[ISN] Security UPDATE -- Reading EULAs Can Help Prevent Spyware Infiltration -- September 28, 2005

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Thu Sep 29 00:27:16 EDT 2005


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1. In Focus: Reading EULAs Can Help Prevent Spyware Infiltration

2. Security News and Features
   - Recent Security Vulnerabilities
   - Microsoft Boosts Its Ability to Provide End-to-End PKI Solutions
   - New Microsoft Tool Locks Down Shared XP Systems

3. Security Toolkit
   - Security Matters Blog
   - FAQ
   - Security Forum Featured Thread

4. New and Improved
   - Control Endpoint Media Devices

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==== 1. In Focus: Reading EULAs Can Help Prevent Spyware Infiltration
   by Mark Joseph Edwards, News Editor, mark at ntsecurity / net

Does anybody (except lawyers) really like reading End User License 
Agreements (EULAs)? For that matter, does anybody like reading privacy 
statements? I doubt it. But it's something we all should do because if 
we don't, we can eventually wind up with all kinds of spyware on our 
networks that could lead to serious problems. 

For example, you might download a slick-looking desktop tool, click to 
accept the EULA without reading it, then later find out that the tool 
has been recording all your Web and email activity and sending that 
information to someone's data collection center. In another scenario, 
you might install the latest IM and chat tool. If you don't read the 
privacy policy, you might not know that the company providing the tool 
reserves the right to track who you contact, how often you transfer 
data, and more. 

That's just the tip of iceberg. In fact, poorly written EULAs and 
privacy statements, along with people's unwillingness to read them 
carefully, have spawned an entire multimillion- (if not billion-) 
dollar industry that now focuses exclusively on the elimination of 
spyware.

When surfing the Web last week, I came across an interesting story at 
Techdirt that points out just how lackadaisical people can be when it 
comes to reading EULAs. Techdirt pointed out an experiment conducted by 
PC Pitstop (at the URL below). The company embedded in one of its EULAs 
an offer of $1000 to the first person who simply asked for it! More 
than 3000 people downloaded the software before somebody actually asked 
for the check! 
   http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B63:4FB69

A few weeks ago, I learned about a new tool, EULAlyzer from Javacool 
Software (at the URL below), which as the name implies is designed to 
help you analyze EULAs to look for areas that might need extra 
attention. It works by scanning for keywords. It then links to areas 
that contain those keywords so that you can review those spots. I 
tested EULAlyzer on a EULA and found that it did point me to some key 
phrases that I needed to read more closely, but it certainly didn't 
eliminate the need for me to read the entire EULA carefully. 
   http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B61:4FB69

Last week, I learned about another tool, currently called Project Truth 
Serum (read about it at the first URL below), that will help analyze 
EULAs. That tool is being developed by Facetime Communications (at the 
second URL below) and is currently in closed beta testing, so I didn't 
have a chance to try it. But based on the sample output, which you can 
view at the third URL below, the tool provides similar functionality to 
EULAlyzer. 
   http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B5B:4FB69
   http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B67:4FB69
   http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B54:4FB69

I don't see any reason why EULA analyzers couldn't be made to analyze 
privacy statements. But when I tried EULAlyzer on a tool's privacy 
statement, it didn't flag anything as suspect, even though the 
statement did indicate that my use of the tool would be tracked. But 
maybe at some point, Javacool and/or Facetime will upgrade their 
analyzers to also work on privacy statements. 

At any rate, both of these tools are essentially designed to help guard 
against spyware. Although they're useful to some extent, they certainly 
aren't replacements for careful reading, nor are they designed to offer 
you legal advice. They are simply helper applications that might 
prevent you from overlooking something in a given EULA. If you're 
interested in this sort of helper application, try EULAlyzer and keep 
an eye out for Facetime's eventual product release. 

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==== 2. Security News and Features ====

Recent Security Vulnerabilities
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Microsoft Boosts Its Ability to Provide End-to-End PKI Solutions
   Microsoft announced that it has acquired privately held Alacris, 
maker of identity and access-management solutions. The acquisition puts 
Microsoft in a better position to offer end-to-end solutions and to 
take the solutions beyond the enterprise environment and out to 
consumers. 
   http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B5C:4FB69

New Microsoft Tool Locks Down Shared XP Systems
   Microsoft released a new toolkit that helps you lock down shared 
Windows XP systems. The new Shared Computer Toolkit for Windows XP 
includes three parts, including a disk protection tool, user 
restrictions tool, and an accessibility tool.
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==== 3. Security Toolkit ==== 

Security Matters Blog: Are Most Desktop Firewalls too Complicated? 
   by Mark Joseph Edwards, http://list.windowsitpro.com/t?ctl=14B62:4FB69

An interesting assertion is that Windows Firewall is enough for most 
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it just that such people need a more intuitive interface and possibly a 
little education? Read the rest of this blog entry for more about this 
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readers. 
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FAQ
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Q: How do I log on to Windows Vista using a domain account?  

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Security Forum Featured Thread: Problem with Windows Update 
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==== 4. New and Improved ====
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