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IP: Microsoft Programs Have Privacy Concern
From: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu>
Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 15:39:59 -0400
From: "Bill Burgos" <onomrbil () gol com> To: Dave Farber <farber () cis upenn edu> Date: Thu, 31 Aug 2000 12:02:53 +0900 Filed at 8:49 p.m. ET By Reuters SEATTLE (Reuters) - Documents created with some Microsoft Corp. (MSFT.O) software can be rigged to ``phone home'' to another computer and report where and how often a document is read, a privacy organization said on Wednesday. The technique, known as a ``Web bug'', takes advantage of a shortcut for including images in Microsoft's Word word processor, Excel spreadsheet software and PowerPoint presentation program, the Denver-based Privacy Foundation said on its Web site. But the group's Chief Technology Officer Richard Smith added that there was no evidence that anyone had exploited the set-up, and he did not recommend that users disable the features in their software. <snip> http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/technology/tech-microsoft- privac.html Bill onomrbil () gol com mailto:onomrbil () gol com
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- IP: Microsoft Programs Have Privacy Concern Dave Farber (Aug 31)