GNG News Guy
01-03-2008, 12:41 PM
http://i.dslr.net/urls/21/3021.gif (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Spyware-By-Sears-90652)
Spyware researchers are insisting (http://www.benedelman.org/news/010108-1.html) that marketing software being used by Sears invades user privacy, and the company does little to educate the width and breadth of the tracking behavior of the software. An e-mail (http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/images/shc-comscore/sequence.html#1) from Sears urges users to join the "dynamic and highly interactive" My SHC Community, promising a sweepstakes entry and $10.
But anti-spyware researchers say the marketing pitch does little to educate users as to exactly how they'll be monitored. "It tracks every site you go to, every search you make, every product you buy, and every product you look at but don't buy," spyware researcher Edelman tells the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/02/AR2008010201051.html). Researcher Benjamin Googins stated precisely what's tracked in a blog post (http://community.ca.com/blogs/securityadvisor/archive/2007/12/20/sears-com-join-the-community-get-spyware.aspx) from December:•1. Monitors and transmits a copy of all Internet traffic going from and coming to the compromised system.
•2. Monitors secure sessions (websites beginning with https'), which may include shopping or banking sites.
•3. Records and transmits "the pace and style with which you enter information online..."
•4. Parses the header section of personal emails.
•5. May combine any data intercepted with additional information like "select credit bureau information" and other sources like "consumer preference reporting companies or credit reporting agencies".
Sears in turn insists the program is a "vehicle for customers who want a voice in the company's direction," and notes that users who join the program don't have to install the software.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Spyware-By-Sears-90652)
Spyware researchers are insisting (http://www.benedelman.org/news/010108-1.html) that marketing software being used by Sears invades user privacy, and the company does little to educate the width and breadth of the tracking behavior of the software. An e-mail (http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/images/shc-comscore/sequence.html#1) from Sears urges users to join the "dynamic and highly interactive" My SHC Community, promising a sweepstakes entry and $10.
But anti-spyware researchers say the marketing pitch does little to educate users as to exactly how they'll be monitored. "It tracks every site you go to, every search you make, every product you buy, and every product you look at but don't buy," spyware researcher Edelman tells the Washington Post (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/02/AR2008010201051.html). Researcher Benjamin Googins stated precisely what's tracked in a blog post (http://community.ca.com/blogs/securityadvisor/archive/2007/12/20/sears-com-join-the-community-get-spyware.aspx) from December:•1. Monitors and transmits a copy of all Internet traffic going from and coming to the compromised system.
•2. Monitors secure sessions (websites beginning with https'), which may include shopping or banking sites.
•3. Records and transmits "the pace and style with which you enter information online..."
•4. Parses the header section of personal emails.
•5. May combine any data intercepted with additional information like "select credit bureau information" and other sources like "consumer preference reporting companies or credit reporting agencies".
Sears in turn insists the program is a "vehicle for customers who want a voice in the company's direction," and notes that users who join the program don't have to install the software.
read comment(s) (http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/Spyware-By-Sears-90652)