Why does Adobe Acrobat 7 Standard secretly phone home?

[Sebastian G.]

Good Man wrote:


>> Filtering by application? Sounds like you're suggesting to use the
>> typical "personal firewall" scam.
>
> Scam? That piques my interest... how so?


They're promising a lot of things they can't hold even remotely, and due to
horribly broken implementations actually make the system more vulnerable?

>> An any rate, it doesn't work since the Adobe License Manager Service
>> uses the Raw Sockets API to simply circumvent it (which I think is
>> legitimate).
>
> How about modifying the HOSTS file then?


setsockopts(&socket, SOCKOPT_NO_HOSTS);

Why are you even suggesting to try playing the cat-and-mouse game? There's
no chance that you could win.

[Erica Eshoo]

On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:21:47 +0100, Sebastian G. wrote:
On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:21:47 +0100, Sebastian G. wrote:
>> How about modifying the HOSTS file then?
> setsockopts(&socket, SOCKOPT_NO_HOSTS);

I don't fully understand.

1. I (now) understand there is no option to stop Adobe Acrobat 7 (the
writer) from connecting to Adobe upon startup.

2. You can't software firewall block the "application" from connecting to
the Internet because Acrobat web page capture won't work then.

3. But you could add an entry specific for Adobe.com in the hosts file that
would redirect any request specifically to Adobe to 127.0.0.1

4. But, what is with this socket stuff (SOCKOPT_NO_HOSTS)?
I don't fully understand.

[Leythos]

In article <T4DYi.19461$Pv2.9441@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net >,
evesunflor@sbcglobal.net says...
> On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:21:47 +0100, Sebastian G. wrote:
> On Wed, 07 Nov 2007 19:21:47 +0100, Sebastian G. wrote:
> >> How about modifying the HOSTS file then?
> > setsockopts(&socket, SOCKOPT_NO_HOSTS);
>
> I don't fully understand.
>
> 1. I (now) understand there is no option to stop Adobe Acrobat 7 (the
> writer) from connecting to Adobe upon startup.
>
> 2. You can't software firewall block the "application" from connecting to
> the Internet because Acrobat web page capture won't work then.
>
> 3. But you could add an entry specific for Adobe.com in the hosts file that
> would redirect any request specifically to Adobe to 127.0.0.1
>
> 4. But, what is with this socket stuff (SOCKOPT_NO_HOSTS)?
> I don't fully understand.

If you don't mind, why do you use Adobe software and then object when
they want their software to phone home for any reason? This is an honest
question, I really never understand the complaint about using a vendors
software that phones home.

--

Leythos
- Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum.
- Calling an illegal alien an "undocumented worker" is like calling a
drug dealer an "unlicensed pharmacist"
spam999free@rrohio.com (remove 999 for proper email address)

[Erica Eshoo]

On Thu, 8 Nov 2007 07:50:47 -0500, Leythos wrote:
> If you don't mind, why do you use Adobe software and then object when
> they want their software to phone home for any reason?

As a matter of habit and good computer hygiene, I block all "phone-home"
requests. I bought the software - not a monitoring service.

[Leythos]

In article <KjFYi.19479$Pv2.2102@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net >,
evesunflor@sbcglobal.net says...
> On Thu, 8 Nov 2007 07:50:47 -0500, Leythos wrote:
> > If you don't mind, why do you use Adobe software and then object when
> > they want their software to phone home for any reason?
>
> As a matter of habit and good computer hygiene, I block all "phone-home"
> requests. I bought the software - not a monitoring service.

I was just curious nothing intended by the question - thanks.

--

Leythos - spam999free@rrohio.com (remove 999 to email me)

Fight exposing kids to porn, complain about sites like PCBUTTS 1.COM
that create filth and put it on the web for any kid to see: Just take a
look at some of the FILTH he's created and put on his website:
http://forums.speedguide.net/archive.../t-223485.html all exposed
to children (the link I've include does not directly display his filth).
You can find the same information by googling for 'PCBUTTS1' and
'exposed to kids'.

[Sebastian G.]

Erica Eshoo wrote:

> On Thu, 8 Nov 2007 07:50:47 -0500, Leythos wrote:
>> If you don't mind, why do you use Adobe software and then object when
>> they want their software to phone home for any reason?
>
> As a matter of habit and good computer hygiene, I block all "phone-home"
> requests. I bought the software - not a monitoring service.


Since you had the chance to read the documentation (which mentions the
monitoring) before installing the software, you could have just returned it.
If you informed yourself earlier, you wouldn't even have bought this software.

[Erica Eshoo]

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:12:24 +0100, Sebastian G. wrote:

> Path: newsdbm02.news.prodigy.net!newsdst02.news.prodigy. net!prodigy.com!newscon02.news.prodigy.net!prodigy .net!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!news.dfncis.de!not-for-mail
> From: "Sebastian G." <seppi@seppig.de>
> Newsgroups: comp.text.pdf,comp.security.firewalls,alt.privacy. spyware
> Subject: Re: Why does Adobe Acrobat 7 Standard secretly phone home?
> Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:12:24 +0100
> Lines: 13
> Message-ID: <5ph8tsFric41U2@mid.dfncis.de>
> References: <hqwVi.15854$lD6.6884@newssvr27.news.prodigy.net > <13itlc5tekkhsc7@corp.supernews.com> <5p99smFq2calU1@mid.dfncis.de> <hK%Xi.2583$RR6.593@newssvr22.news.prodigy.net> <Xns99E0A05766DE4sonicyouth@216.196.97.131> <5pcj87Fqkh3qU2@mid.dfncis.de> <Xns99E172A791A05sonicyouth@216.196.97.131> <5pee2mFqusrrU1@mid.dfncis.de> <T4DYi.19461$Pv2.9441@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net > <MPG.219cd033f0b9540f98981b@adfree.usenet.com> <KjFYi.19479$Pv2.2102@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net >
> Reply-To: seppi@seppig.de
> Mime-Version: 1.0
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii; format=flowed
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
> X-Trace: news.dfncis.de a30F6LI8aNgFWJKucSCW5Ax7FJIMHaVSSMNav5zuSl1thNVFo1 UD+Od/MS
> Cancel-Lock: sha1:1BxuuvSS2wb7tQyM8P7cLQOYZG8=
> User-Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.2; en-us; rv:1.8.1.9) Gecko/20071030 MultiZilla/1.8.3.2g SeaMonkey/1.1.6
> In-Reply-To: <KjFYi.19479$Pv2.2102@newssvr23.news.prodigy.net >
> Xref: prodigy.net comp.text.pdf:88999 comp.security.firewalls:230470 alt.privacy.spyware:81531
> X-Received-Date: Thu, 08 Nov 2007 15:12:46 EST (newsdbm02.news.prodigy.net)
>
> Erica Eshoo wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 8 Nov 2007 07:50:47 -0500, Leythos wrote:
>>> If you don't mind, why do you use Adobe software and then object when
>>> they want their software to phone home for any reason?
>>
>> As a matter of habit and good computer hygiene, I block all "phone-home"
>> requests. I bought the software - not a monitoring service.
>
>
> Since you had the chance to read the documentation (which mentions the
> monitoring) before installing the software, you could have just returned it.
> If you informed yourself earlier, you wouldn't even have bought this software.

My dear Sebastian,
You are either joking, or unrealistic, or you really are a fastidious
personality who painstakingly reads everyt word of the documentation BEFORE
buying the software. I'm not.

As such, I consider myself "normal" that I don't read the documentation
until I get into trouble and then only to solve the problem. Certainly
never before I purchase the software. Even so, I don't recall ever seeing
in the "documentation" that the software must phone home and that there is
nothing we can do about it.

Even if the "documentation" did say that, Adobe would never answer the
question posed here which would block their monitoring of my useage of
their software for their marketing purposes. So, this question would
*still* need to be asked.

Or am I unrealistic?

Since you obviously do read the documentation, unlike almost every single
person I've ever met, before you buy the software - can you point me to the
location that discusses this "feature" in the documentation?

[Sebastian G.]

Erica Eshoo wrote:


> You are either joking, or unrealistic, or you really are a fastidious
> personality who painstakingly reads everyt word of the documentation BEFORE
> buying the software. I'm not.


Well, you're free to not do so. But then accept that the consequences are
*your* problem, not the problem of the software vendor.

> Even so, I don't recall ever seeing in the "documentation" that the

> software must phone home and that there is nothing we can do about it.

The communication behaviour of the Adobe License Manager service is
documented in there.

> Even if the "documentation" did say that, Adobe would never answer the
> question posed here which would block their monitoring of my useage of
> their software for their marketing purposes. So, this question would
> *still* need to be asked.


The real reason is much less conspirative: If you'd actually block it, the
software would simply cease to function.

> Since you obviously do read the documentation, unlike almost every single
> person I've ever met, before you buy the software - can you point me to the
> location that discusses this "feature" in the documentation?


Page 47, License Manager Configuration

[Erica Eshoo]

On Thu, 08 Nov 2007 21:12:24 +0100, Sebastian G. wrote:
> Since you had the chance to read the documentation (which mentions the
> monitoring) before installing the software, you could have just returned it.
> If you informed yourself earlier, you wouldn't even have bought this software.

My dear Sebastian,

You are either joking, or unrealistic, or you really are a fastidious
personality who painstakingly reads every word of the documentation BEFORE
buying the software. I'm not.

As such, I consider myself close to "normal" that I don't read the
documentation until/unless I get into trouble and then only to solve the
problem. Certainly never before I purchase the software. Even so, I don't
recall ever seeing in the "documentation" that the software must phone home
and that there is nothing we can do about it.

Even if the "documentation" did say that, Adobe would never answer the
question posed here which would block their monitoring of my useage of
their software for their marketing purposes. So, this question would
*still* need to be asked. Why does Adobe phone home every day anyway?

What business benefit do they get out of this monitoring activity?
Is that in the documentation?

Can you point me to then location that discusses this "feature" in the
documentation and why Adobe monitors our activity?

[M.L.]

> If you don't mind, why do you use Adobe software and then object when
> they want their software to phone home for any reason? This is an
> honest question, I really never understand the complaint about using
> a vendors software that phones home.

There can be a world of difference between the mission of the
programmers and that of the marketing department at large software
companies. Most software does not explicitly divulge that it phones
home.