Re: Windows 95 Espionage ( ?? )

[kealeyl () Phibro COM (Larry Kealey)]

> > >  Microsoft officials confirm that beta versions of Windows 95 include a
> > >  small viral routine called Registration Wizard.  It interrogates every
> > >  system on a network gathering intelligence on what software is being run
> > >  on which machine.  It then creates a complete listing of both Microsoft's
> > >  and competitors' products by machine, which it reports to Microsoft when
> > >  customers sign up for Microsoft's Network Services, due for launch later
> > >  this year.

Can someone confirm this, my understanding is that the "Registration Wizard" transmits a
copy of the vfat [directory/file stucture] along with some configuration information on
the host where it is being run, but does not "interrogate every system on a network".
Which is consistant with:

> > >  "In Short" column, page 88, _Information Week_ magazine, May 22, 1995
> > >
> > >  The implications of this action, and the attitude of Microsoft to plan
> > >  such action, beggars the imagination.
> > >  An update on this. A friend of mine got hold of the beta test CD
> > >  of Win95, and set up a packet sniffer between his serial port and the
> > >  modem. When you try out the free demo time on The Microsoft Network, it
> > >  transmits your entire directory structure in background.

 Tatu Ylonen <ylo () cs hut fi> wrote [On June 6, 1995]:
> If any of this happens at our company, we will sue Microsoft for
> industrial espionage.

Sue?? Fat chance, if you are beta-testing Win-95, you have agreed to allow this activity
[always read the fine print of your license agreement...]

> This means that they have a list of every directory (and, potentially every
> file) on your machine. It would not be difficult to have something like a
> FileRequest from your system to theirs, without you knowing about it. This
> way they could get ahold of any juicy routines you've written yourself and
> claim them as their own if you don't have them copyrighted.

Sounds like someone is getting kinda paranoid...
If they ever tried something like this, they would be shut down by the government. Too
many security concerns - too many government/DOD computers running Windows and soon
Windows 95.

Also, it was reported to me by a friend that Compaq banned the use of Prodegy some time
ago because they were suspicious that it was being used [by IBM] as a spying tool...It
was reportedly doing the same thing. (Downloading the file allocation table in the
background.)

DISCLAIMER: I DO UNIX. (don't even own a PEE CEE, I have a REAL computer at home!)


L Kealey
Phibro Energy USA, Inc.