Verizon's Idea Of Security: We Block Spyware... Unless It's From Our Partners
from the security-for-the-weak dept
Rich Kulawiec writes in after digging a bit deeper into a well publicized study done for Verizon, claiming that most Americans have a false sense of security on their computers. Digging a little deeper, you realize that the "study" is really a marketing ploy for a new security service Verizon is offering with RadialPoint (oddly, this seems to come just two months after Verizon announced a different security service). As for this new offering, there's a free scan and then a subscription service. Of course, in order to run the security scan on your computer you need to: (1) be running windows (2) disable your pop-up blocker and (3) run IE. As Kulawiec notes, "none of which are good ideas for anyone who actually cares about security." Kulawiec then went to check out the terms of service for the subscription offering and found some questionable claims:a. You acknowledge, agree and consent to the following: (i)That certainly sounds like Verizon won't block spyware from ad partners and will also spy on you and report the data back to Verizon. Yikes. No wonder people's computers aren't as secure as they think. If they're installing Verizon's anti-spyware offering, the company's own terms of service make it clear that you're basically opening up your computer to them. As for not blocking partner company's spyware, that's the same thing that Yahoo got into trouble over years ago -- but apparently Verizon hopes people have forgotten.
the Radialpoint Software, in its default configuration, does
not block ads from third parties or Verizon or its affiliates
and business partners, and may not identify as spyware certain
websites and applications from Verizon and its affiliates or
business partners,
and
(ii) Radialpoint Inc. and/or Verizon and
its affiliates have the right and do access and modify the
Software as well as the software (including registry settings
on your computer) and/or your hardware for various purposes
in connection with the Service (e.g. for the installation and
implementation of the Software and updates to it) as well as
to download, install and/or gather, obtain, collect and then
use, in relation to the delivery and operation of Services,
various information and data, including information necessary
to identify you and your computer to ensure that Services are
received as well as information necessary for the reporting of
these services , and (iii) use of such information and data by
Verizon will be in accordance with Verizon's privacy policy.
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Filed Under: security
Companies: radialpoint, verizon
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Another Great Service
Seriously, it is amazing how many people willingly install malware onto their own machine(s).
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Even still, shame on Verizon on abusing its gullible users like that.
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glad...
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Verizon
Among the worst things that Verizon has convinced themselves of is that they are a content provider. If they are, they do not provide very good products, and their deployment of these services is pretty uneven. (Anybody ever use the Bell Atlantic branded versin of MP3.com? No? Crickets?)
It isn't so much that they are a content provider because they usually just resell some other companies services/content. (Often at very little profit for Verizon I suspect.)
The reason this sort of thinking is so prevelant at Verizon (and I wouldn't be surprised if it also exists at the "new" AT&T and at Qwest) is because they fear becoming just a fat, dumb pipe.
Raise your hand if you want anything more than the pipe from Verizon.
Raise your hand if you use the email they provide to you.
(Looking for any hands to be raised.)
Bueller. Bueller? Ferris Bueller?
Uh-huh, just what I thought.
To the ILECs, being a fat, dumb pipe is one step short of extinction. So they'll fight tooth and nail to not be.
Woadan
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Securing Windows
Despite the public perception, it is quite possible to configure modern Windows deployments to be secure and eminently useable for productive activities. Such deployments do not exhibit all the bells and whistles that consumers and reviewers love.
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Why am I not surprised?
If you must use Windows (and the only reason I do is because I have to), you're wise to remember that just about everybody out there wants to peer through your Window at you, and they'll even stoop to using your fear of malware to induce you to install malware.
Oh, and your ISP is your enemy.
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Re: Why am I not surprised?
heh, well put.
This new Verizon service could be called voyeurware.
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Re: Why am I not surprised?
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The TOS even seems to imply that if you do deploy some genuine security -firewall etc- they can reconfigure your computer to make it ineffective.
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What dirtbags
"Radialpoint Inc. and/or Verizon and
its affiliates have the right and do access and modify the
Software as well as the software "
Oh, they can access BOTH the Software AND the software.
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The current state of the internet and Microsoft...
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Re: The current state of the internet and Microsof
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Re: Re: The current state of the internet and Micr
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What the Future Holds
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ISP is your enemy
how true this is.. example
our provincial telco (crown corporation ie: supposedly owened by the public and operated by the provincial government)has no hi-speed for you if you live more than 3 miles from the city/town. they do however have dial-up available..here is the kicker...basic dial-up $39.95 a month for 120 hrs. but if you buy there long distsnce bundle (add $49.95 to the original $39.95) you can get a whopping 180 hrs a month. ($1.85 per min for anything over the 180 or 120 hrs. w0w what a deal .. don't forget this is all on top of the basic $30 line fee.
contrast this to the ISP i found (hdcanada.com)
$6.95 a month UNLIMITED access (as well with multilnking of up to 10 modems included.. i use 2 56k modems and get almost dsl speeds )
now I know these guys didn't spend the last 80 odd years getting goverment subsidies and grants like all the big telcos or cable operators, yet how are they able to offer this kind of service.
The telcos and cable guys all cry we need it to pay for all the improvements etc. ok what have they been doing for the last 10 yrs with all the cash the extorted from the customers?.. never mind the last 40-50 yrs?
anyways boycott the big telcos or keep sending complaints to your gov rep telling them just how we feel about this big ripp-off.
jd
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I just want a pipe. A this point I pretty much view all isp services as spyware.
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ummm not me
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Verizon Rocks!!
Verizon shame on you for taking advantage of your customers that don't know any better. C.R.E.A.M. get the money, dolla dolla bill ya'll!! lol
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Marketing the Drug of Choice for America
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Same observation made elsewhere
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Let's Start an Anti-Spyware War!
In short, I'm tired of all the scamming online.
So I thought I'd start a war...
Have a nice day.
Keni
P.S. first battle: toolbars. lol
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As to spyware protection, I feel myself comfortable because I use PrivacyKeyboard that ensures protection of my sensitive information from the worst type of spyware - keyloggers.
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Re:
http://www.ethereal.com/
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The difference between Spyware and Managed Securit
Hi Mike, unfortunately the article I think is a bit misleading. This is a managed security service. As part of managed security services the company does provides updates, scans and data is exchanged between the SERVICE SUBSCRIBER, VERIZON and the provider of the service RADIALPOINT.
This isn't a privacy issue. Users who opt-in to the convience of having managed security services for their broadband connections are agreeing to let Verizon and Radialpoint help keep their computers safe.
Other security vendors who offer consumer managed security services have similar TOS agreements since the technical functions of a managed security offering require that the provider of the service be able to manage the security service.
Radialpoint provides managed security services through out partners (Some of the largest ISPs in the World) to millions of consumers who have opted for a low cost, managed security solution to keep their computers safe.
Many of these users do run IE, out of date security packages or find competing retail solutions from McAfee or Symantec cumbersome and they opt for a simple managed solution from their ISP.
Radialpoint was one of the founding members of the Anti-Spyware coalition and as a founder of the company I personally testified at the FTC helping to create the framework for assessing spyware and developing industry best practices in the areas of informed consent, limited data disclosure, no 3rd party ads and other privacy protections.
Verizon is offering their users a valuable service, which despite the work of Microsoft and other vendors is much needed as many consumers are plagued with REAL spyware that affects the performance of their broadband connections.
This results in higher support costs, network abuse and affects all the users of the Verizon service. They should be commended for offering consumers a solution and turning a critical business issue for ISPs (Support costs of diagnosing broadband subscribers security problems) into a business opportunity to provide security scanners and managed security services.
PS - The exclusion of Verizon provided software from its service partners adheres to a whitelist functionality that is similar to all ISP provided security tools. ISPs often include customer service diagnostic & management tools that when they offer security services they specifically exclude from blocking at the security level. If they offer security services that block other services that consumers subscribe too they would be creating customer service problems.
Spyware and the invasion of users privacy is something that Radialpoint has fought since it's inception in 1997 and I think it important to note the differences between managed security and spyware that hijacks users PCs, is installed without consent and tracks users behaviors while displaying ads or resetting users preferences.
One is clearly a valuable service, and the other is clearly unaccepted behavior.
I think your readers would benefit from a clearer description of what is being provided by this service.
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radialpoint and verizon - guilty as charged
If you were trying to make the case that Radialpoint doesn't allow what we're accusing it of - you've failed.. and wasted whatever time any of us have spent reading your paragraphs of pointless BS and pompous, well, buffoonery.
So if we're a Verizon customer, our computer is open to any manner of corporate sponsored and sanctioned malware. That's not okay.
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From RadialPoint's website ...
Simply put, they plant spyware for the ISP to target adware more efficiently.
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radial point & att
i was searching for answers and a security system that will not control me and my transactions when i came across your website.
thank you, Ruth
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verizons advertisement trick
that would normally use them, and are turning
to browsers like tor, for more secure web
use, but the biggest isp's haven't a clue
to what they are causing.
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