Backweb - bad behavior by good companies

[Joe Moore]

I bought a new Logitech mouse yesterday. I plugged it in and it worked
fine, but looking at the box I saw a couple of neat features that
could probably only be activated by installing the software which came
with the mouse.

Before installing anything, I always check the net to see whether
spyware or adware is included. I soon found out that the software that
comes with the model of mouse that I had purchased (MX310)installs
without asking a product called Backweb.

Backweb, it seems, makes many register modifications, connects to the
net without asking, acts as a server without asking, monitors
applications, keystrokes, and mouse activity, and according to it's
own website, displays "offers" politely when it thinks (based on its
monitoring of keyboard, mouse, and application activity) the user is
not busy. I don't know about you, but when I'm not typing or moving my
mouse, I'm usually reading or thinking. I don't think it's "polite" to
try to sell me something at that time.

Further reading informs me that otherwise respectable companies have
been convinced that Backweb is not adware or spyware. Logitech, HP,
Kodak, Kapersky(!!) are all supporting a company which believes that
all the above behavior is not only justified, but not even worth
mentioning in the EULA.

With "good companies" behaving like this, who needs malware?

I read the EULA, but I didn't install the software, and I'm hoping
someone here can tell me that Backweb has gone out of business or
changed its practices. Surely ethical companies have more respect for
their customers than this.



joemooreaterolsdotcom

[Ron Lopshire]

Joe Moore wrote:

> Backweb, it seems, makes many register modifications, connects to the
> net without asking, acts as a server without asking, monitors
> applications, keystrokes, and mouse activity, and according to it's
> own website, displays "offers" politely when it thinks (based on its
> monitoring of keyboard, mouse, and application activity) the user is
> not busy. I don't know about you, but when I'm not typing or moving my
> mouse, I'm usually reading or thinking. I don't think it's "polite" to
> try to sell me something at that time.
>
> Further reading informs me that otherwise respectable companies have
> been convinced that Backweb is not adware or spyware. Logitech, HP,
> Kodak, Kaspersky(!!) are all supporting a company which believes that
> all the above behavior is not only justified, but not even worth
> mentioning in the EULA.
>
> With "good companies" behaving like this, who needs malware?

Backweb is a /downloader/, which in and of itself does not make it malware.

http://www.tenebril.com/src/info.php?id=114525193

http://www.backweb.com/nospyware/

Kaspersky does detect it as riskware, as that is what it is.

http://www.viruslist.com/en/viruses/...?virusid=65577

The default for AVS/KAV is to not use the riskware database, and it must
be enabled by the user. I don't use the riskware database myself.

ISTM that downloaders are similar to Flashcrap. For every legitimate
use, there are a 100 idiots mis-using them. WTF would I want anything
like this installed on my computer keeping track of my keyboard,
pointing device, printer, etc?

I never, ever install any software with any peripheral device. And I
refuse to purchase any such device that insists on it. Screw Logitech. YMMV.

Ron

[cmsix]

"Joe Moore" <munged@bad.example.com> wrote in message
news:kfqvv290ktonaessc9fffs2lp5ge4bh54c@4ax.com...
>I bought a new Logitech mouse yesterday. I plugged it in and it worked
> fine, but looking at the box I saw a couple of neat features that
> could probably only be activated by installing the software which came
> with the mouse.
>
> Before installing anything, I always check the net to see whether
> spyware or adware is included. I soon found out that the software that
> comes with the model of mouse that I had purchased (MX310)installs
> without asking a product called Backweb.
>
> Backweb, it seems, makes many register modifications, connects to the
> net without asking, acts as a server without asking, monitors
> applications, keystrokes, and mouse activity, and according to it's
> own website, displays "offers" politely when it thinks (based on its
> monitoring of keyboard, mouse, and application activity) the user is
> not busy. I don't know about you, but when I'm not typing or moving my
> mouse, I'm usually reading or thinking. I don't think it's "polite" to
> try to sell me something at that time.
>
> Further reading informs me that otherwise respectable companies have
> been convinced that Backweb is not adware or spyware. Logitech, HP,
> Kodak, Kapersky(!!) are all supporting a company which believes that
> all the above behavior is not only justified, but not even worth
> mentioning in the EULA.
>
> With "good companies" behaving like this, who needs malware?
>
> I read the EULA, but I didn't install the software, and I'm hoping
> someone here can tell me that Backweb has gone out of business or
> changed its practices. Surely ethical companies have more respect for
> their customers than this.

I'm sure that ethical companies do. Trouble is, you didn't name any.

If you want a real eye opener, run HijackThis and save a log, then install
the Logitech Software and have HijackThis save another log.

cmsix

>
>
>
> joemooreaterolsdotcom

[Pipboy]

On Tue, 20 Mar 2007 15:35:46 GMT, Ron Lopshire wrote:

> Jo> I never, ever install any software with any peripheral device. And I
> refuse to purchase any such device that insists on it. Screw Logitech. YMMV.
>
> Ron

Yea, you are right, YMMV. I have Logitech MX518 mouse and a Logitech
Keyboard and neither requires Logitech software to be installed to
function.