Check it out and read up about it. The ads still popup, but cannot leave a cookie on your PC. No point in using the Internet, if you're going to disable cookies.

I'm not going to live in Paranoia Land, so you can leave me out o' that one. /images/forums/icons/tongue.gif It's not worth!

Carol

BTW, I've been using Ad-Aware for quite awhile, but it's nice not to get them in the first place.

Coolsights....not to get you goin', but if you can believe it, www.aol.com is on the list! LOL Help! I know I'm doomed now. No remarks, Please:)
Edited by Mocha on 01/11/02 19:14.

Mocha

01-12-2002, 01:43 AM

I'll try to make a short story long. /images/forums/icons/crazy.gif Yes, I did fall for a promotion deal early last summer. This was after an entire year with NO long distance co. I had to stick it out for 3 mos...I'll spare you the details.

When you dump them, that's when they hound you to get you back!! Which has been going on for three months. I have caller ID, and don't get most of the calls, but an unavailable call to me means MCI! Every once in awhile I pick it up, just to let them have it. /images/forums/icons/mad.gif

Carol

coolsights2000

01-12-2002, 01:46 AM

LOL!
So is geocities at yahoo where you build web pages

It is just blocking AOL junk ads I have AOL messenger and it works just fine with the list

You know you can remove what you don't want in the list..

Any site you put in the restricted site list doesn't stop you from going there it just stops the site from doing stuff that is in the options under restricted zone list....

to stop someone from going there you need the list in the HOST file

I use adsubtract and it doesn't work to good with a HOST file.... because it has to have some info from those site inorder to blank them out....

Even with adsubtract you can add to the list in the registry I have added a few myself that pissed me off...

And I use POW to kill the pop up that adsubtract and the restricted site miss

I love surfing better now cause I don't have to close five windows before I can get to the info I realy want....

OH by the way what does 10x ads keep trying to load ever time there ad pop ups POW kills it but before it gets there a window pops up this page will not load properly because Active X is disabled

Thank GOD for that I don't need the C R A P any way.... I seem to get this one after doing a yahoo search...

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert

Mocha

01-12-2002, 02:10 AM

I use Google search, and nothing pops up, as far as I can recall. I've tried Popup Stopper, but it kills my Office toolbar and not the popups!

I like my Office toolbar, which includes a Ctrl. Panel Icon. I've tried POW, and Web Washer is too complicated. I can't remember whether I gave POW a chance or not.

I'm more concerned about all those cookies. I don't mind a few prompts. Yeh, I know you still get the Ads with that IE-spyad.

I found out recently on AOL toolbar> Settings> Preferences > under Marketing...you can select 'No' to product or service offers, AOL popups, emails from other organizations, etc...each item one one by one.

report_2

01-12-2002, 03:05 AM

I am tired of carrying out the full bag of junk mail to the recycle guy every two weeks so thanks for the options. LMAO

Cookies. I see them the same way I see answering my phone. If the caller is not willing to tell me who they are then I am certainly going to hang up on them.

The primary reason that I have PC is to access information on the internet.
I do not like my stored cookies trying to call home. They are stopped by my install of Zone Alarm so no big deal there.

I do not use spyware (anymore)

I also enjoy my Office Shortcut bar. On it I have created a shortcut to empty my selected cookies by Right click My Computer, Explore, Browse to C:\Windows\Temporary Internet Files folder. Right click the folder and drag it to the shortcut bar and select Create Shortcut here.
Each time I close out my browser I open the folder. I have it set to display by "Modified Date" so that I only have to remember the last or top cookie I want to retain. I hold the shift key and select the cookie above the last saved in order to select all above that cookie and hit the Delete button, They do not even go into the recycle bin. I have about 15 cookies I like to keep like Winguides'.

To remain completely anonymous; disconnect the wires to the internet, save around $21/month and one will never have to worry about privacy.

Anyone that has spent an amount of time to create a webpage that I find of value to me deserves to at least know who I am.
I find it a fair exchange.

Mocha

01-12-2002, 04:33 AM

Your shortcut to cookies deal is interesting. I don't mind the 'good' cookies.:) (Maybe they're chocolate flavored, who knows). They'll just be there again anyway!

It was interesting to learn, tho, after running Ad-Aware for the first time.....that doubleclick and admonitor, etc. are spyware. I suspected that and was deleting them every day, but it just plops another cookie EVERY TIME you go to the Internet. NO MORE!

The way I do is Right Click I.E. > Properties....can just get rid of it all at one time...cookies, temp. files, history, auto complete > clear forms.

I agree with you. If someone gives you access to their site with all these helps, programs and all that, it's fair enough.

I don't think some ppl. realize that cookies (chocolate ones only, of course) /images/forums/icons/laugh.gif are also helpful to them.

BTW, Popup Stopper doesn't really kill the Office Toolbar, but it hides it under my browser....same thing to me. /images/forums/icons/tongue.gif

Carol

I'm assuming you know this, but since we're on a cookie crushing party...
To whom it may inform: It's easy enough to choose View Files to get rid of cookies, AFTER deleting Temp. Internet files.

Edited by Mocha on 01/11/02 22:44.

coolsights2000

01-12-2002, 05:10 AM

LOL... I only have 161 cookies in my folder and most of them are sites I like to go to.... By running my setup I don't really need to clean my cookies

Between the restricted site list and adsubtract they do a good job and POW takes care of the rest it closes the junk windows before they have a chance

I do see a few that I need to add to adsubtract and the restricted site list... Looks like few ads got thur..... But we will take care of that real fast....

LOL

Thanks
Mac!!!

This Is just my opinion
So if it stinks wait for another one
Cause I'm no expert