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All Things Microsoft => Microsoft Software => Topic started by: dull60 on 9 September 2004, 06:55

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 9 September 2004, 06:55
Hi i was reading the article on windowz logging all the websites youve been to, all files, ect. Ive also read other articles on media player logs and i started watching windows i discovered windows was using 20% or so of my bandwith. Now knowing windows that can be good. Someone at work mentioned a program to remove the files that do this but i cant find the program. Can anyone here help or post a link to where I can find one?
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: M51DPS on 10 September 2004, 02:32
If you are worried about your system, you might want to patch windows, get a virus scanner, and get a spyware scanner.

Of course, there's a much more effective way to avoid these problems. Grab the latest version of Firefox (http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/), and enjoy a faster, safe experience online. You can even get a replacement (http://www.linuxiso.org/) for your whole operating system.

If you're willing to spend the money, it might be a good idea to try a Mac.

[ September 09, 2004: Message edited by: M51DPS ]

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 10 September 2004, 03:25
No I understand about the spyware, virus, ect. i have those programs. And i use firefox. Its windows it self JUST windows is using my bandwith and brodcasting to microsoft so rest assured its not spyware doing it. So please can someone offer feed back on this?
oh and i run Fedora on my other box i just use windows to game. And a mac just isnt all that usefull to me.

[ September 09, 2004: Message edited by: dull60 ]

[ September 09, 2004: Message edited by: dull60 ]

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: worker201 on 10 September 2004, 05:53
Turn on your windows firewall.

Alternately, get a non-MS firewall.  Find out what ports your mystery programs are using to get out, and block outgoing traffic on those ports.

But don't blame me if Windows coughs and dies because your mouse can't call home to report your usage statistics.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 11 September 2004, 02:48
GOD I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT 3RD PARTY SPYWARE I AM TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF THING LABELED ON THE FIRST FUCKING MICROSUCK PAGE BUT FOR XP INSTEAD OF 98.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: mobrien_12 on 11 September 2004, 03:19
Worker did understand that you were talking about XP itself.

Get a 3rd party firewall program like zonealarm.
When it asks if it can talk to microsoft.com  tell it NO.  

MS isn't going to like this.  After all, they obviously think they have a right to make your computer phone home all the time.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: worker201 on 11 September 2004, 03:42
quote:
Originally posted by dull60:
GOD I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT 3RD PARTY SPYWARE I AM TALKING ABOUT THE TYPE OF THING LABELED ON THE FIRST FUCKING MICROSUCK PAGE BUT FOR XP INSTEAD OF 98.


I'm not entirely sure what you are talking about.  I even cruised the Microsuck home page to find any articles like the one you speak of.  Perhaps you could provide a link?

Look, an OS uses ports (like doors).  Ftp traffic comes to one door, http traffic to another.  There are hundreds of doors, and in Windows, they are all unlocked by default.  If you close a door, nothing can get in or out through that port.  So, if you close whatever port Microsoft happens to be using to send its spydata to the home servers, then the data will not be sent.  All you have to do is figure out what port to close.  A quality firewall program will let you close any port you like, anytime you wish.

Caps lock should be off when conversing on forums.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 19 September 2004, 12:56
the artical im talkin about is here
http://www.microsuck.com/content/ms-hidden-files.shtml (http://www.microsuck.com/content/ms-hidden-files.shtml)
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: worker201 on 19 September 2004, 13:42
The registry edits should be similar for both 98 and XP.

XP locates the IE hidden files (which are not entirely hidden) in \settings and users\yourname\content\.  I don't have windows in front of me to verify that this is the correct path, but you can at least start there.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Refalm on 20 September 2004, 01:35
quote:
dull60: windows was using 20% or so of my bandwith


It's called QOS, and it's installed on all Windows XP machines by default.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Orethrius on 20 September 2004, 01:46
quote:
Originally posted by worker201:
The registry edits should be similar for both 98 and XP.

XP locates the IE hidden files (which are not entirely hidden) in \settings and users\yourname\content\.  I don't have windows in front of me to verify that this is the correct path, but you can at least start there.



C:\documents and settings\yourname\local settings\temporary internet files\content.ie5 (assuming you're still boneheaded enough to be using Messy).

My cache is:
C:\documents and settings\administrator\application data\mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\0cxjgukw.default\Cache
Nice and in the open.   :D

 
quote:
Originally posted by Refalm / BOB:


It's called QOS, and it's installed on all Windows XP machines by default.



What's the point of running Quality of Service anyway, both in theory and in reality?  I mean, I haven't yet toyed with XP enough to know this for certain, but can't I just turn it off to regain some of MY bandwidth for MY usage?
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 23 October 2004, 22:39
Of course this is a late post but so what i started the forum post so...

first off I AM COMPLETELY INSULTED THAT YOU WOULD THINK I USE IE!!! I havent used it for 2 years first I found Netscape then I went to Mozilla(because its so much better than Net$cape) ok now why on earth hasnt any one told me how to shut down Quality OF Service... or even really what it does.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: WMD on 24 October 2004, 04:12
Go to: Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services.  One is called QoS, and another is Distributed Background Transfer Service (or something like that).
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Canadian Lover on 24 October 2004, 07:12
quote:
Originally posted by Dylan Shaw:
Of course this is a late post but so what i started the forum post so...

first off I AM COMPLETELY INSULTED THAT YOU WOULD THINK I USE IE!!! I havent used it for 2 years first I found Netscape then I went to Mozilla(because its so much better than Net$cape) ok now why on earth hasnt any one told me how to shut down Quality OF Service... or even really what it does.


this isn't a Microsoft help forum, Mr Shaw.

[ October 23, 2004: Message edited by: Canadian Lover ]

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 24 October 2004, 07:15
shut up Morison-cough- i mean Canadian Lover
i wuz askin if there is anyway to kill a microsoft program that tells Microsoft my personal shit...
now detective dipshit u mind phonin that into tech support?

[ October 23, 2004: Message edited by: dull60 ]

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Canadian Lover on 24 October 2004, 07:16
http://www.windowsbbs.com (http://www.windowsbbs.com)

[ October 23, 2004: Message edited by: Canadian Lover ]

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: WMD on 24 October 2004, 08:36
quote:
Originally posted by dull60:
i wuz askin if there is anyway to kill a microsoft program that tells Microsoft my personal shit...

I answered you.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Orethrius on 24 October 2004, 13:28
First off: dull60, I didn't mean to suggest that you used Messy, that was merely a "cover-my-ass" provision.
Second off: CanadianLover, you have lost your ability to speak in this thread.  You have been eaten by a grue.
Third off: WMD, my thanks for actually being civilised enough to answer dull's question.

Finally, somebody bin this damnable thread before it breaks out into a flame war.  Nip it in the bud while it's still a wee semi-flame.    ;)

[ October 24, 2004: Message edited by: Midnight Candidate/BOB ]

Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Aloone_Jonez on 15 January 2005, 06:33
You can't kill of the MS spyware program as it's part of the operating system. svchost.exe continueiously reports all your activity to MS the firewall on the standalone PC at work keeps bitching about this.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Orethrius on 17 January 2005, 13:09
quote:
Originally posted by Aloone:
You can't kill of the MS spyware program as it's part of the operating system. svchost.exe continueiously reports all your activity to MS the firewall on the standalone PC at work keeps bitching about this.


Jesus Christ.  Okay, you *HAVE* to prove this one.  I'm sick of you making up shit.  Here's a thought: kill svchost.exe and see what happens.  Tell us here, after you reboot for killing the System Services Daemon.  Besides, QoS isn't *that* hard to kill.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Refalm on 17 January 2005, 13:20
quote:
Originally posted by Midnight Candidate/BOB:


What's the point of running Quality of Service anyway, both in theory and in reality?



Are you serious?  :eek:
Quality of Service is a requirement for large networks.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Aloone_Jonez on 17 January 2005, 14:00
quote:
Originally posted by Midnight Candidate/BOB:

Jesus Christ.  Okay, you *HAVE* to prove this one.



The firewall that we have reports that an unrecognised module svchost.exe is trying to access the internet and xxx.xxx.xxx ip address, I typed the IP address into MS internet explorer (dumbass IT dept won
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Refalm on 17 January 2005, 19:37
quote:
Originally posted by Aloone:

Also Windows doesn't let you kill it, it says, "access is denied" - all I know is it's part of the operating system and is also accessing an IP address without my permission!



Not entirely true. If you got local admin rights (not on Windows XP Home) you can disable it.
The PC will then reboot in 60 seconds.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Aloone_Jonez on 18 January 2005, 00:57
Oh sorry, the computer at works runs Windows 2000 not XP. Anyway it's set up with one administrator account.

Once scvhost.exe did crash and Windows carried on running, you just couldn't use the clipboard and some features in other programs were unavailable.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Orethrius on 18 January 2005, 01:04
quote:
Originally posted by Refalm / BOB:


Not entirely true. If you got local admin rights (not on Windows XP Home) you can disable it.
The PC will then reboot in 60 seconds.



Sounds to me like Aloone is trapped on a craprate (oops, I mean corporate) system running Home.  That, or he's been infected by Klez.  Aloone, my apologies, but when you start accusing the right arm of Windows of wrongdoing when the only proof you have is what sounds like the dialing-out of the fake svchost.exe created by Klez, I just see a giant donkey forming before my eyes (if you catch my drift).  You might check out some of the free removal utilities floating around out there, I'd have to Google those (hint hint) to find them again though.  Oh, and Refalm, I meant "what's the point of QoS" on a small home network, not a large corporate intranet.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Aloone_Jonez on 20 January 2005, 02:13
I've asked the IT department and they say "it has had problems with viruses"

So it's not the real svchost.exe or its some other shit fucking with it and screwing it into accessing this IP address to spy on us.
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: Orethrius on 20 January 2005, 15:40
Like I said, it's Klez - one of the variants, at any rate.  I can track down the tools if you'd like to rid yourself of it, but the safest bet is to get IT to switch to Linux...  ;)

Oh, and Klez variants are typically content delivery not content reception, another in this field being Cydoor - it's basically an overblown advertising engine (though it's been bastardized so many times it's hard to tell exactly WHAT is out there).  Sorry, that's just one of my sticking points as a SysOp.   :cool:
Title: XP Spyware
Post by: dull60 on 24 January 2005, 07:45
Ok... well... umm...
First off Grues are cool. Next thing, why is it that a thread I started 6 months ago is still going? Anyway thanks for all the help.
And not to start a huge Windows vs Linux thing but seriously linux isnt exactly the easiest thing to use and its compatability is fleeting. (I still love it though) But corporations cant really just "switch to linux" youd run into huge problems with not only compatability but also with the people using the computers needing to learn a new (more complicated) OS. Well anyway Ive shut down QoS and the mystery bandwidth has gone down to but a few traces.

And thanks again for the help.