Full Disclosure mailing list archives
Origin of the term "driveby download"
From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
Date: Fri, 31 Jan 2003 07:49:59 -0500
Hi Thor, Actually the term "drive-by download" is a marketing term invented by Alexa Internet according to this old posting on Fucked Company: downloads - you click you get it 1/31/2001 01:58 PM EST no, there was a time (and how they got the majority of their users) that it was a driveby download, meaning you click on the banner you got it! it was only towards the end that the proceedure was changed because of all the complaints. the big guys debated back and forth (when they were speaking) about the instant download process vs. permission based. Yes, there is ActiveX warning message for a driveby download, but I think it is classic "blaming the victim" to call users who click the yes button as "stupid". Most computer users today just see a computer as a tool and they are not programmers. Vendors like Xupiter and Gator are working the percentages by relying on users to not read the warning boxes carefully enough and hope they hit "Yes" button to make the boxes go away as quick as possible. If an ActiveX control auto-installs without a security warning, then most likely security settings must be messed up. Richard -----Original Message----- From: Thor Larholm [mailto:lists.netsys.com () jscript dk] Sent: Friday, January 31, 2003 2:53 AM To: Richard M. Smith; full-disclosure () lists netsys com Subject: Re: [Full-disclosure] Question about the new Xupiter toolbar From: "Richard M. Smith" <rms () computerbytesman com>
Has anyone looked into this new Xupiter toolbar to see how it is being installed on people's computer? In particular is it using some IE security hole for the install or does it just use the standard ActiveX drive-by download mechanism?
It is a standard signed ActiveX component, you have to EXPLICITLY accept installation. It is not using any security holes for installation, and it will only auto-install if you have set your security settings to the absolute MINIMUM. The only culprit here is user stupidity. There is no such thing as a "standard ActiveX drive-by download mechanism", that term is utterly FUD. Regards Thor Larholm _______________________________________________ Full-Disclosure - We believe in it. Charter: http://lists.netsys.com/full-disclosure-charter.html
Current thread:
- Question about the new Xupiter toolbar Richard M. Smith (Jan 30)
- Re: Question about the new Xupiter toolbar Brian McWilliams (Jan 30)
- Re: Question about the new Xupiter toolbar Thor Larholm (Jan 31)
- Origin of the term "driveby download" Richard M. Smith (Jan 31)
- Re: Origin of the term "driveby download" Brian McWilliams (Jan 31)
- RE: Re: Origin of the term "driveby download" Geo (Jan 31)
- RE: Re: Origin of the term "driveby download" Brian McWilliams (Jan 31)
- RE: Origin of the term "driveby download" Richard M. Smith (Jan 31)
- Origin of the term "driveby download" Richard M. Smith (Jan 31)
- Re: Origin of the term "driveby download" Thor Larholm (Jan 31)
- Re: Origin of the term "driveby download" madsaxon (Jan 31)
- RE: Origin of the term "driveby download" Richard M. Smith (Jan 31)
- RE: Question about the new Xupiter toolbar Richard M. Smith (Jan 31)
- <Possible follow-ups>
- Re: Question about the new Xupiter toolbar xss-is-lame (Jan 30)