Comcast Hijacks Mac Firefox Users' Homepage; Offers Blame Game And Faux Apology In Return
from the operators-are-standing-by-to-apologize dept
As an internet user, chances are you'd like to set your own home page. However, if you're using Comcast's internet service and Firefox, Comcast won't let you do it. Krebs on Security reports that Comcast's Xfinity software (installed by techs with new accounts) actively hijacks user preferences, redirecting them to Comcast's home page:The software is unfriendly to Mac users running Firefox: It changes the browser's homepage to comcast.net, and blocks users from changing it to anything else.Trust me, nothing makes your users happier than the feeling that they no longer control their interaction with the internet. It goes further than that, though. The Xfinity software has also been spotted redirecting searches. This gives new users a chance to enjoy that "new internet smell," while simultaneously worrying that they've picked up some malware right out of the box. Not only that, but this so-called "necessary" software isn't actually necessary.
I heard this from a friend who'd just signed up for Comcast's Xfinity high-speed Internet service and soon discovered some behavior on his Mac that is akin to Windows malware - something had hijacked his Internet settings. The technician who arrived to turn on the service said that a software package from Comcast was necessary to complete the installation. My friend later discovered that his homepage had been changed to comcast.net, and that Comcast software had modified his Firefox profile so that there was no way to change the homepage setting.
While Comcast may be concerned about Xfinity's inability to play nice with Firefox, this just seems like a bad idea all around. When your software mimics the behavior of malware, you've failed. Of course, Comcast wants to make things right, which is why they first blamed it on Mozilla:
I contacted Comcast; they initially blamed the problem on a bug in Firefox. Mozilla denies this, and says it's Comcast's doing.Oh. Snap. Come on, Comcast. Level with us:
"This is NOT a Firefox bug or issue," a Mozilla spokesperson wrote in an email. "It is a Comcast method that applies preference changes to Firefox."
Comcast spokesman Charlie Douglas acknowledged that the Xfinity software hijacks Firefox's settings. He said the problem is limited to Mac users, and that permanency of the change was unintentional. He added that the company is in the process of correcting the installation software.Cool story, bro. There are several things I find dubious about this statement ("unintentional?"), but nothing is more shady than the phrase "obviously apologizing." Either you apologize or you don't, but stop acting like it's a foregone conclusion. Unless you've got your customer service team calling up affected users and apologizing for the inconvenience and offering a fix, then you're not "obviously apologizing." Obvious apologies don't need to be pointed out, especially in the past tense and even more especially after first laying the blame at the feet of Mozilla.
"Customers absolutely should be able to change their preferred homepage anytime," Douglas said. "We're obviously apologizing for any inconvenience we've caused Mac users."
Not that anyone would expect anything more from Comcast. In fact, they still haven't offered an official fix, but other presumably pissed off users have already found a workaround. When you leave it to your customers to fix your purposely broken (and "necessary") software, you're just further damaging your already in-tatters reputation.
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The fact that this is Comcast doing should never preclude criminal charges being brought under the Computer Misuse and Fraud Act.
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Re: Hacking!
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Re: Re: Hacking!
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See, if you want to hijack someone's computer, you have to buy the rights to do so first.
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Verizon pulls the same shit, but their software package is just crapware; as far as I know it isn't actively malicious like this.
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My defense was to boot my laptop into my Gentoo install and politely tell the technician to deal with it. Shockingly enough, even though the Comcast software wouldn't install (and yes, he tried it), the Internet connection worked flawlessly.
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If your OS has a TCP/IP stack, that's all you need to get on the Internet. ISP crapware is completely unnecessary.
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When they insist on installing crap on my machine I inform them I use linux, suddenly the software is not needed.
Fun when I call tech support too, their scripts are useless so they send a tech out and the squirrel chewed cable line gets fixed much faster.
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Re:
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"Typical Masnick hypocrisy... you earn money from ads on your site, but complain when Comcast does exactly the same thing"
Also: "Let's see you squirm"
How's that?
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Re: Re: Fishing
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Ya think I'd maybe someday have a chance to get on someone's payroll if I really applied myself? I know I'd have to work on my speling and, punctuaton, and god know my strawman technique has a long way to go, but a fellow can dream, can't he.
er...You koolaid drinking freetard.
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Re: How much are you paying for TechDirt?
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but why?
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Re: but why?
the page has their news, links to their shopping sites if they can intercept and take over some of your browsing habits, that will lead to profit
also the article skims over the fact that they are redirecting searches, meaning if you are looking for something and they have an affiliate that sells it they will push you there instead of letting you chose for yourself.
fucking over the customer for a chance to increase their bottom line
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Re: but why?
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You've been lucky
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Re: You've been lucky
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Taking over user's PCs?
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i dont see the issue here
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Re: i dont see the issue here
That made me chuckle.
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Re: i dont see the issue here
on PCs typically you have to contend with:
your pc manufacturers "custom" set up and settings.
your hard drive manufacturers "custom" drivers and tools
your modem manufacturers "custom" icons and "enhancements"
your usb drive manufacturers "custom" tools
and finally your ISP's ie toolbars and such...
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@Kadem
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This is to some degree a roll-out of Big Brother.
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Re: This is to some degree a roll-out of Big Brother.
On related news, the deployment of DNSSEC is progressing fine. The root and several TLDs already use it.
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Re: This is to some degree a roll-out of Big Brother.
dont use their DNS and dont install their software, there are your two opt outs right there.
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Re: This is to some degree a roll-out of Big Brother.
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comcast has a huge customer base and there are way more people using macs then that...
the number has got to be at least 25 people... maybe even 30!
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special software for internet?
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Re: special software for internet?
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As a Comcast customer
There is zero need to install it, unless you have VOIP, or I guess the security system now. Cable TV? Nothing for me to control. Besides, I have a router, and I am more than capable of setting it up and getting it working.
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vote with your dollars
P.S. Ironically, there's an ad for Comcast at the bottom of the page as I type this! Like there's any chance of me clicking that link now!!
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"Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming (code, scripts, active content, and other software) designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, gain unauthorized access to system resources, and other abusive behavior."
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Take advantage of Comcast - they do it to you
Then I upgraded cable service just so I can cancel it within 30 days and not be charged. I'll probably cancel the TV altogether soon and as soon as I have alternative broadband internet I'll cancel that too.
They seem incapable of fixing things over the phone - either internet or cable TV issues, so if they want to waste their time sending techs out let them.
Comcast knows they've pissed a lot of us and they're afraid of losing even more business than I'm sure they already have.
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If this is an issue that only touches (a) firefox users, and (b) mac users, don't you think it is pretty unintentional? I mean, what, are they hijacking 20 browsers total in the world?
If they wanted to jack home pages permanently, they would do it to ALL browsers, not just one, and not just on the least popular commercial platform, using an alternate browser.
I know you guys like to pee all over the ISPs, but geez, can you do it when they actually do something truly evil, and not just because someone made a programming mistake dealing with a very small subset of users?
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It's a fail. It's clearly a programming error (probably a windows programmer unaware of how Apple's operating systems are use to securing things to the Apple world), and nothing more. For Tim to go off is pretty amusing but absolutely misdirected.
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Well, Comcast hijacked IE and Firefox in a Windows setting so as I browse this conversation looking for help (before I contact Comcast which I don't expect will be much help) I suspect the earlier Mac Firefox combo was some sort of trial run, because I am pretty much the mainstream ignorant user and they have stuck it to me.
I tried the suggested solutions for deleting a variety of files or profiles, but they don't even show up so maybe Comcast got smarter and hid them better. Any solutions out there now?
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It doesn't run on my Linux box anyway.
An ISP should provide you a box with one or more ethernet jacks.
The ISP should not even assume that you have either a Windows PC or Macintosh.
What if you just want to plug in a WiFi router so you can provide internet service to your TiVo, your tablet, your phone, etc? No PC.
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Hijacks in windows machines too
The old Ma bell saying applies here too: Comcast, we don't care, we don;t have to."
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Re: Hijacks in windows machines too
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Big deal
What? Does no know how their farking computers and browsers work any more?
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Untruth
Second, I tell them that the software is almost primarily for spying purposes, such as tracking your movements on the web. Most toolbars are for the same purpose. They watch your searches, your mouse clicks, your hovers, the types of sites you visit, all for inserting targetted ads, as well as updating their search indexes.
You know the comcast installer was lying because, if you just ask one question, you'll know: what about systems such as your smartphone, or tablet, or linux box? Those work with comcast without installing anything.
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This is a big opportunity for you all to start getting a real life.
All those redirect searches have open your eyes.
Now get rid of the internet and start reading the Bible.
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Aff links
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Getting it fixed once and for all!!
He finally got so pissed off, that hr wote a long, very angry letter to the FCC, with a copy to the Town Corporation Commission, a copy to the State Corpoation Commission, a copy to his attorney, and he wrote a letter to Comcast's main offic and included copies of all the letters he had sent.
Well some big muckety muck at Corporate must have dropped a load in his/her pants! Six days later, he received a certified letter from Comcast's Corporate office, promising him that his problem would be resolved once and for all. They also offered him three months of free tv and internet. He was asked to contact the local office and arrange for the technicians to come out and permanently fix his problem.
To make a long story short, the problems have been fixed! Several Comcast truks want out, with level 5 techs and two tech supervisors. They re-wired the whole steet! They ran new coax to his house, replaced all the coax in his house with brand new coax. And not only my friend. Since we all live on the same street, and had similar issues, we all got rewired with all new wiring outside and insiide.
Moral of the story, do the same! Make one of the big muckks drop a load in his or her pantt!
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Xfinity software
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Very simple to change your homepage to whatever you want. Find a friend using any other internet provider. Take your computer to their location and log on to their ISP. Change your homepage to whatever you want using the tools provided in IE or any other browser. Once you have changed the homepage, the Comcast software can't change it back unless you do another download.
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Another issue that looks like Xfinity toolbar that won't uninstall
http://forums.comcast.com/t5/Web-Browsers/uninstalling-the-xfinity-toolbar-and-or-xfinity -search-home-page/td-p/1473109
Hope this will save a few other frustrated users some time.
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