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World's Most Annoying IE Toolbar
Posted by
michael
on Thu Jan 30, 2003 09:02 AM
from the someone-will-surpass-it-soon dept.
from the someone-will-surpass-it-soon dept.
nautical9 writes "Following the same devious footsteps of the infamous Bonzi Buddy, Gator, and Comet Cursor "enhancements", Xupiter now has their own self-installing toolbar for IE. There are many claims that if you leave your security preferences at their default level, it will install itself without your express permission. And once on your system, it's gracious enough to reset your homepage to xupiter.com, forward all your searches to their search engine, download and automatically launch applications (like gambling applets), and blocks all attempts to set these back to normal. Removing it isn't trivial either - it automatically checks for updates upon reboot, where it constantly changes the registry settings it uses, making the jobs of spyware removal programs like AdAware or Spybot Search & Destroy much harder. No word yet if it collects and forwards personal data."
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My searches (Score:5, Funny)
no it won't (Score:5, Informative)
People get into the habbit of clicking "OK" whenever something pops up. Next thing they know, they have Gator and all sorts of junk installed.
Re:no it won't (Score:5, Insightful)
I just went through 20 minutes of deleting it!
Parent
Wrong (Score:5, Informative)
And anyway, isn't that the digital equivalent of mugging and rape? I mean they either install the thing on your computer without permission and it totally fucks with everythig, or they trick you into installing it by outright lying about it and not telling you what a piece of shit spamware/spyware TROJAN HORSE it is. Couldn't they easily be sued for fraud and/or hacking people's computers?
Parent
Re:Wrong (Score:5, Insightful)
Then those Slashdotters would be wrong. Federal law prohibits unauthorized access to a computer.
Granted, you could argue that running IE and not installing the tons of patches MS has slapped over many of its plethora of holes is "granting authorization" to the remote site, but I don't think a judge's sense of irony would go that far.
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Re:no it won't (Score:5, Informative)
So I guess you dislike mozilla too?
Hint: Google for xpinstall or go to mozdev and install a browser expansion - directroly from the web page.
Parent
Re:no it won't (Score:5, Interesting)
I'd argue that it is. First they have to see a (familiar) file-dialog box pop up. They aren't just hitting "OK" in a box -- they know that they are saving a file somewhere. Even novice users are generally pretty familiar with the file open/save dialog boxes. Second, they have to navigate to their desktop. to save the file. Then they have to click "save", switch to Explorer, and then double-click the icon. Again, double-clicking is a fairly familiar action, and people are aware that yes, they are openin something. So we have many steps, including familiar steps that will tend to clue even a novice Windows user, rather than a single "OK".
Ultimately, the user should read any warning message that pops up, whether it's from IE, your anti-virus software, or from your OS.
Windows users are *innundated* by dialog boxes. Every time they delete a file. A whole slew of them when they install software. Four hours ago, my roommate was using a TV-viewing program that brough up a message box telling him that he'd "enabled option foo" each time he clicked a checkbox in the prefs dialog.
In addition, Javascript can bring up message boxes (idiotically enough, this is enabled by default by MS). So most users (*especially* Internet Explorer users) run into a ton of message boxes while browsing. Yes, perhaps they should go through each dialog box and examine it, but that's very time-consuming. If you read through Apple's Human Interface Guidelines, you'll notice that the *vast* majority of rules for menus and modal dialogs are designed around one single goal -- letting the user *not* have to examine each dialog box once they're familiar with it or boxes in similar software. The point is that Windows users are sick and tired of dialog boxes, and *do not read them* in detail. And they shouldn't *have* to be screwed over if they skim or misread a box when simply web browsing. A Javascript should not be able to take malicious, destructive action just because someone clicked "OK" in one of a series of dialogs that a Javascript popped up. To set up IE to operate this was was irresponsible in the extreme by Microsoft.
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THANKS (Score:5, Funny)
Re:You asked for it! (Score:5, Funny)
Oh GOD, now it's installed there too!
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Re:THANKS (Score:5, Informative)
You don't need an applet. Someone on slashdot has already done this. See this [slashdot.org] slashdot post, which, if you click the link in the posting, takes your browser on a carefully crafted roller coaster of 302 Object Moved across several different servers, eventually leading you to either the correct (advertised) New York Times article, or to goatse.cx if you are using IE. See my four replies under the post that explain how this was done. Note that the first of my replies was moderated as Troll because I was warning people about a goatse link.
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If it's going through all that trouble... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh yea... as if they're going to go through all of that trouble and deception and not collect and forward personal data.
Right.
-S
Pretty easy fix (Score:5, Insightful)
If you're using IE, you're running a piece of software *on your machine* which is advertising and providing the ability for a web page to basically screw your system up. If precisely this happens...well, you should have tried another browser.
(If you don't like the Moz suite approach, try Phoenix)
Re:Pretty easy fix (Score:5, Informative)
At any given time there are a dozen or so security holes in Internet Explorer. Right now there are 19 security holes [pivx.com] in the latest version of Internet Explorer, with all patches and service packs applied.
Parent
Basic protections ... (Score:5, Informative)
Hate to break it to you, but Mozilla does do automated installs from web pages. Just head on over to MozDev [mozdev.org] and see for yourself. Many projects, such as OptiMoz and Spellchecker, have automated install links right on the page.
Which only work if a) you actually have software installation enabled in your preferences, b) have write access to the location where mozilla is installed and c) will prompt you BEFORE it installs the software, giving the web server and the package being installed.
Automated installs are extremely useful - it's all a question of finding that balance between ease of use and ease of abuse.
Cheers,
Toby Haynes
Parent
Re:Basic protections ... (Score:5, Informative)
The basic problem is that it is easy and tempting to press "Yes" to every dialog, whether it is Mozilla or IE.
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Help! (Score:5, Funny)
No it doesn't :) (Score:5, Informative)
Re:No it doesn't :) (Score:5, Informative)
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Was it smart to include the link? (Score:5, Informative)
As far as I'm concerned, if you read the article and are dumb enough to go through the process of clicking the link and getting the software installed, maybe reading
Seriously folks, if you're going to want to check this think out for yourself, please have enough 'smarts' to do so with a 'non-IE' browser...
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck... (Score:5, Interesting)
If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it's usually pretty safe to say that it's a duck. In this case all of these enhancements sound like viruses to me, or at least a derivitave of a virus. Where viruses had to be cleverly coded in order to be as small as possible and avoid detection by a skilled hacker these new pieces of code are large and increasingly rely on being able to remove software that would remove it.
If you modify my system without me requesting it then you've installed a virus on my system. I should be able to call the FBI computer crimes division and get proceedings underway that result in you getting some nice free government accomodations.
Re:If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck. (Score:5, Insightful)
I agree. But it's interesting to note that if this software had been written by an individual, rather than a corporation, the FBI would already be looking for the culprit. For some reason, corporate misbehavior is below the FBI's radar.
From the article:
It's a browser toolbar that some swear is doing "drive-by downloads" -- installing itself without users' permission -- then taking over their systems and making it impossible to uninstall.
Technically, this is a virus. And IIRC, "unauthorized alteration of a computer system" is punishable by 5 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
Parent
Re:If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck. (Score:5, Interesting)
Hm. Sounds suspiciously like a trojan horse to me. Doesn't anyone know the difference anymore?
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What? No Mac version?? (Score:5, Funny)
For a while now (Score:5, Insightful)
The problem with these damn things is that you never quite know how they got onto your machine. I'm always very careful about what I install, and which dialog boxes I say "OK" to, but there's always the possibility that I accidentally let something slip through. I suppose that's why people aren't 100% sure if it can install itself right from IE without confirmation.
I'm getting increasingly sick of using IE, but I'm constantly running across sites that Mozilla just can't handle properly (or swiftly). And yes, I've cranked up the security level, though god knows why there exists any level of "security" that would allow unconfirmed installs.
A Temporary Fix... (Score:5, Interesting)
I was fixing somebody's computer that had this toolbar installed and it would crash IE every time you opened IE (Or tried browsing the web via windows explorer). But once I Disabled 3rd Party Browser Extensions, it worked fine...
Simple tip for IE users (Score:5, Informative)
First, set the "Trusted Sites" zone to the "MEDIUM" level.
THIS MAKES YOUR TRUSTED SITES ZONE THE SAME AS THE NORMAL INTERNET ZONE.
(People seem to flame this idea as a security risk without understanding that last bit)
Then, modify the "Internet Zone" and disable Active Scripting.
Finally, add all your favourite sites to the "Trusted Sites" zone.
You can now enjoy the full functionality of JavaScript etc. on your frequently visited sites including the usual protection of the Internet Zone.
Any site not in the Trusted Sites list cannot use JavasSript and so prevents pop-ups and other nasties such as self installing spy-ware.
Auto-Install (Score:5, Informative)
-Foxxz
Automatic downloads (Score:5, Informative)
It's the kind of thing you might expect from a 0.5 release; unfortunately, it's not the kind of thing you should only expect from Microsoft.
Self-installing programs are illegal. (Score:5, Interesting)
It's a monster (Score:5, Informative)
After finding that it did indeed have my wife's credit card number/home address/phone number I asked her what she used it for; She said that she didn't know where it came from but that it was causing her laptop to crash about every ten minutes ever since it added itself to her IE toolbar.
I then spent about 3.5 hours hacking the WinME registry trying to peel this thing out of her laptop because it's 'uninstall' doesn't!
Re:It's a monster (Score:5, Interesting)
This is my biggest nightmare at home. I have XP Home Edition - so I figured I finally have a solution to this problem - just make everyone else who uses the system a "limited user" - they finally figured out what unix did 20 years ago.
Nope - turns out half the software out there doesn't run without administrator access. And it isn't just lousy shareware junk either - try running MS Flight Simulator 2002 Professional as a "limited user". So now I need an admin account for the kids to play games - I set up the ground rules as being "don't web browse when logged into the games account", but of course there is no way to enforce that. I have Mozilla installed, so that at least is a start, but IE is still out there, and even with mozilla a computer-illeterate user can download a hostile
My only solution is to backup reasonably often. Still, I don't backup everything - just data - since it would use gobs of media. So if somebody hoses my system I'll be reinstalling everything - and that is quite a bit of junk - hundreds of megabytes of it having been downloaded from the web (redownloading over a 26k modem link isn't fun either).
If MS would at least code their software to not require admin access I'd be happy... Then again, maybe I should find an old PIII somewhere for the kids to play games on - of course it wouldn't have the GeForce III Ti accellerated graphics...
Parent
Re:It's a monster (Score:5, Informative)
Parent
Prevention tactic (Score:5, Insightful)
attrib +r "C:\Program Files\Xupiter"
This will wreak havoc with end users.. (Score:5, Insightful)
I find it hard to believe that it would install itself with everything set to default on a properly updated copy of IE 6.0 SP1. It's much more likely that Xupiter is just betting on people clicking yes to the security warning prompt.
Taken from Xupiter's end user agreement [xupiter.com]: To further enhance your media viewing experience, Xupiter reserves the right to run advertisements and promotions based on URLs and/or search terms users enter when navigating the Internet. Other enhancements and to allow access, users web browser, start page, search page, auto search option, bookmarks and default error page will be changed, along with the Xupiter accessory toolbar added to the web browser. Active desktop panel will be installed on the users desktop which will enable active desktops on the system for special promotions. Our software license requires that users browser start page be set to Xupiter.com in order to continue use of the Xupiter toolbar, from time to time we verify that users start page url is set to Xupiter.com, if it is not we reserve the right to alter it back.
Great - it enables active desktop too; what fun!
FUI Dialogs? (Score:5, Interesting)
Probably because the popup is a fake user interface dialog. How in God's name does even a novice user inadvertently grant permission for a software install when their original intent was to close the window? Or is it common knowledge these days that the X in the top right corner of a dialog box is synonymous with the OK button.
Bonzi is being sued [slashdot.org] for this, and these scumbags deserve the same.
Ah hah! (Score:5, Informative)
Restarted at DOS prompt to delete all the files. Regedit to remove every registry entry containing "Xupiter". After that, everything worked just fine, and I cranked up the security settings before I left.
This isn't the only one... (Score:5, Insightful)
The funniest part: this is the second time she's brought her computer in with these toolbars. After we had removed them the first time, we explicitly told her NOT to download web enhancements and toolbars...here she was again.
I have owned a computer since 1990, and since 1990, I have yet to use a passive virus scanner. Since 1990, I have yet to get a virus...this girl has had several in the past month, and she DOES have a virus scanner running.
Less clicking, more reading.
McAfee's Xupiter Removal Instructions (Score:5, Informative)
I followed this on friend's computer and it works.
http://vil.nai.com/vil/content/v_99904.htm
Already given up (Score:5, Funny)
Actually, now that I think about it, my Redhat desktop is kind of boring.....
why are they allowed to do this? (Score:5, Interesting)
a thirteen year old kid writes a virus that emails itself to everyone in your address book. he's found, caught, sentenced and tossed in jail.
a company comes along and writes a piece of "software" that installs itself on your computer without your knowledge, changes your preferences, watches your every move and reports it back to the marketeers, and digs itself into your system so the only way to get it out is to reinstall your entire computer... (oops, by the way, now that you're using Microsoft products, you may just have to buy a new version due to licensing BS) ... and the worst that happens to the company is some negative press (which, as we all know, bad press is better than no press at all).
so, why the hell isn't the FBI busting these peoples' door down and arresting them? what is the damn difference between what they do and what script kiddies do?
Disclaimer: I am aware that I am exaggerating, are you?
Re:Sick the Lawyers on Them (Score:5, Funny)
Every time I wiggle my mouse around or push my spacebar I need a law to clearly define what I'm doing, what my rights and responsibilities are, and what the punishments are if I wiggle that mouse a little bit too far to the left!
Laws, laws, more laws! We dont have enough laws!
People are too stupid to live lives themselves or take any sort of personal responsibility! We need laws and lawyers and lawsuits!
More LAWS! Laws are the answer.
I'm writing my congressman right now, demanding more and increasingly complicated laws!
Parent
Re:Sick the Lawyers on Them (Score:5, Insightful)
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Re:This is old news (Score:5, Informative)
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Complete uninstall? (Score:5, Informative)
I don't know about this week's version of the uninstaller, but previous versions were nice enough to leave behind big chunks of the program. Still running. Sort of the way a tick will leave its head behind if you yank it out with tweezers.
This is a pretty common and ugly tactic among spyware developers.
Parent
Re:Ouch.. (Score:5, Informative)
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Re:Ouch.. (Score:5, Informative)
- Our software license requires that users browser start page be set to Xupiter.com in order to continue use of the Xupiter toolbar, from time to time we verify that users start page url is set to Xupiter.com, if it is not we reserve the right to alter it back.
It just gets worse and worse...Parent
Let me summarize those terms: (Score:5, Funny)
Occasionally there will be software that stops our software. Our servers will report this back to us, and we will update our vir^h^h^hsoftware to shut this off. Software known to conflict with ours include Norton Antivirus, Symantec Antivirus, and several firewall utilities.
If we can find any information that is incriminating about you, we will sell it back to you for a price that we decide is right. Or maybe we we'll just keep the info and charge you a monthly fee not to tell anybody.
We may use your computer to propagate our software to other users by e-mailing everyone on your address book, and any IP addresses that you contact. We may also delete some of your programs to make more space for ours.
Finally, if we decide to, we will use your computer to participate in a DDOS attack of anyone we want. Thank you for using Xupiter. We hope you enjoy using our software as much as we do.
Parent
Re:Ouch.. (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/Xupiter.html
Or use Spybot S'n'D to remove it - Ad-Aware 5 hasn't been updated and can't get rid of all variants of it properly.
This page:
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/
will test you for Xupiter and 60-odd other nasties, if you're using IE.
Parent
Re:Question (Score:5, Informative)
Grokster.
I don't believe it's in the current distribution, but there's an awful lot of other unsolicited commercial software in it. Grokster and iMesh are competing for the 'most offensively spyware-laden app' prize.
Parent
Re:Sympathy (Score:5, Insightful)
And the woman who wears provocative clothing is asking to get raped.
What about the poor sods who have to use IE at work? What about technical neophytes? Should nobody be allowed to use a computer until they've studied CS for a couple of years and know who RMS is? I use Opera--quite happily--at home but I'm posting this (unfortunately) from a machine at work with IE, on which another browser is not an option. Educating an employer is often a slow, painful, laborious process. I'm trying, but it takes time.
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