Subject: Re: Secret conversations
Richard K. Moore (rkmoore@iol.ie)
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 09:02:16 +0100
Date: Sun, 14 Jun 1998 09:02:16 +0100 Message-Id: <v02110114b1a93f15db01@[194.125.43.249]> To: roundtable@cni.org From: rkmoore@iol.ie (Richard K. Moore) Subject: Re: Secret conversations
On 6/12/98, James Love <love@cptech.org> wrote:
>
> A detailed packet analysis (see http://www.macintouch.com/o98autoupdate.html)
> shows that Word sends Microsoft your computer's host name (or IP
> address) and Word version information, using Web (HTTP) protocols.
> Microsoft's server, in turn, sends back any dialog text and URLs in its
> HTTP response.
Obviously privacy is invaded, marketing info is gathered, and perhaps
licenses might be checked. I wonder if this could also function as an
`invader virus', ie, is there _anything the server could do that would
move arbitrary code down to the pc? And what about future releases of
Word which may do new and undocumented things over this channel? Do
we need a (not from MS) "com-virus check utility" that monitors
communications at the lowest level and checks for suspicious
interactions?
is there no keeping up with billy?
rkm
Richard K. Moore
<rkmoore@iol.ie>
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