Spyware in Kazaa, Limewire, Grokster

BigMacMike writes: "The San Francisco Chronicle (via the sfgate.com website) has a story that Kazaa, LimeWire, and others have secretly hidden software in their applications that track users' browsing habits." Not the first time. The corporate response is that they literally didn't know what was in these secondary applications that they were providing to be downloaded and installed alongside their primary program. Believe it if you wish.

If the information was they collect was useless...

If the information they collect was useless, then they would not collect the information.

Re:Mac versions

No, the program seems to be Windows only, according to LimeWire.

Re:Double Edged Sword...

Free music has a price, and it's really not all that bad if your computer doesnt have anything REALLY incriminating on it

This is frighteningly similar to the arguement that if you have nothing to hide, why, you won't mind the police searching your house. Its not the fact that I'm trying to hide something, I just feel that its an intrustion of my privacy when programs report my activities to a third party.

What makes you think they only log downloads?

I wrote an article on Kuro5hin entitled The Spyware Invasion [kuro5hin.org] when I found out that there was a piece of Spyware(WebHancer [webhancer.com]) on my machine that was logging EVERY URL I VISITED. It turns out that this company sells these statistics that they obtain from over 16 million unsuspecting users to businesses for over $12,000 a pop.

What bothered me in particular about this approach is that I know a few websites that log users in with their pasword in the URL (Slashdot is one of them) and I wondered exactly how many of my passwords and userIDs had been sent to webHancer over the past weeks I had it unknowingly running on my machine. Of course, I quickly ran Ad-Aware [lavasoftusa.com] on my machine and changed all my online passwords.

PS: The offending application that installed this spyware was AudioGalaxy [audiogalaxy.com].

You installed that spyware.

A friend of mine worked at webHancer for a while. Trust me, there's a nice dialog that:
1. tells you what webHancer is
2. tells you what webHancer does
3. asks you if you want to install audiogalaxy with or without it.

I've installed audiogalaxy several times, and all you have to do is uncheck the check box. But most people click "Next" without even reading the dialogs.

You consented to it. That doesn't make it spyware, it makes it ignorantware.

wow... now i feel kinda bad...

... for downloading all that pr0n...

hope limewire doesn't sell this info to my girlfriend...

"honey, this jenna jameson person has alot of stuff on your computer, do you work with her?"

Re:morpheus

I thought you guys were sophisticated.

add this to your "hosts" file

127.0.0.1 ads.musiccity.com

(if you don't know where that is do a find hosts, it is somewhere in your windows directory. Morpheus will no longer pop up any ads

C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

they probably wont mod up a helpful windows post, so the answer for windows users is in the subject line. ad-haters might like to add all these:

127.0.0.1 ads.x10.com
127.0.0.1 ads.musiccity.com

127.0.0.1 207-87-18-203.wsmg.digex.net
127.0.0.1 Garden.ngadcenter.net
127.0.0.1 Ogilvy.ngadcenter.net
127.0.0.1 ResponseMedia-ad.flycast.com
127.0.0.1 Suissa-ad.flycast.com
127.0.0.1 UGO.eu-adcenter.net
127.0.0.1 VNU.eu-adcenter.net
127.0.0.1 a32.g.a.yimg.com
127.0.0.1 ad-adex3.flycast.com
127.0.0.1 ad.adsmart.net
127.0.0.1 ad.ca.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.de.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.fr.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.jp.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.linkexchange.com
127.0.0.1 ad.linksynergy.com
127.0.0.1 ad.nl.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.no.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.preferences.com
127.0.0.1 ad.sma.punto.net
127.0.0.1 ad.uk.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ad.webprovider.com
127.0.0.1 ad08.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 adcontroller.unicast.com
127.0.0.1 adcreatives.imaginemedia.com
127.0.0.1 adex3.flycast.com
127.0.0.1 adforce.ads.imgis.com
127.0.0.1 adforce.imgis.com
127.0.0.1 adfu.blockstackers.com
127.0.0.1 adimage.blm.net
127.0.0.1 adimages.earthweb.com
127.0.0.1 adimg.egroups.com
127.0.0.1 admedia.xoom.com
127.0.0.1 adpick.switchboard.com
127.0.0.1 adremote.pathfinder.com
127.0.0.1 ads.admaximize.com
127.0.0.1 ads.bfast.com
127.0.0.1 ads.clickhouse.com
127.0.0.1 ads.enliven.com
127.0.0.1 ads.fairfax.com.au
127.0.0.1 ads.fool.com
127.0.0.1 ads.freshmeat.net
127.0.0.1 ads.hollywood.com
127.0.0.1 ads.i33.com
127.0.0.1 ads.infi.net
127.0.0.1 ads.jwtt3.com
127.0.0.1 ads.link4ads.com
127.0.0.1 ads.lycos.com
127.0.0.1 ads.madison.com
127.0.0.1 ads.mediaodyssey.com
127.0.0.1 ads.msn.com
127.0.0.1 ads.ninemsn.com.au
127.0.0.1 ads.seattletimes.com
127.0.0.1 ads.smartclicks.com
127.0.0.1 ads.smartclicks.net
127.0.0.1 ads.sptimes.com
127.0.0.1 ads.tripod.com
127.0.0.1 ads.web.aol.com
127.0.0.1 ads.x10.com
127.0.0.1 ads.xtra.co.nz
127.0.0.1 ads.zdnet.com
127.0.0.1 ads01.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads02.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads03.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads04.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads05.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads06.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads08.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads09.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads1.activeagent.at
127.0.0.1 ads10.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads11.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads12.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads14.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads16.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads17.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads18.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads19.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads2.zdnet.com
127.0.0.1 ads20.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads21.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads22.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads23.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads24.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads25.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ads3.zdnet.com
127.0.0.1 ads3.zdnet.com
127.0.0.1 ads5.gamecity.net
127.0.0.1 adserv.iafrica.com
127.0.0.1 adserv.quality-channel.de
127.0.0.1 adserver.dbusiness.com
127.0.0.1 adserver.garden.com
127.0.0.1 adserver.janes.com
127.0.0.1 adserver.merc.com
127.0.0.1 adserver.monster.com
127.0.0.1 adserver.track-star.com
127.0.0.1 adserver1.ogilvy-interactive.de
127.0.0.1 adtegrity.spinbox.net
127.0.0.1 antfarm-ad.flycast.com
127.0.0.1 au.ads.link4ads.com
127.0.0.1 banner.media-system.de
127.0.0.1 banner.orb.net
127.0.0.1 banner.relcom.ru
127.0.0.1 banners.easydns.com
127.0.0.1 banners.looksmart.com
127.0.0.1 banners.wunderground.com
127.0.0.1 barnesandnoble.bfast.com
127.0.0.1 beseenad.looksmart.com
127.0.0.1 bizad.nikkeibp.co.jp
127.0.0.1 bn.bfast.com
127.0.0.1 c3.xxxcounter.com
127.0.0.1 califia.imaginemedia.com
127.0.0.1 cds.mediaplex.com
127.0.0.1 click.avenuea.com
127.0.0.1 click.go2net.com
127.0.0.1 click.linksynergy.com
127.0.0.1 cookies.cmpnet.com
127.0.0.1 cornflakes.pathfinder.com
127.0.0.1 counter.hitbox.com
127.0.0.1 crux.songline.com
127.0.0.1 erie.smartage.com
127.0.0.1 etad.telegraph.co.uk
127.0.0.1 fp.valueclick.com
127.0.0.1 gadgeteer.pdamart.com
127.0.0.1 gm.preferences.com
127.0.0.1 gp.dejanews.com
127.0.0.1 hg1.hitbox.com
127.0.0.1 image.click2net.com
127.0.0.1 image.eimg.com
127.0.0.1 images2.nytimes.com
127.0.0.1 jobkeys.ngadcenter.net
127.0.0.1 kansas.valueclick.com
127.0.0.1 leader.linkexchange.com
127.0.0.1 liquidad.narrowcastmedia.com
127.0.0.1 ln.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 m.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 macaddictads.snv.futurenet.com
127.0.0.1 maximumpcads.imaginemedia.com
127.0.0.1 media.preferences.com
127.0.0.1 mercury.rmuk.co.uk
127.0.0.1 mojofarm.sjc.mediaplex.com
127.0.0.1 nbc.adbureau.net
127.0.0.1 newads.cmpnet.com
127.0.0.1 ng3.ads.warnerbros.com
127.0.0.1 ngads.smartage.com
127.0.0.1 nsads.hotwired.com
127.0.0.1 ntbanner.digitalriver.com
127.0.0.1 ph-ad05.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ph-ad07.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ph-ad16.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ph-ad17.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 ph-ad18.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 realads.realmedia.com
127.0.0.1 redherring.ngadcenter.net
127.0.0.1 redirect.click2net.com
127.0.0.1 regio.adlink.de
127.0.0.1 retaildirect.realmedia.com
127.0.0.1 s2.focalink.com
127.0.0.1 sh4sure-images.adbureau.net
127.0.0.1 spin.spinbox.net
127.0.0.1 static.admaximize.com
127.0.0.1 stats.superstats.com
127.0.0.1 sview.avenuea.com
127.0.0.1 thinknyc.eu-adcenter.net
127.0.0.1 tracker.clicktrade.com
127.0.0.1 tsms-ad.tsms.com
127.0.0.1 v0.extreme-dm.com
127.0.0.1 v1.extreme-dm.com
127.0.0.1 van.ads.link4ads.com
127.0.0.1 view.accendo.com
127.0.0.1 view.avenuea.com
127.0.0.1 w113.hitbox.com
127.0.0.1 w25.hitbox.com
127.0.0.1 web2.deja.com
127.0.0.1 webads.bizservers.com
127.0.0.1 www.admex.com
127.0.0.1 www.alladvantage.com
127.0.0.1 www.commission-junction.com
127.0.0.1 www.freestats.com
127.0.0.1 www.imaginemedia.com
127.0.0.1 www.netdirect.nl
127.0.0.1 www.oneandonlynetwork.com
127.0.0.1 www.targetshop.com
127.0.0.1 www.teknosurf2.com
127.0.0.1 www.teknosurf3.com
127.0.0.1 www.websitefinancing.com
127.0.0.1 www2.burstnet.com
127.0.0.1 www4.trix.net
127.0.0.1 www80.valueclick.com
127.0.0.1 z.extreme-dm.com
127.0.0.1 z0.extreme-dm.com
127.0.0.1 z1.extreme-dm.com
127.0.0.1 toolbar.netscape.com
127.0.0.1 actionsplash.com
127.0.0.1 ad.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ads.belointeractive.com
127.0.0.1 ads.bluefish.com
127.0.0.1 ads.doubleclick.net
127.0.0.1 ads.inet.com
127.0.0.1 ads.inet1.com
127.0.0.1 ads.intelliads.com
127.0.0.1 ads.realcities.com
127.0.0.1 ads.ucomics.com
127.0.0.1 adserver.matchcraft.com
127.0.0.1 adserver1.harvestadsdepot.com
127.0.0.1 ads1.intelliads.com
127.0.0.1 cj.com
127.0.0.1 clickhereforcellphones.com
172.0.0.1 clickheretofind.com
127.0.0.1 clickthrutraffic.com
127.0.0.1 connect.247media.ads.link4ads.com
127.0.0.1 content.uclick.com
127.0.0.1 hitbox.com
127.0.0.1 kr123.com
127.0.0.1 qksrv.net
172.0.0.1 rmedia.boston.com
127.0.0.1 servedby.advertising.com
127.0.0.1 www.actionsplash.com
127.0.0.1 www.clickhereforcellphones.com
127.0.0.1 www.clickheretofind.com
127.0.0.1 www.clickthrutraffic.com
127.0.0.1 www.cj.com
127.0.0.1 www.kr123.com
127.0.0.1 www.qksrv.net
127.0.0.1 w26.hitbox.com
127.0.0.1 ads.nextlevel.com

As if We Didn't know already

use Ad Aware and discover what we already should have known. Bearshare and AudioGalaxy do, too. Big deal.

Zonealarm shows it's doing funky stuff.

The solution to this is: don't use them. Or, use a version of them that doesn't have the spyware. Limewire version 1.3 is a little slower but doens't have ads or spyware (but 1.7+ does).

-- Kevin

Death Knell for Closed Source Software

IMO, spyware is the single issue that is going to weigh heaviest in the scales in the eventual switch of businesses (and sensible users) from CSS to OSS.

It's a real shame, though, that most businesses can't seem to see any value in the internet beyond collecting data about consumers.

BearShare

another program that gives a user access to the gnutella network comes with 3 spyware programs to spy on users...

first being Onflow Media Player... it is a Flash-like browser plug-in which displays animations and transmits user behavior information (not further specified) to the Onflow central servers.

second being SaveNow... SaveNow displays context-related shopping pop-up windows in IE... the context information seems to reside on the client side so that no information has to be transmitted to the central server

third being New.net, which is an alternative Domain Name Service which allows you to connect to TLDs like .free , .shop, .game and .xxx, etc, etc.... also, as they have to query an alternative DNS to let you access these sites, they will be able to track every visit to new.net-"powered" sites.

not to mention all of these programs have silent auto-updates...

why can't we all just use FreeNet? :-\

FreeNet

Because if we all used FreeNet it would crash like a Microsoft built cessna flown by John Denver.

Re:originally called a trojan

It was in the register (my other regular read who scoops slashdot at least 1/2 the time BTW) - and people above seem to have been missing the point, yes, this is not gator or some other silly thing, it's spyware classified as a trojan by antivirus vendors because, it appears, no-one knows what exactly it does.
LINKS: - the register article [theregister.co.uk]
zdnet on the trojan [zdnet.com]
symantec listing the file as a trojan [symantec.com]

get rid of all spy ware

Download the acclaimed Ad Aware program (link provided) here [lavasoft.de]. It searches your registry and all your drives for running and installed spyware programs. It works great.

Re:get rid of all spy ware

A point of interest: If all the intellectually affluent people know how to, and indeed do, uninstall spyware, and this margin is not taken into account by the people that are recepients of the spyware data, would this not lead to a sponsoring of a dumber internet by promoting the sites that attract, well, the less technically fortunate?

Suppose HP (who is advertising here right now, by the looks of it) is looking to advertise on the net - if the spyware data they buy shows that Slashdot, for example, is hardly even notable on the top spyware list, would this not be detrimental to Slashdot's (or rather VA's) efforts to make a buck off advertising, and in particular directed advertising? Advertisements that are possibly better directed to Slashdot may go to PC Magazine (for lack of a more appropriate choice) or other "mainstream" service.

Of course, when advertising a car, Slashdot is hardly well-directed advertising and is oft notably a selection of people most fortunate technically, but there is probably a clear area where the technically inclined can find better content on any topic over the internet that spyware would never reveal statistically.

A few things

First - the worst spyware/malware/virus.

Fucking Bonzai Buddy
I swear that fucker resides in the MBR it is such a pain to get rid of. Once it is gone, windows is unstable (yeah, yah troll on, 2k is damn stable before this shit is installed)

Second, the exec lies thru his teeth.
And the clicktilluwin "not do anything until activated" motto is pure bullshit, this thing starts sending data from the moment it is installed beside limewire.

Of course, http://www.lavasoftusa.com/index.html is an awesome prog - ad aware lets you know what shit you have on your system and then removes it usually quite effectively. To be honest, shit like this might actually be a good arguement for open source, how many "features" are installed in popular programs that we have no idea of - i.e. they have been integrated into the program. Its also a really fucking good arguement for using opera (BTW, you know /. says that a majority of people are using ie 5.0, opera allows you to change its settings so it looks like it is ie (for the fucking sites that wont let other browers in) I switched, i dunno about others..

One last thought: Clicktilluwin
It was classified as a trojan horse, because that is what it is - think of this - if the av manufacuters bent over a desk for these fuckers (declassifying this "program" as a trojan), you think that they would protect you from the FBI?!?!!?
Shit, if the threat of a lawsuit is all it takes, someone could make a virus, sue all the av companies that made solutions, and then sell "protection"...

Re:How can you tell if it's installed?

You can also do as The Register's oft-quoted article suggests: [theregister.co.uk]

Those who prefer to see to their own Trojan removal need only search for a hidden directory under their \Windows directory called \Explorer. Simply delete the \Windows\Explorer directory, along with the companion file Dlder.exe in the \Windows directory.

Kazaa has it big time...

AD-AWARE (current 5.62) is one of the BEST ad removal tools for windows computer, grab it at Lavasoft [lavasoftusa.com]. It's free, it has updates (download the latest definition file after installing the 5.62 version) and I've tracked it's every move with a filesystem scanner, and it doesn't put thrash anywhere in your system.

It scans Registry, cookies, files, dlls, and it found the Kazaa backdoor installed in my system. Usually when you put a software you can remove it's tracking bugware and the main software will still run (I remember posting an article here over a year ago about bearshare having that same type of crap that Kazaa is using right now but it got rejected). What's interresting about Kazaa is if you remove the offending DLL (which is Cydoor bugtracking stuff), Kazaa won't start anymore, this really shows how BAD they want to track your moves.

While I don't have anything against software companies making a buck by selling tracked info, I do have something against companies being hypocritical about it. When you install Kazaa, it offers you a lot of "free stuff" that any above average users knows that it means advertising stuff, spamming and tracking. This is okay in my book at LEAST it's part of the installer and if you don't know and say yes, well that becomes your problem. What I find really hypocritical is i've unselected EVERYTHING exept "Kazaa needed files" and it STILL installed that bugware thing, and it's not mentionned anywhere CLEARLY in the installer. People get pissed at microsoft activation process which is clear, known and way less intrusive than that, but they let that pass in exchange of leeching free MP3, vids, p0rn and warez. If one day the big suppliers of content on that services have an FBI raid at their places, they'll scream justice and claim that FBI couldn't use the informatin that Kazaa was getting from them because it's not constitutionnal. Well I'd say, make up your mind, if you want P2P and privacy, go to some other service, an example, Download winMX, run Ad-aware in case there's anything installed with the newer versions, and it will probably still run after the cleaning process (I use winMX I love it). Don't support crooks like Kazaa and bearshare that are trying to look friendly, on your side, and pro this and that, while they turn around and sell your browsing habbits without your knowledge.

Also, notice when you're not uploading or downloading, but kazaa is running.. your drive burps every 5 seconds.... I'm still trying to figure out why.. it doesn't stop even after an hour.. it's not "windows-typical" drive burping.

Anyways... hope that helps anyone out there.

Re:Kazaa has it big time...

problem is kazaa wont run unless cd_Clint.dll exists, www.cexx.org has a cd_clint dummy dll file that will deactivate it and let kazaa continue to run.

Re:Kazaa has it big time...

> Also, notice when you're not uploading or downloading, but kazaa is running.. your drive burps every 5 seconds.... I'm still trying to figure out why.. it doesn't stop even after an hour.. it's not "windows-typical" drive burping.

I don't use spyware, so I never installed Kazaa, so I can't help you. But I'm curious, too. (I hate advertisers, and anything that threatens to kick over the rocks under which they grow is k00l by me ;)

So try a utility like this one: Sysinternals' filemon.exe [sysinternals.com]

Could be as innocent as your swap file, 'cuz some Windoze proggies leak memory like sieves. Could be something less-than-innocent. Let us know!

It's ClickTillUWin

Here's a (dutch :P) site about this thing, with more details http://www.zdnet.nl/News.cfm?id=14504 The article says that LimeWire 2.0.2 and Grokster ask on installation if you want to install a certain 'service' or program called 'ClickTillUWin'. Whether or not you confirm or deny this request, it secretly DOES install it on your pc. This so-called online lottery game contains the trojan. If you go to clicktilUwin.com you'll see that there are possibly more programs 'infected' by this trojan (check the partners section). What is basically does (according to the above article) is install a file called Dlder.exe. When you start the p2p program it came with, dlder.exe will automatically start too and download a second piece, called explorer.exe (and no, not the same one windows users normally have). This program then does some things to the windows registry and sends usernames and your ip adress to http://www.2001-007.com. Symantec (the guys of Norton Antivirus) have called this thing a trojan horse and all of their antivirus applications will regognize it as one. The above article also states that other antiviruscompanies have also already updated their software (waiting for you to press the 'update button' that is :)

Some Good Advice, Again....

It's been put up here lord knows how many times, but here goes again. I use the Lavasoft [lavasoftusa.com] software Ad-Aware to check and clean my system on a regular basis. Not only do I use it, if I have a friend who is having problems with their system, I usually will run it there as well. nine times out of ten they have a program that is running in the background, that Adware classifies as "Spyware". Removing the "spyware" components my the friends system often fixes the problems they are having. It always finds things that shouldn't be on their system. We can debate cookies forever, but I'm talking about software that serves ads, sends information, or otherwise takes control of your system or partially takes control.

The old sage about not installing software from unknown sources applies more than ever, I don't know who these people are, but from reports I've seen and heard I wouldn't even consider installing them.

. If I do download software and install it (it inevitable) I scan the download for viruses and trojans, backup my registry, install it and then run Ad-Aware [lavasoftusa.com]. If Ad-Aware detects anything from the program, i uninstall the sucker. Then I reboot and run the old registry as well.

SaveNow Must Die!

There's all kinds of nasty spyware and adware [cexx.org] out there, but the one that raises my blood pressure is SaveNow/WhenUShop [whenu.com]. This is supposedly a voluntary opt-in system, but some program (probably BearShare) installed it covertly on my system and didn't remove it when I uninstalled.

The lost of privacy was bad enough, but SaveNow seems to work by hooking into Windows Explorer and intercepting a great many application events. For a long time I blammed the resulting performance hit on a combination of my own excessive system tweaking, buggy Explorer plugins, and MS software bloat. It wasn't until Explorer froze up totally that I realized some background process was interfering with it, and found the culprit by process of elimination.

It strikes me that this is not very different from activities that have gotten people sued [slashdot.org] or even arrested [slashdot.org]. It's all there -- unauthorized access, theft of services, malicious action. Perhaps it's time we gave Mister Ashcroft [slashdot.org] a call!

More information.

This was originally noted on the vuln-dev list in late december. For your amusement here are some links:

Grokster and possible trojan [securityfocus.com]

Clicktilluwin DLDER Trojan" [securityfocus.com]

Google Toolbar is spyware

I run proxomitron at work, I noticed that i kept hitting google when I was working on a company website. Later I noticed Google was already indexing my website. Like most users I trusted google wouldnt bounce my URLs off google, but they did.

Also, I started using Tiny [tinysoftware.com] firewall and started to block alot of software. Couple things I noticed, alot of m$ software trys to talk to the net. Office, Explorer, Windows Networking (not plain tcp/ip), m$ hardware drivers for mouse and keyboard, media player.

Also using a firewall stopped alot of freeware programs that grabs ad's worked great, they just couldnt get the banner ads or talk to the net.

We also use firewall software on our Sun production boxes we use EFS, encyrpted firewall software. It has a nice ACL list you can really lock down traffic. Only open port 80 for web traffic, and only to the load balancers, only allow SSH on the control network. Sometimes while your putting in a new network, the firewall ruleset is very basic, locking down the boxes help add a some security, and everything is logged to a logging server.

-
I was so naive as a kid I used to sneak behind the barn and do nothing. - Johnny Carson

What address do these trojans contact?

I'd like to set my private dns server to resolve them to 127.0.0.1 - I am especially interested in the kazaa one, since I use morpheus. I've already redirected sites like auto.search.msn.com, since every incorrectly url typed into IE is sent there.

Here is a comprehensive Hosts File that blocks em

here is a really comprehensive hosts file [remember.mine.nu] that blocks morpheus,bearshare,hotline and 10,000 advert servers, daily updates, instructions and works on all platforms including Linux/beos/macs ;)

There _IS_ a opensource gnutella client for win32

First of all I wonder how people get shocked about those companies making evil things...

Second is, I sure wonder how Gnucleus ( http://www.gnucleus.com ) which is a full open source program works perfectly on win32 platform isn't mentioned on messages.

The coder guy(s) say now it has even multi-source downloading, just like fasttrack.

There is also another problem, as those programs are closed source, how come they won't have _native_ spying? e.g. Morpheus sending current URL of IE easily from urlmon.dll to that dutch company? I mean, anyone checked it yet?

How it works (the real facts)

1st a quote..

"F-Secure Virus Descriptions

NAME: DlDer
ALIAS: Trojan.Win32.DlDer, Troj_DlDer

This two-component trojan was discovered in the end of December 2001. The trojan being installed on a user's system constantly upgrades its main component that connects to 2001-007.com website and reports user's ID, web browser a user is using and all URLs that a web browser and all its child windows open. The trojan violates user's privacy and opens a security hole in a system by downloading and activating executable files.

The main component of the trojan is Explorer.exe file that is located in Windows folder in \Explorer\ subfolder (do not mix with the original Windows' Explorer.exe). This component is constantly upgraded by the second trojan component that has the name 'DlDer.exe' and is located in Windows folder.

The DlDer.exe file is most likely dropped to user's system by ActiveX applet or Javascript code that a user doesn't notice when he is browsing Internet. The exact way how this file is dropped is not yet known. The case is under investigation.

The DlDer.exe file when it is started downloads Explorer.exe file from a website and puts it to \Windows\Explorer\ folder. Then the trojan creates a startup key for Explorer.exe file. On next System restart the Explorer.exe file is activated and it creates a startup key for DlDer.exe file and starts to connect to 2001-007.com website and report user's ID, web browser and all URLs that a user visits to there.

We recommend to delete both trojan components from an infected system. If these components can't be deleted (locked files) they should be deleted from pure DOS (in case of Windows 9x system) or renamed with different extensions (EXA for example) with immediate system restart (in case of Windows NT/2000/XP system).

[F-Secure Anti-Virus Research Team, December 28th, 2001]"

Now some links

Astechnica Forum - "Is download.com infected with a virus???" [infopop.net]

Arstechnica Forum - "explorer.exe and Explorer.exe" [infopop.net]

Computing.Net Forum - "How to delete trojan in explorer.exe" [computing.net]

Gnutella Forum - "p2p Trojan info" [gnutelliums.com]