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4
articles/1password.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>1Password - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>1Password — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
<h2>Spyware Level: <span class="red">Not Rated</span></h2>
<p>
This article is a stub and still needs to be written. If you want to
write it, email me so I dont duplicate effort.
write it, email me so I don't duplicate effort.
https://1password.com/legal/privacy/
https://www.macworld.com/article/2996213/security/1password-is-still-secure-but-you-can-reduce-a-potential-risk.html
https://paul.reviews/privacy-password-managers-a-reality-check/

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articles/amd.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>AMD - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>AMD — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -14,9 +14,9 @@
<div class="nav"><a href="index.html">&larr; Catalog</a></div>
<div class="main">
<h1>
<span class="red">UNFINISHED ARTICLE - UNDER CONSTRUCTION - BAD FORMATTING</span>
<span class="red">UNFINISHED ARTICLE — UNDER CONSTRUCTION — BAD FORMATTING</span>
</h1>
<img src="../images/amd_logo.png" alt="amd Logo" />
<img src="../images/amd_logo.png" alt="AMD logo" />
<h1>AMD CPU Family</h1>
<p>
This part of the article should have the name of the program and what
@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. is an American multinational
semiconductor company based in Santa Clara, California, that develops
computer processors and related technologies for business and consumer
markets. This article is specifically about the CPU's that are
markets. This article is specifically about the CPUs that are
produced by AMD and nothing else. The logo is one of many logos used
by AMD, but the article is not about any one specific CPU.
<b>No rating is given</b> because this is not an article about any
@ -35,7 +35,7 @@
</p>
<p>
Modern CPU models produced by AMD contain an embedded ARM co-processor
called the Platform Security Processor (PSP). Nearly all AMD CPU's
called the Platform Security Processor (PSP). Nearly all AMD CPUs
produced since 2013 operate under the supervision of this separate,
more privileged, environment consisting of an integrated ARM processor
with access to isolated resources as well as main system memory and
@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
</p>
<p>
This article isn't complete. This is a work-in-progress and so this
article is not formatted properly..
article is not formatted properly...
</p>
<p>
http://www.uefi.org/sites/default/files/resources/UEFI_PlugFest_AMD_Security_and_Server_innovation_AMD_March_2013.pdf

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articles/bing.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>Bing - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Bing — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
that you do not use Bing.
</p>
<p>
At some point Bing had a privacy policy, but Microsoft doesnt seem to
At some point Bing had a privacy policy, but Microsoft doesn't seem to
be hosting it anymore. So, this article will look at the Microsoft
Privacy Statement<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup> to help us
understand what information Bing collects. Similarly to the privacy
@ -47,8 +47,8 @@
<i>
"Microsoft collects data from you, through our interactions with you
and through our products for a variety of purposes described
below...You provide some of this data directly, such as when
you...submit a search query to Bing"
below. [...] You provide some of this data directly, such as when
you [...] submit a search query to Bing"
</i>
</p>
@ -96,7 +96,7 @@
</p>
<p>
So since your search history is part of the "data we collect", the
natrual conclusion is that, your search queiries are being used to
natural conclusion is that, your search queries are being used to
profile you for advertising. And of course, this is confirmed in this
section:
</p>

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articles/brave.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>Outdated Brave - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Outdated Brave — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
><sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup
>, it has <a href="../articles/google.html">Google</a> as default
search engine, as well as shitty forced updates. Anyway, despite the
privacy protections, you should stay away from this browser - it seems
privacy protections, you should stay away from this browser — it seems
to have a "mission" to switch the internet to its version of
"user-respecting" ads, (we know how that turned out for Mozilla), and
that's slimy and suspicious. Beyond that it has repeatedly shown
@ -56,7 +56,7 @@
</p>
<h3>Whitelisting spyware from Facebook and Twitter</h3>
<p>
On it's website, Brave claims that
On its website, Brave claims that
<i
>"Brave fights malware and prevents tracking, keeping your
information safe and secure. It’s our top priority."</i
@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
Facebook and Twitter's spyware scripts that allow them to track people
across the web.<sup><a href="#s5">[5]</a></sup> Brave's spyware
protections, and any claims that it makes to work in the interests of
it's users,
its users,
<b><font color="orange">cannot be taken seriously.</font></b> Brave is
actively working
<b><font color="red">against its users</font></b> while lying to them
@ -87,11 +87,8 @@
</sup>
</p>
<p>
This statement is just,
<b>
<font color="red">completely wrong</font>
</b>
. Just because a website isn't able to store cookies, does not mean
This statement is just <b><font color="red">completely wrong</font></b>.
Just because a website isn't able to store cookies, does not mean
that it cannot uniquely identify you. Executing JavaScript spyware
from Facebook and Twitter is
<b>
@ -187,7 +184,7 @@
<p>
Brave Browser also contains in-built privacy protections such as HTTPS
Everywhere, AdBlock, cookie blocking, script blocking, and
fingerprinting protections - that are configurable site by site. This
fingerprinting protections — that are configurable site by site. This
is commendable of course, but in the end, uMatrix outclasses them.
Trackers, for example, easily avoid pure AdBlock (so you will be
tracked by Facebook and such), and binary script blocking breaks

34
articles/browsers.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>Comparison between web browsers - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Comparison between web browsers — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -16,17 +16,17 @@
<h1>Comparison between web browsers</h1>
<p>
This purpose of this article is not to rate each web browser in a
vaccum, like articles on this website that focus on one specific web
vacuum, like articles on this website that focus on one specific web
browser, but rather to compare all of the web browsers that have been
rated on this website against each other. This is a ranking that is
based on how much Pirvacy a browser offers by default, as well as, how
based on how much Privacy a browser offers by default, as well as, how
much privacy can be gained by configuring it.
</p>
<h2><span class="lime">Top Tier - Best Privacy</span></h2>
<h2><span class="lime">Top Tier — Best Privacy</span></h2>
<p>
These are all browsers that require a minimal amount of configuration
and can achive the required level of privacy needed to browse the
modern web- compatibility with a comperhensive suite of
and can achieve the required level of privacy needed to browse the
modern web- compatibility with a comprehensive suite of
content-blocking extensions that can block spyware providers correctly
and fully. Iridium and Pale Moon both are configured in a way that
leaks user information and thus require additional configuration.
@ -88,12 +88,12 @@
</tbody>
</center>
</table>
<h2><span class="lime">High Tier - Good Privacy</span></h2>
<h2><span class="lime">High Tier — Good Privacy</span></h2>
<p>
These browsers do not have privacy issues, but they also do not have
enough privacy features to make it to the highest tier. These browsers
both have simple ad-blockers, and do not have any privacy issues,
however, these tools are not as good as the comperhensive privacy
however, these tools are not as good as the comprehensive privacy
tools that Top Tier browsers offer.
</p>
<table>
@ -121,10 +121,10 @@
</tbody>
</center>
</table>
<h2><span class="yellow">Mid Tier - Ok Privacy</span></h2>
<h2><span class="yellow">Mid Tier — Ok Privacy</span></h2>
<p>
These browsers do not have any big privacy flaws, but they also do not
have sufficent privacy protections. Qutebrowser has a very basic
have sufficient privacy protections. Qutebrowser has a very basic
adblocker in it. Both browsers don't have access to extensions either.
So, it's just not enough to be able to browse the modern web
privately, despite the developers not putting spyware into their
@ -155,7 +155,7 @@
</tbody>
</center>
</table>
<h2><span class="orange">Low Tier - Poor Privacy</span></h2>
<h2><span class="orange">Low Tier — Poor Privacy</span></h2>
<p>
These browsers do not protect your privacy, but they are not in the
lowest tier since they still have something to offer, although, they
@ -167,7 +167,7 @@
might as well use a version of Firefox that respects your privacy
<b>by default</b>, rather than diving into the uncertainty of digging
out all of the spyware features (and repeating the process every time
the browser is updated). It's awalys going to be better to pick a
the browser is updated). It's always going to be better to pick a
browser higher on this list.
</p>
<table>
@ -208,11 +208,11 @@
</tbody>
</center>
</table>
<h2><span class="red">Rock Bottom - No Privacy</span></h2>
<h2><span class="red">Rock Bottom — No Privacy</span></h2>
<p>
These browsers are unashamedly designed to collect as much information
about the user as possible (all are rated EXTREMELY HIGH by the site).
Only SRWare Iron has it's source code availible, and all the
Only SRWare Iron has it's source code available, and all the
developers have mistreated their users (complete disregard for privacy
and / or false advertising) for a long time. These browsers are
actively hostile against their users and thus should not be used at
@ -266,15 +266,15 @@
<p>
This isn't the only guide on what web browser to pick, with an
emphasis on privacy, to exist, and many other people, with their
own knowlege and prespectives, have written their own guides. It
own knowledge and prespectives, have written their own guides. It
would be a waste to only read one guide to make your decision, so,
you should probably read a few more, these are some good ones.
<br /><a
href="https://digdeeper.neocities.org/ghost/browsers.html"
>Digdeeper - How to choose a browser for everyday use?</a
>Digdeeper — How to choose a browser for everyday use?</a
>
<br /><a href="https://clarkycat.neocities.org/browser.html"
>Clarkycat - Browser Recommendation and Addons</a
>Clarkycat — Browser Recommendation and Addons</a
>
</p>
</ol>

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articles/ccleaner.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>CCleaner - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>CCleaner — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
that they can advertise to you. It collects a huge amount of very
personal information, like your
<b><font color="red">physical location.</font></b> CCleaner uses the
technique of privacy policy obfusication where it provides one privacy
technique of privacy policy obfuscation where it provides one privacy
policy for every single product its company offers, making it more
difficult to know what parts of the privacy policy apply to which
program.
@ -35,13 +35,13 @@
<h3>CCleaner collects and sells user information to advertisers</h3>
<p>
CCleaner clearly shows in its privacy settings that it is collecting
information about your comptuer and selling that information to
information about your computer and selling that information to
advertisers:
</p>
<img
class="screenshot"
src="../images/ccleaner_privacy.png"
alt="Ccleaner privacy settings"
alt="CCleaner privacy settings"
/>
<p>
Image Source: <sup><a href="#s2">[2]</a></sup>
@ -73,8 +73,8 @@
</ul>
<p>
It would be very time consuming to go through all of those privacy
policies (especially because many of these are obfusicated), but it
It would be very time-consuming to go through all of those privacy
policies (especially because many of these are obfuscated), but it
should be enough to understand that CCleaner is full of third party
spyware, as well as first party spyware.
</p>
@ -92,7 +92,7 @@
</p>
<h3>CCleaner tracks your physical location</h3>
<p>
According to the privacy policy, the ccleaner website tries to track
According to the privacy policy, the CCleaner website tries to track
your physical location.<sup><a href="#s3">[3]</a></sup>
</p>
<p>
@ -106,7 +106,7 @@
</p>
<p>
<i>"location data"</i> is also mentioned when talking about the
information that ccleaner itself collects about it's users.
information that CCleaner itself collects about its users.
</p>
<h3>Past Security Flaws</h3>
<p>

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articles/cdex.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>CDex - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>CDex — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
<p>
CDex's installer bundles it with spyware, and it will randomly suggest
a spyware program to the user, with a chance to opt-out. Usually it
attempts to bundle itself with the webdiscover browser and one time I
attempts to bundle itself with the WebDiscover browser and one time I
got it to try and offer me an antivirus program, but I wasn't able to
reproduce this. The program was tested on Windows 7 32-bit with
Microsoft Network Monitor 3.4 and Wireshark 2.6.2. The version of the
@ -37,12 +37,12 @@
</p>
<h3>Bundling with spyware</h3>
<p>
CDex attempts to bundle it self with the
CDex attempts to bundle itself with the
<a href="../articles/webdiscover.html">WebDiscover</a> web browser.
This is an Opt-out and not an Opt-in like it should be. This program
is spyware, because according to it's privacy policy<sup
is spyware, because according to its privacy policy<sup
><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup
>, it collects information about it's users.
>, it collects information about its users.
</p>
<img
class="screenshot"

16
articles/chrome.html
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@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8" />
<title>Google Chrome - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Google Chrome — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -54,10 +54,10 @@
<li>A tracker that profiles memory usage</li>
</ul>
<p>
But, it can also be extrapolated from the vauge language that Chrome could and probably does monitor what other
But, it can also be extrapolated from the vague language that Chrome could and probably does monitor what other
programs you have open. Either way, it is an extreme amount of information being collected, since it can be used
to recreate what the user is doing on their desktop at all times. Chrome clarifies that this information is
being sent whenver a website is being "slow" or whenever Google Chrome crashes.
being sent whenever a website is being "slow" or whenever Google Chrome crashes.
</p>
<h3>Google Chrome is integrated with Google Payments</h3>
<p>
@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
information may be collected. For example, if your child uses audio activation commands (e.g., "OK, Google" or
touching the microphone icon), a recording of the following speech/audio, <b> plus a few seconds before, </b>
will be stored to their account…"</i> This feature is opt-in if you are using the "Google Accounts" spyware
platform and specifically tell Google to build a profile of your child. It's unverified wether or not Google
platform and specifically tell Google to build a profile of your child. It's unverified whether or not Google
uploads information it listens too to its servers outside of this feature.
</p>
<h3>Google Chrome saves user passwords on Google Servers</h3>
@ -89,10 +89,10 @@
<h3>Google Chrome profiles users in other various ways</h3>
<p>
According to the privacy policy<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>, Google Chrome profiles what kinds of web forms
you fill out, as well as what kind of language the content you consume is primiarily in. Google Chrome also
creates a unique identifier for each install you do. This unqiue identifier is sent to Google whenever you start
the browser, so that Google can create a consistent user identity for you, unermining anonymity. Google also
stores all of your settings on it's offical servers when using the "Google Accounts" feature.
you fill out, as well as what kind of language the content you consume is primarily in. Google Chrome also
creates a unique identifier for each install you do. This unique identifier is sent to Google whenever you start
the browser, so that Google can create a consistent user identity for you, undermining anonymity. Google also
stores all of your settings on it's official servers when using the "Google Accounts" feature.
</p>
<h3>Google Chrome is self-updating software</h3>
<p>

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articles/chrome_es.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Google Chrome - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Google Chrome — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/chrome_logo.png" alt="chrome logo">

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articles/discord.html
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@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>Discord - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Discord — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>
@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
<a href="../articles/discord_es.html">Spanish Translation</a>
</center>
<p>
Discord is an instant messaging application for MacOS, Windows, Linux,
Discord is an instant messaging application for macOS, Windows, Linux,
Android, and iOS. Discord is used to communicate via voice chat and
text chat, and has image-sharing and file-sharing capabilities.
</p>
@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
<li>Open rates for e-mail sent by Discord</li>
</ul>
<p>
Discord does not explictly confirm that it collects this information,
Discord does not explicitly confirm that it collects this information,
but still collects it by default:
</p>
<ul>
@ -138,11 +138,11 @@
customize my Discord Experience" and "Display currently running game
as a status message" turned off. Discord did
<font color="lime"><b>NOT</b></font> log all of the processes open
this way. However when setting the "Display currently running game as
this way. However, when setting the "Display currently running game as
a status message" turned on, the behavior described in<sup
><a href="#s2">[2]</a></sup
>
was replecated. You can see that behavior here:
was replicated. You can see that behavior here:
</p>
<img
class="screenshot"
@ -157,9 +157,9 @@
information is being sent to Discord's servers when the process logger
is turned on. But it's at least possible to turn it off.
</p>
<h3>Discord uses it's process logging for advertising</h3>
<h3>Discord uses its process logging for advertising</h3>
<p>
Discord shows this in it's privacy option here:
Discord shows this in its privacy option here:
</p>
<img
class="screenshot"
@ -170,14 +170,14 @@
That the process logging features of Discord are now being recorded on
Discord's servers as a form of telemetry (spyware), and removes
speculation about why this feature exists. It is clarified by Discord
that this spyware feature is used for advertising to it's users.<sup
that this spyware feature is used for advertising to its users.<sup
><a href="#s8">[8]</a></sup
>
This means that Discord is
<font color="red"
><b
>recording the programs you have open to build a statistical model
of what programs you might buy/lisence in the future.</b
of what programs you might buy/license in the future.</b
></font
>
</p>
@ -191,10 +191,10 @@
Discord tries to force some users to give their Telephone numbers
</h3>
<p>
Discord will lock users out of it's service and will not allow them to
Discord will lock users out of its service and will not allow them to
continue using it without giving their phone number or contacting
Discord support. This kind of feature is designed to extract very
personal information out of it's users (phone numbers). The criteria
personal information out of its users (phone numbers). The criteria
for locking out users isn't known.
<!--
You can be locked out of your account for spamming
@ -227,8 +227,8 @@
<h2>Speculation on Discord's future</h2>
<p>
It's unknown whether Discord currently is or isn't selling user
information. Currently Discord has been able to consistently raise new
invesment capital, which is at a level where it could reasonably be
information. Currently, Discord has been able to consistently raise new
investment capital, which is at a level where it could reasonably be
covering all of its operating costs. However, Discord, like any other
company, is not going to exist in a constant state of investment.
Discord is going to have to transition away from an
@ -236,31 +236,31 @@
relies on generating revenue from the users of the platform.
</p>
<p>
Discord has several ways of making money. It can lisence emoji's and
Discord has several ways of making money. It can license emoji's and
other features of the program with Discord Nitro<sup
><a href="#s5">[5]</a></sup
>, or it can make money lisencing video games through it's new online
>, or it can make money licensing video games through its new online
store, as a competitor to <a href="../articles/steam.html">Steam</a>.
However both of these revenue sources may not be enough. Discord has
However, both of these revenue sources may not be enough. Discord has
raised $279.3 million dollars<sup><a href="#s4">[4]</a></sup>
and it has to return on this investment. (which is more than 279.3
million dollars that has to be paid back)
</p>
<p>
If Discord is not able to satisfy it's obligation to it's investors,
If Discord is not able to satisfy its obligation to its investors,
it has a third option- selling user information to advertisers.
Discord is already datamining it's users to produce it's
Discord is already datamining its users to produce its
recommendation system,<sup><a href="#s8">[8]</a></sup> which means
that it is already turning it's userbase into extremely valueble,
that it is already turning its userbase into extremely valuable,
sellable, advertising data. Discord has 130 million users<sup
><a href="#s7">[7]</a></sup
>, and it can produce a statistical model of what games each user (who
does not opt-out of advertising) owns, plays, and wants to buy. This
is incredibly valueble information that Discord can sell if it cannot
reach it's profit obligations with it's current revenue model. If
Discord is a successful games store, then it wont need to do this. But
is incredibly valuable information that Discord can sell if it cannot
reach its profit obligations with its current revenue model. If Discord
was a successful games store, then it would not need to do this. But
if Discord gets in financial trouble, it probably will be forced to
liquiate this asset.
liquidate this asset.
</p>
</div>
<hr />
@ -269,7 +269,7 @@
<h4>Further Reading:</h4>
<ol>
<a
href="https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/8lkb5s/friends_dont_let_friends_use_discord_the/"
href="https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/8lkb5s/friends_don't_let_friends_use_discord_the/"
>Friends Don't Let Friends Use Discord</a
>
<a href="https://archive.is/Q4N9J">[archive.is]</a

4
articles/discord_es.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Discord - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Discord — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/discord_logo.png" alt="Discord-Logo">
@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ por si el link muere.
<center>
<h2>Mas cosas</h2>
<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/8lkb5s/friends_dont_let_friends_use_discord_the/">Friends Don't Let Friends Use Discord</a>
<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/privacy/comments/8lkb5s/friends_don't_let_friends_use_discord_the/">Friends Don't Let Friends Use Discord</a>
<a href="https://archive.is/Q4N9J">[archive.is]</a><br>
<a href="https://www.tomsguide.com/us/help-me-toms-guide-discord-permissions,review-5104.html">Help Me, Tom's Guide: Is Discord Tracking Me?</a>

20
articles/dissenter.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Dissenter - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Dissenter — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ Dissenter is a web browser and plugin released by the social network company Gab
<p>
The Dissenter browser is a fork of the <a href="../articles/brave.html">Brave</a> web browser. It phones home to
Brave for autoupdates and safebrowsing, which is hosted by Brave. The default search engine is <a href="../articles/duckduckgo.html">DuckDuckGo</a>.
The browser has two extensions preinstalled. One extension, "Shields", blocks certain advertisment scripts. The other,
The browser has two extensions preinstalled. One extension, "Shields", blocks certain advertisement scripts. The other,
"Dissenter" allows you to access the Dissenter social network. This extension phones home to several places whenever you open it,
including Google and Twitter. The Dissenter social network also inherently must collect more information about the user's browsing
habits than the current alternatives that already exist.
@ -56,17 +56,17 @@ Every once in a while, the Browser will send a request to Brave's instance of th
</center>
<h3>Opt-out telemetry</h3>
<p>
Dissenter will sent crash reports to Gab automatically. This is on by default and you have to opt-out.
Dissenter will send crash reports to Gab automatically. This is on by default and you have to opt-out.
</p>
<p><i>
"When Gab crashes, it creates a report that can be sent to us to help us fix whatever caused the problem. This report contains technical information about your computer system which is typically distinctive. You can choose whether to send us these reports. Even if you have chosen to send reports in the past, you can turn off future reports in settings. Crash reports may contain personal information."
</i> <sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>.</p>
<h3>Dissenter bypasses it's own tracker filter</h3>
<h3>Dissenter bypasses its own tracker filter</h3>
<p>
Dissenter comes with it's own content blocker called Shields that is meant to block trackers as you browse the web.
Dissenter comes with its own content blocker called Shields that is meant to block trackers as you browse the web.
This content blocker can block requests made by regular websites, but it does not block content that
is loaded by the Dissenter extension. The Dissenter extension makes requests to trackers that would have been
blocked by it's own filter- by it's <b><font color=yellow>own standards</font></b> Dissenter makes connections to
blocked by its own filter- by it's <b><font color=yellow>own standards</font></b> Dissenter makes connections to
tracking websites that are not necessary and not private. The spyware site <code>googleads.g.doubleclick.net</code>
is correctly blocked by Shields when a normal website tries to access it, but this connection is not blocked when Dissenter accesses it...
This is an interesting double standard when it comes to privacy.
@ -77,11 +77,11 @@ Every once in a while, the Browser will send a request to Brave's instance of th
<p>
Dissenter has the inherent problem that it associates the web pages you have visited with the discussions you are having or trying to have.
If you want to check an article's comments on Dissenter, you have to tell Gab that you visited that article. This gives Gab a very good profile
of what sites you visit and what articles you read. Currently alternatives exist to this model that are already in place. For example, you can
of what sites you visit and what articles you read. Currently, alternatives exist to this model that are already in place. For example, you can
create a thread on an Imageboard, Reddit-like website, or other web forum format, which sets an archived link to the article as the topic of discussion.
This format is much more private because the parties involved have much less information about what their users did. The news website has no
idea who read it's article, because the traffic went to the archival service. The forum that you can freely comment on also doesn't know what
articles you looked at or what discussions you tried to have. If we only consider privacy, this method is a somewhat better way of acheiving this goal.
idea who read its article, because the traffic went to the archival service. The forum that you can freely comment on also doesn't know what
articles you looked at or what discussions you tried to have. If we only consider privacy, this method is a somewhat better way of achieving this goal.
</p>
<hr>
<center>
@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ Every once in a while, the Browser will send a request to Brave's instance of th
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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</center>
</body>

18
articles/duckduckgo.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>DuckDuckGo - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>DuckDuckGo — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/ddg_logo.png" alt="DuckDuckGo logo">
@ -19,19 +19,19 @@ DuckDuckGo is a search engine created by Gabriel Weinberg and owned by Duck Duck
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=greenyellow>Possible Spyware</font></h2>
<p>
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that claims to protect the privacy of its users.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> Since this a centeralized service, there is no way to prove that it isnt spyware just by
DuckDuckGo is a search engine that claims to protect the privacy of its users.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> Since this a centralized service, there is no way to prove that it isn't spyware just by
looking at the technology that it uses. There are some red flags that could cause you to doubt that this service is truly private, and so this article will just list them
here to help you decide on whether or not to use this service. Ultimately there isn't proof that DuckDuckGo is spyware- but a few reasons to suspect it of being spyware. Even though, it's worth noting that
DuckDuckGo <b><font color="lime">offers an onion domain</font></b>... so you don't need to trust it to use it as long as you acess it through TOR.
DuckDuckGo <b><font color="lime">offers an onion domain</font></b>... so you don't need to trust it to use it as long as you access it through TOR.
</p>
<h3>DuckDuckGo is hosted in the USA</h3>
<p>
Since the US Government has been known to compromise services similar to DuckDuckGo, its reasonable to fear that it might compromise DuckDuckGo.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup><sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup> We dont know if DuckDuckGo has
Since the US Government has been known to compromise services similar to DuckDuckGo, it's reasonable to fear that it might compromise DuckDuckGo.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup><sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup> We don't know if DuckDuckGo has
been compromised by the US Government, but we do know that it is not a difficult task for the US Government to do that.
</p>
<h3>DuckDuckGo has violated its privacy policy in the past</h3>
<p>
DuckDuckGo is not consistent with its prviacy policy and has directly violated it before.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> If a service cannot follow its own privacy policy, then you can't expect it to protect
DuckDuckGo is not consistent with its privacy policy and has directly violated it before.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> If a service cannot follow its own privacy policy, then you can't expect it to protect
your privacy.
</p>
<h3>Tracking pixels and other spyware</h3>
@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ DuckDuckGo is a search engine created by Gabriel Weinberg and owned by Duck Duck
</p>
<hr>
<center>
<h2>Futher Reading</h2>
<h2>Further Reading</h2>
<p>
<a href="https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">/tech/ FAQs - DuckDuckGo</a>
<a href="https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">/tech/ FAQs — DuckDuckGo</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180613130204/https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="http://archive.is/20150624075735/https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">[archive.is]</a>
<a href="http://www.webcitation.org/6i47Oqe9i">[www.webcitation.org]</a><br>
@ -79,9 +79,9 @@ DuckDuckGo is a search engine created by Gabriel Weinberg and owned by Duck Duck
This article was last edited on 9/16/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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</center>
</body>

4
articles/duckduckgo_es.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>DuckDuckGo - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>DuckDuckGo — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/ddg_logo.png" alt="">
@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
<center>
<h2>Mas</h2>
<p>
<a href="https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">/tech/ FAQs - DuckDuckGo</a>
<a href="https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">/tech/ FAQs — DuckDuckGo</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180613130204/https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="http://archive.is/20150624075735/https://8ch.net/tech/ddg.html">[archive.is]</a>
<a href="http://www.webcitation.org/6i47Oqe9i">[www.webcitation.org]</a><br>

2
articles/example.html
View File

@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
http-equiv="Content-type"
content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"
/>
<title>[Program/Service Name Here] - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>[Program/Service Name Here] — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css" />
</head>

6
articles/explorer.html
View File

@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Internet Explorer - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Internet Explorer — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
@ -26,11 +26,11 @@
</p>
<h3>Internet Explorer is self-updating software</h3>
<p>
Internet Explorer can be updated through spyware programs such as Windows Update<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>. Automatic software updates are a spyware feature becuase they cannot be verified to be non-spyware by the user. Luckily, this spyware feature is opt-out and can be turned off.
Internet Explorer can be updated through spyware programs such as Windows Update<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>. Automatic software updates are a spyware feature because they cannot be verified to be non-spyware by the user. Luckily, this spyware feature is opt-out and can be turned off.
</p>
<h3>Internet Explorer sends your search history to Microsoft</h3>
<p>
Internet Explorer contains a spyware feature called "flip ahead"<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>. Flip ahead will periodically send your browsing history to Microsoft. This spyware feature is opt-out and can be disabled. Microsoft claims that the information it recevies is encrypted to protect user privacy and santized to prevent personal information from being stored. This is unverifiable. Microsoft confirms that it does use the information obtained from flip ahead to build statstical models of your browsing habits. Other spyware features such as "Smartscreen filter", and "Suggested Sites" also confirm that they send your internet history to Microsoft.
Internet Explorer contains a spyware feature called "flip ahead"<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>. Flip ahead will periodically send your browsing history to Microsoft. This spyware feature is opt-out and can be disabled. Microsoft claims that the information it receives is encrypted to protect user privacy and sanitized to prevent personal information from being stored. This is unverifiable. Microsoft confirms that it does use the information obtained from flip ahead to build statistical models of your browsing habits. Other spyware features such as "Smartscreen filter", and "Suggested Sites" also confirm that they send your internet history to Microsoft.
</p>
<h3>Internet Explorer can track your location</h3>
<p>

14
articles/falkon.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Falkon - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Falkon — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/falkon_logo.png" alt="falkon Logo">
@ -14,26 +14,26 @@ Falkon is a KDE web browser using QtWebEngine rendering engine, previously known
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=lightgreen>Probably Not Spyware</font></h2>
<p>
When another contributor tested this browser on linux, it made <font color=lime><b>no unsolicied connections.</b></font> When I ran it on windows, it connected to
a domain unrelated to the homepage (duckduckgo). But, i'm not sure what it was for, and it wasn't reproduced on linux. This browser is probably fine, but
When another contributor tested this browser on Linux, it made <font color=lime><b>no unsolicited connections.</b></font> When I ran it on Windows, it connected to
a domain unrelated to the homepage (DuckDuckGo). But, i'm not sure what it was for, and it wasn't reproduced on Linux. This browser is probably fine, but
you should run your own tests and email me about what you found or didn't find.
</p>
<h3>Phoning Home?</h3>
<p>
On the first run of Falkon, using the 32-bit windows version, it connected to these addresses, even though I was on it's homepage, which seems to be
On the first run of Falkon, using the 32-bit Windows version, it connected to these addresses, even though I was on its homepage, which seems to be
locally stored because it does not create any requests when I go to it normally. I don't know what these are for.
Maybe it's a form of phoning home? The first IP is for the domain: github.map.fastly.net which seems to be part of a CDN.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/falkon_firstrun.png" alt="Is falkon phoning home?">
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/falkon_firstrun.png" alt="Is Falkon phoning home?">
<hr>
<center>
<p><b>
This article was last edited on 8/24/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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26
articles/firefox.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Firefox - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Firefox — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/firefox_logo3.svg" alt="Firefox logo">
@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
</center>
<p>
Mozilla Firefox is one of the most popular and longest existing
browsers. Its developers have earned it a reputation for being a "privacy and security-based browser, respecting the user" - but is it justified, or just marketing? In fact, over the years they have made several anti-privacy (and generally anti-user) decisions, but this article will focus exclusively on spying. Version tested: 52.5.0, with the default settings. Program used for testing requests: Mitmproxy.
browsers. Its developers have earned it a reputation for being a "privacy and security-based browser, respecting the user" — but is it justified, or just marketing? In fact, over the years they have made several anti-privacy (and generally anti-user) decisions, but this article will focus exclusively on spying. Version tested: 52.5.0, with the default settings. Program used for testing requests: Mitmproxy.
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=orange>High</font></h2>
<p>
@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ Firefox has been integrated with the spyware platform called "Google Analytics"<
We don't give the "data directly to Google". See the discussion here: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=858839. The short version is:
tl;dr: We now have an option to opt-out of Google doing anything with the data that Google Analytics collections on Mozilla websites. GA tracking is anonymous and at the aggregate level and we use it to improve the experience of our websites.
We are collecting aggregate and non-identifiable data in numbers to ensure our development/UX changes are met well. We can respect privacy and still have analytics; in fact Mozilla's aim is for an experience that values user privacy and usability (I'd say Apple also wants UX that fits that mold, as an example). We need some data, anonymised and aggregated, to do this.
We are collecting aggregate and non-identifiable data in numbers to ensure our development/UX changes are met well. We can respect privacy and still have analytics; in fact Mozilla's aim is for an experience that values user privacy and usability (I'd say Apple also wants UX that fits that mold, as an example). We need some data, anonymized and aggregated, to do this.
"</i></p>
<p>
The best takeaway to this is that Mozilla wants to pretend that including spyware in their program is somehow not a breach of privacy, and that Firefox could possibly be respecting user privacy while simultaneously collecting data on users and sending it to Google. It's strongly suggested to read the github thread and the further anti-privacy statements the Mozzilla employee makes while defending the spyware features in Firefox. It's very dangerous to assert that there is somehow a middle ground between respecting user privacy and datamining the user.
The best takeaway to this is that Mozilla wants to pretend that including spyware in their program is somehow not a breach of privacy, and that Firefox could possibly be respecting user privacy while simultaneously collecting data on users and sending it to Google. It's strongly suggested reading the GitHub thread and the further anti-privacy statements the Mozilla employee makes while defending the spyware features in Firefox. It's very dangerous to assert that there is somehow a middle ground between respecting user privacy and datamining the user.
</p>
<h3>"Safe" Browsing?</h3>
<p>
@ -81,12 +81,12 @@ The best takeaway to this is that Mozilla wants to pretend that including spywar
</p>
<h3>Pocket - a privacy nightmare</h3>
<h3>Pocket — a privacy nightmare</h3>
<p>
Firefox has a Pocket button in its navigation bar, which allows you
to "save any article, video or page from Firefox" and "View in Pocket
on any device, any time." Let's see how it looks in terms of privacy
- quoting from Pocket's privacy policy<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>:
— quoting from Pocket's privacy policy<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>:
"In addition to the information that you provide to us when you
register for a user account, we collect information about the URLs,
@ -109,10 +109,10 @@ The best takeaway to this is that Mozilla wants to pretend that including spywar
</p>
<h3>Automatic updates</h3>
<p>
Not that bad compared to all of the above, I guess - but still
Not that bad compared to all of the above, I guess — but still
installs something without your consent, with possible new privacy
nightmares in there. There is no excuse to at least not make "Check for updates, but
let me choose whether to install them" the default - it would still
let me choose whether to install them" the default — it would still
give the security benefit, but not take control away from the user.
<b><font color=lime>Can be disabled through the GUI.</font></b>
</p>
@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ The best takeaway to this is that Mozilla wants to pretend that including spywar
<li>Domain affinity calculation</li>
</ul>
<p>
Essentially, while this feature doesn't broadcast your search history to Mozilla, it proives an incedibly detailed walktrhough of exactly how you use Firefox's user interface. This can be disabled and is an opt-out spyware feature. You can disable it through the GUI as described here:
Essentially, while this feature doesn't broadcast your search history to Mozilla, it proves an incredibly detailed walkthrough of exactly how you use Firefox's user interface. This can be disabled and is an opt-out spyware feature. You can disable it through the GUI as described here:
<a href="https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/share-data-mozilla-help-improve-firefox">Share data with Mozilla to help improve Firefox</a>
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20181002204159/https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/share-data-mozilla-help-improve-firefox">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="http://archive.fo/gkVeb">[archive.fo]</a>
@ -169,7 +169,7 @@ The best takeaway to this is that Mozilla wants to pretend that including spywar
</p>
<h3>Mitigating Firefox Spyware</h3>
<p>
This reveiew is also accompanied by a page about how to configure Firefox to be more privacy respecting, and links to other projects that have been created to solve this
This review is also accompanied by a page about how to configure Firefox to be more privacy respecting, and links to other projects that have been created to solve this
problem. You can read about that <a href="../guides/firefox.html">here.</a> These are some of the flags in about:config mentioned earlier in the article, and the values that
they should be set too:
</p>
@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ they should be set too:
<p>
This article was originally written by <a href="https://digdeeper.neocities.org/">digdeeper.neocities.org</a><br>
Formatting changes and some sections were written by the site maintainer.<br>
Other Anonymous contributors have added pther sections and various changes to this article, as well.
Other Anonymous contributors have added other sections and various changes to this article, as well.
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Sources</h2>
@ -271,9 +271,9 @@ they should be set too:
This article was created on 11/23/2017
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be liscenced under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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12
articles/foobar2000.html
View File

@ -7,19 +7,19 @@
<title>Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Foobar 2000</h1>
<h1>foobar2000</h1>
<p><a href="../articles/index.html">Back to catalog</a></p>
<img src="../images/foobar_logo.png" alt="foobar Logo">
<img src="../images/foobar_logo.png" alt="foobar2000 Logo">
<p>
Foobar2000 is an advanced freeware audio player for the Windows platform.
foobar2000 is an advanced freeware audio player for the Windows platform.
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=yellow>Not Rated</font></h2>
<p>
Foobar2000 does not make it's source code availible, which could be hiding spyware features.
foobar2000 does not make its source code available, which could be hiding spyware features.
</p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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</html>

12
articles/google.html
View File

@ -4,15 +4,15 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Google - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Google — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/google_logo.png" alt="Google logo">
<h1>Google</h1>
<p>
Google is an advertising company that produces and researches a huge amount of spyware products and services that permeate
the internet almost entirely. It is almost impossible for the naieve user to use the internet without running into Google
spyware, as they have deployed products on almost every level of the user's interaction with the internet infrasturcture.
the internet almost entirely. It is almost impossible for the naive user to use the internet without running into Google
spyware, as they have deployed products on almost every level of the user's interaction with the internet infrastructure.
</p>
<h2>Technology</h2>
<p>
@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ The following articles on this website have been written about technology create
</center>
<h2>Privacy Statements and Policies</h2>
<p>
The following documents are an incomplete list of policies Google uses for it's various products and
The following documents are an incomplete list of policies Google uses for its various products and
services when concerning user privacy.
</p>
<center>
@ -47,9 +47,9 @@ services when concerning user privacy.
This article was last edited on 11/9/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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<title>Google Search - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Google Search — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/google_logo.png" alt="Google logo">
@ -97,9 +97,9 @@ your information, so it is really not trying to be very detailed because it woul
This article was last edited on 12/12/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
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<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Google Search - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Google Search — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Google Search - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Google Search — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<p>

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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>GZDoom - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>GZDoom — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/gzdoom_logo.png" alt="GZDoom Logo">
@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ GZDoom is a source port of Doom based on an older source port, ZDoom.
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=yellowgreen>Low</font></h2>
<p>
GZDoom contains telemetry that it reports back to the developers containing general information about your Operating System, CPU Cores, and OpenGL compatiblity.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>.
GZDoom contains telemetry that it reports back to the developers containing general information about your Operating System, CPU Cores, and OpenGL compatibility.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>.
GZDoom's developers do not seem to be very good at handling privacy concerns (After all, if this was privacy-concious, it would be opt-in...) and so if you decide to use this program, you
should make sure to compile it with the telemtery disabled, and you should make sure that this is the <i>only</i> spyware in the program- there may be more spyware implemented in the future.
should make sure to compile it with the telemetry disabled, and you should make sure that this is the <i>only</i> spyware in the program- there may be more spyware implemented in the future.
</p>
<hr>
<center>
@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ should make sure to compile it with the telemtery disabled, and you should make
This article was last edited on 5/30/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Hexchat - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Hexchat — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/hexchat_logo.png" alt="Hexchat Logo">
@ -14,14 +14,14 @@ HexChat is an IRC client based on XChat, but unlike XChat it's completely free f
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=lime>Not Spyware</font></h2>
<p>
Hexchat is not spyware in and of itself, however you can use it to connect to services that may be spyware. Hexchat is also dstributed on spyware platforms such as the windows store. If you want to download Hexchat, download it from the <a href="https://hexchat.github.io/index.html">developers website</a> instead of the windows store.
Hexchat is not spyware in and of itself, however you can use it to connect to services that may be spyware. Hexchat is also distributed on spyware platforms such as the Windows Store. If you want to download Hexchat, download it from the <a href="https://hexchat.github.io/index.html">developers' website</a> instead of the Windows Store.
</p>
<hr>
<center>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>GNU IceCat - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>GNU IceCat — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/icecat_logo.png" alt="icecat Logo">
@ -28,10 +28,10 @@ GNU IceCat is a fork of Firefox that is more private and secure than Firefox and
<p>LibreJS: GNU LibreJS aims to address the JavaScript problem described in Richard Stallman's article The JavaScript Trap.</p>
<p>Https-Everywhere: Extension that encrypts your communications with many major websites, making your browsing more secure.</p>
<p>AboutIceCat: Adds a custom "about:icecat" homepage with links to information about the free software and privacy features in IceCat, and checkboxes to enable and disable the ones more prone to break websites.</p>
<p>Fingerprinting countermeasures: Fingerprinting is a series of techniques allowing to uniquely identify a browser based on specific characterisics of that particular instance (like what fonts are available in that machine). Unlike cookies the user cannot opt-out of being tracked this way, so the browser has to avoid giving away that kind of hints.</p>
<p>Fingerprinting countermeasures: Fingerprinting is a series of techniques allowing to uniquely identify a browser based on specific characteristics of that particular instance (like what fonts are available in that machine). Unlike cookies the user cannot opt-out of being tracked this way, so the browser has to avoid giving away that kind of hints.</p>
<p>
As of writing this the information on gnu.org is a little outdated. Read this for the most up to date look at it: <a href="https://savannah.gnu.org/forum/forum.php?forum_id=9240">
GNUzilla - News: IceCat 60.2.0 Pre-release</a>
GNUzilla — News: IceCat 60.2.0 Pre-release</a>
</p>
<hr>
<center>
@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ GNU IceCat is a fork of Firefox that is more private and secure than Firefox and
This article was last edited on 9/18/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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articles/icecat59.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Outdated GNU IceCat - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Outdated GNU IceCat — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/icecat_logo.png" alt="icecat Logo">
@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ GNU IceCat is a web browser that is a fork of <a href="../articles/firefox.html"
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=greenyellow>Low</font></h2>
<p>
GNU IceCat is a fork of Firefox that is more private and secure than Firefox and it contains several privacy-protecting features. However it still contains a lot of the spyware features found in Firefox. So, while it's better than Firefox, it still has a lot of problems that Firefox has.
GNU IceCat is a fork of Firefox that is more private and secure than Firefox and it contains several privacy-protecting features. However, it still contains a lot of the spyware features found in Firefox. So, while it's better than Firefox, it still has a lot of problems that Firefox has.
</p>
<h3>Phoning Home</h3>
<p>
@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ GNU IceCat is a fork of Firefox that is more private and secure than Firefox and
<p>Https-Everywhere: Extension that encrypts your communications with many major websites, making your browsing more secure.</p>
<p>SpyBlock: Blocks privacy trackers while in normal browsing mode, and all third party requests when in private browsing mode. Based on Adblock Plus.</p>
<p>AboutIceCat: Adds a custom "about:icecat" homepage with links to information about the free software and privacy features in IceCat, and checkboxes to enable and disable the ones more prone to break websites.</p>
<p>Fingerprinting countermeasures: Fingerprinting is a series of techniques allowing to uniquely identify a browser based on specific characterisics of that particular instance (like what fonts are available in that machine). Unlike cookies the user cannot opt-out of being tracked this way, so the browser has to avoid giving away that kind of hints.</p>
<p>Fingerprinting countermeasures: Fingerprinting is a series of techniques allowing to uniquely identify a browser based on specific characteristics of that particular instance (like what fonts are available in that machine). Unlike cookies the user cannot opt-out of being tracked this way, so the browser has to avoid giving away that kind of hints.</p>
<hr>
<center>
<h2>Sources</h2>
@ -50,9 +50,9 @@ GNU IceCat is a fork of Firefox that is more private and secure than Firefox and
This article was last edited on 6/21/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
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<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>GNU IceCat - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>GNU IceCat — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/icecat_logo.png" alt="icecat Logo">

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<head>
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<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Catalog - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Catalog — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
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@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ This is a catalog of all of the articles that are currently works-in-progress. T
<a href="../articles/nvidia.html">Nvidia Drivers</a><br>
<a href="../articles/1password.html">1password</a><br>
<a href="../articles/foobar2000.html">Foobar 2000</a><br>
<a href="../articles/foobar2000.html">foobar2000</a><br>
<a href="../articles/example.html">Example Article</a><br>
<a href="../guides/classify.html">Classification Guide</a><br>

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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Instagram - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Instagram — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ service it provides.</p>
<h3>It Logs Your GPS Locations from EXIF Data In Your Photos</h3>
<p>
Whenever a user takes a picture on a modern smartphone, GPS Coordinates are stored in a photos. This is setting that one can easily turn off. However, many users don't even realize their phone is doing so. Instagram takes advantage of that. It will scan through all of the user's photos and look for this EXIF Data<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. When it does, it logs the GPS Coordinates into a database. This database shows exactly where the user has been and what pictures they have taken. The only way to turn this off is to turn off EXIF tags on your camera (You should turn it off due to the numerous privacy issues that emerge from EXIF data).
Whenever a user takes a picture on a modern smartphone, GPS Coordinates are stored in photos. This is setting that one can easily turn off. However, many users don't even realize their phone is doing so. Instagram takes advantage of that. It will scan through all of the user's photos and look for this EXIF Data<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. When it does, it logs the GPS Coordinates into a database. This database shows exactly where the user has been and what pictures they have taken. The only way to turn this off is to turn off EXIF tags on your camera (You should turn it off due to the numerous privacy issues that emerge from EXIF data).
</p>
<h3>It Demands Too Many Permissions and Punishes The User for Denying It Permissions</h3>
@ -36,23 +36,23 @@ Whenever a user takes a picture on a modern smartphone, GPS Coordinates are stor
<li>Identifying device information: IEMI number, carrier, SIM status, phone number</li>
<li>Control phone vibrator motor</li>
</ul>
<p>Denying the app access to: <i>the phone owners full name, contacts stored on the phone, the phones calendar, permission to send and receive SMS messages, and identifying device information</i> resulted in annoying nags containing some excuse as to why they would they would like access to said permission.</p>
<p>Denying the app access to: <i>the phone owners full name, contacts stored on the phone, the phones calendar, permission to send and receive SMS messages, and identifying device information</i> resulted in annoying nags containing some excuse as to why they would like access to said permission.</p>
<p>However, if you deny it access to: <i>All files on the phone and MicroSD card, phone camera, phone microphone, and phone vibrator motor</i>, the app will punish the user by disabling various features in the app that will most likely operate just fine with that permission denied.</p>
<h3>Instagram Owns Any Content You Post on Their Service</h3>
<p>Many users think that when they upload photos to Instagram, they retain all rights or it becomes public domain. This is far from the truth. When you upload a photo to Instagram. Instagram gains all rights to your work and they can anything they want to it<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>. Since most users don't bother reading the terms of service, they are ignorant of this and will often use the work they uploaded to Instagram on other platforms; doing so is against international copyright law treaties. Basically, the user is breaking copyright laws for simply using their own work they posted to Instagram on other platforms</p>
<p>Many users think that when they upload photos to Instagram, they retain all rights or it becomes public domain. This is far from the truth. When you upload a photo to Instagram, Instagram gains all rights to your work and they can do anything they want to it<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>. Since most users don't bother reading the terms of service, they are ignorant of this and will often use the work they uploaded to Instagram on other platforms; doing so is against international copyright law treaties. Basically, the user is breaking copyright laws for simply using their own work they posted to Instagram on other platforms</p>
<h3>You Must Provide a Telephone Number or Email Address to Sign Up</h3>
<p>In order to sign up for the app, you must provide either a telephone number or an email address. You will not be allowed to create an account if you don't provide a either one. This is obviously a method Instagram to uniquely identify you.</p>
<p>If you provided Instagram with a cellular telephone number and uninstalled the app, you will get constant nags to "see whats new on Instagram". Fortunately these nags will go away after about a month, and can be blocked by simply blocking the number</p>
<p>In order to sign up for the app, you must provide either a telephone number or an email address. You will not be allowed to create an account if you provide none of the above. This is obviously a method Instagram to uniquely identify you.</p>
<p>If you provided Instagram with a cellular telephone number and uninstalled the app, you will get constant nags to "see what's new on Instagram". Fortunately these nags will go away after about a month, and can be blocked by simply blocking the number</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/ig_sshot.png" alt="screenshot">
<h3>It Broadcasts What You Do In The App To Other Users</h3>
<p>Introduced in January 2018, Instagram sports a new spyware feature that broadcasts what you doing in the app to anyone that DMs you in the app<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>. But, it goes further, it reportedly also broadcasts what comments you read and what photos you like in the app. On microblogging platforms like Instagram, the majority of users like their actions to be private. A lot of users have complained about this feature and they stated that the feature is here to stay. Also, there is no way to disable this feature either.</p>
<p>Introduced in January 2018, Instagram sports a new spyware feature that broadcasts what you are doing in the app to anyone that DMs you in the app<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>. But, it goes further, it reportedly also broadcasts what comments you read and what photos you like in the app. On microblogging platforms like Instagram, the majority of users like their actions to be private. A lot of users have complained about this feature and they stated that the feature is here to stay. Also, there is no way to disable this feature either.</p>
<h3>It Might Spy in On Your Conversations</h3>
<p>In September of 2017 users started reporting ads appearing on their Instagram feed that they spoke to another person about and never once looked it up online. While Instagram is known to use super cookies (cookies that can hop to different computers on a network and use certain techniques to avoid being deleted), this is next level. A person conducted a test where on a hike they randomly mentioned a projector<sup><a href="#4">[4]</a></sup>. Before this hike they showed no interest in projectors. They than give Instagram about 15 hours and when the person checked their feed the next morning, there was an ad for a projector. Sadly, this is overwhelming proof that Instagram is indeed listening in. Of course, when questioned by various news outlets, Instagram said they never did this, despite their being overwhelming evidence that they are indeed tapping users microphones.</p>
<p>In September 2017 users started reporting ads appearing on their Instagram feed that they spoke to another person about and never once looked it up online. While Instagram is known to use super cookies (cookies that can hop to different computers on a network and use certain techniques to avoid being deleted), this is next level. A person conducted a test where on a hike they randomly mentioned a projector<sup><a href="#4">[4]</a></sup>. Before this hike they showed no interest in projectors. Then they gave Instagram about 15 hours and when the person checked their feed the next morning, there was an ad for a projector. Sadly, this is overwhelming proof that Instagram is indeed listening in. Of course, when questioned by various news outlets, Instagram said they never did this, despite their being overwhelming evidence that they are indeed tapping users microphones.</p>
<hr>
@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ Whenever a user takes a picture on a modern smartphone, GPS Coordinates are stor
<p>
<a name="1">1</a>
<a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ways-instagram-spying-you/">Make Use Of - Ways Instagram Is Spying on You</a>
<a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ways-instagram-spying-you/">Make Use Of — Ways Instagram Is Spying on You</a>
<a href="https://archive.is/pHY8J">[archive.is]</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180131084312/https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/ways-instagram-spying-you/">[archive.org]</a>
<br>
@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ Whenever a user takes a picture on a modern smartphone, GPS Coordinates are stor
<a name="2">2</a>
<a href="https://help.instagram.com/478745558852511/?_fb_noscript=1">Instagrams TOS</a>
<a href="https://help.instagram.com/478745558852511/?_fb_noscript=1">Instagram's TOS</a>
<a href="https://archive.fo/9nxU8">[archive.is]</a>
<br>
@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ Whenever a user takes a picture on a modern smartphone, GPS Coordinates are stor
This article was last edited on 2/24/2019
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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articles/iridium.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Iridium Browser - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Iridium Browser — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/iridium_logo.png" alt="Iridium Logo">
@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
After following the <a href="../guides/iridium.html">mitigation guide</a>, this software is <font color=lime><b>Not Spyware</b></font>.
</p>
<p>
The only unsolicited request is for the Google SafeBrowsing feature, and can be easily turned off from the Preferences menu. Additionally, privacy enhancements unrelated to Google are added, such as blocking third party cookies by default, and deleting local storage on close. Full list of the differences between Chrome and Iridium can be found <a href="https://github.com/iridium-browser/tracker/wiki/Differences-between-Iridium-and-Chromium">here</a><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. However this list is <b><font color=red>not accurate</font></b> and each claim it makes should be verified by the user.
The only unsolicited request is for the Google SafeBrowsing feature, and can be easily turned off from the Preferences menu. Additionally, privacy enhancements unrelated to Google are added, such as blocking third party cookies by default, and deleting local storage on close. Full list of the differences between Chrome and Iridium can be found <a href="https://github.com/iridium-browser/tracker/wiki/Differences-between-Iridium-and-Chromium">here</a><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. However, this list is <b><font color=red>not accurate</font></b> and each claim it makes should be verified by the user.
</p>
<h3>Phoning Home</h3>
<p>
@ -26,16 +26,16 @@
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/iridium_request.png" alt="Iridium safebrowsing requests">
<p>
Iridium browser will also download this blocklist from a mirror maintained by the developers. Since the web browser is
awalys "phoning home" to either google or the developers servers, this is a form of spyware that can be used to monitor
always "phoning home" to either google or the developers servers, this is a form of spyware that can be used to monitor
usage of the program, as well as collection of the User-Agent's of the program's users. (See the <a href="../articles/http.html">HTTP article</a>)
This request is made 5 miniutes after the program is started, and then updated every 30 miniutes.
This request is made 5 minutes after the program is started, and then updated every 30 minutes.
</p>
<h3>Inaccurate Privacy Claims</h3>
<p>
The Iridium developers make the claim that as one of the privacy enhancements of Iridium, it uses the Google SafeBrowsing spyware feature, but with their own mirror of Google's database, meaning that you can
use the feature without constantly phoning home to google, but instead phoning home to the developers, which, while still being a form of spyware, is an increase in privacy
for the user<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. At least it would be if this section was actually true. You can see that from the "Phoning Home" section of this article, this claim is simply
<b><font color=red>not true</font></b>, which is very bad because it undermines the crediblity of the other privacy claims that Iridium makes.
<b><font color=red>not true</font></b>, which is very bad because it undermines the credibility of the other privacy claims that Iridium makes.
</p>
<p>
According to another writer, in his tests the browser would only connect to iridiumbrowser.de. So it is possible that this privacy claim is true for some versions of Iridium,
@ -43,8 +43,8 @@
for yourself.
</p>
<p>
Not only is this privacy claim inaccurate, but a pull request<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> has been open on the developers github for OVER A YEAR with no response from the development team.
It's pretty dissapointing to see such a privacy concerned front to this project, but then a negligent additude with longstanding privacy issues once you pull back the curtain
Not only is this privacy claim inaccurate, but a pull request<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> has been open on the developers GitHub for OVER A YEAR with no response from the development team.
It's pretty disappointing to see such a privacy concerned front to this project, but then a negligent attitude with long-standing privacy issues once you pull back the curtain
and look a little deeper at the claims this browser makes.
</p>
@ -77,9 +77,9 @@
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 License"></a>
<p><a href="../articles/index.html">Back to catalog</a>
</center>
</body>

44
articles/iron.html
View File

@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>SRWare Iron - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>SRWare Iron — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
@ -20,33 +20,33 @@
<p>
SRWare Iron claims to be a privacy respecting web browser that is an alternative to <a href="../articles/chrome.html">Google Chrome</a>'s
spyware, and specifically brands itself as a privacy respecting web browser that aims to give users
the Chrome experience without Google's spyware. However when examining this program, these claims
the Chrome experience without Google's spyware. However, when examining this program, these claims
instantly melt away. SRWare Iron connects to an absolutely incredible amount of trackers and opens
connections to an enormous amount of servers on it's first run. It racks up a rough estimate of
<b><font color="yellow">~400-500 unsolicited connections</font></b>, and it actually took several minitues for it to stop making new
requests and connections. SRWare Iron uses the spyware search engine <a href="../articles/bing.html">Bing</a> as it's default search
engine, however it goes beyond that and routes your requests to Bing through it's own servers
connections to an enormous amount of servers on its first run. It racks up a rough estimate of
<b><font color="yellow">~400-500 unsolicited connections</font></b>, and it actually took several minutes for it to stop making new
requests and connections. SRWare Iron uses the spyware search engine <a href="../articles/bing.html">Bing</a> as its default search
engine, however it goes beyond that and routes your requests to Bing through its own servers
so that it can spy on your internet searches as well. The bottom line is that this browser is just
another false privacy initiative and is really <b><font color="red">no better than Chrome.</font></b>
</p>
<p>
Version 69.0.3600.0 of SRWare Iron was tested on Windows 7 64-bit. MITMproxy, Microsoft Network Montior 3.4,
Version 69.0.3600.0 of SRWare Iron was tested on Windows 7 64-bit. MITMproxy, Microsoft Network Monitor 3.4,
and Sysinternals ProcMon were used to monitor the behavior of this program.
</p>
<h3>False Privacy Initiative</h3>
<p>
SRWare Iron claims on it's website that it is:
SRWare Iron claims on its website that it is:
</p>
<p><i>
"Chrome thrilled with an extremely fast site rendering, a sleek design and innovative features. But it also gets critic from data protection specialists , for reasons such as creating a unique user ID or the submission of entries to Google to generate suggestions. SRWare Iron is a real alternative. The browser is based on the Chromium-source and offers the same features as Chrome - but without the critical points that the privacy concern."
"Chrome thrilled with an extremely fast site rendering, a sleek design and innovative features. But it also gets critic from data protection specialists, for reasons such as creating a unique user ID or the submission of entries to Google to generate suggestions. SRWare Iron is a real alternative. The browser is based on the Chromium-source and offers the same features as Chrome, but without the critical points that the privacy concern."
</i><sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p>
The reality is that you are merely trading in one spyware product for another. Where Chrome's spyware has been removed,
Iron's spyware is there to replace it. Which poision are you going to pick? The worst part is that people will read what is
claimed on SRWare's website and beleive it without doing any tests for themselves. Like
Iron's spyware is there to replace it. Which poison are you going to pick? The worst part is that people will read what is
claimed on SRWare's website and believe it without doing any tests for themselves. Like
<a href="https://dottech.org/23821/srware-iron-a-privacy-oriented-web-browser-built-from-google-chromes-source-code/">this article</a>
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20160327201202/http://dottech.org/23821/srware-iron-a-privacy-oriented-web-browser-built-from-google-chromes-source-code/">[web.archive.org]</a>
that just copies the comparison-list from Iron's website without any real investegation before delcaring it a privacy alterantive to Chrome.
that just copies the comparison-list from Iron's website without any real investigation before declaring it a privacy alternative to Chrome.
The most audacious thing about it is this incredible quote on the FAQ section for the Iron browser:
</p>
<p><i>
@ -65,13 +65,13 @@
should give you an idea of the amount of requests I was swamped by. It took a while for it to die down. On subsequent runs the
amount of requests it sent was far less. It connected to spyware platforms like Google Analytics and Piwik, and executed their JavaScript payloads.
There were a lot of redundant connections to Google Analytics so it's probable that multiple companies are able to send their own
analytics payloads through this homescreen. Thus throughly fingerprinting and profiling your web browser and computer the moment you
begin browsing the internet with your new "privacy respecting" browser- so that all of these advertising companies can track you
analytics payloads through this homescreen. Thus thoroughly fingerprinting and profiling your web browser and computer the moment you
begin browsing the internet with your new "privacy respecting" browser — so that all of these advertising companies can track you
everywhere you go!
</p>
<p>
When checking the browser's connections in Network Monitor 3.4, you could see that it connected to a huge amount
of servers, even though only two domains were ever contacted.<a href../images/iron_connections.png">This screenshot</a> doesn't caputre
of servers, even though only two domains were ever contacted. <a href../images/iron_connections.png">This screenshot</a> doesn't capture
all of the IP addresses that it connected, but should give you an idea.
</p>
<p>
@ -91,16 +91,16 @@
<p>
After you've finished identifying your web browser to just about every single spyware company on the internet, you can begin
making internet searches with your new SRWare Iron browser. The default search engine is the spyware search engine <a href="../articles/bing.html">Bing</a>.
However it's not enough to just point you at a spyware search engine... when you try and actually run a search on Bing, this is what happens:
However, it's not enough to just point you at a spyware search engine... when you try and actually run a search on Bing, this is what happens:
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/iron_bing.png" alt="SRWare Iron redirecting through it's own servers">
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/iron_bing.png" alt="SRWare Iron redirecting through its own servers">
<p>
Basically, every time you make a search with this browser, your searches are sent through the developer's servers.
So, the developer can know exactly what your internet history is, in this way. Your searches are also being sent through
<code>wisesearches.com</code>, but I don't know who they are. So now instead of giving up your search history to one
spyware company, Google, you can give it to three spyware companies, by switching to this browser. This is a very similar
tactic to the one that the spyware browser <a href="../articles/slimjet.html">Slimjet</a> uses, where it routes searches to
Bing through it's own domains.
Bing through its own domains.
</p>
<h3>Motivations of the SRWare Iron developer?</h3>
<p>
@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
<Kmos> Iron: google about it
<Iron> yes there is enough time to support it
<jamessan> heh, you're expecting to make lots of money from making a fork of chromium? that's quite amusing
<Iron> i dont take money for my fork
<Iron> i don't take money for my fork
<Iron> but i have adsense on my page ;)
<Iron> a lot of visitor -> a lot of clicka > a lot of money ;)
<Kmos> and do you think google should support your fork
@ -149,7 +149,7 @@
privacy concerns by generating traffic to his website, where he could make money by serving spyware
to the very users that wanted to escape from it. Then his fork gets loaded up with all sorts of
spyware from all sorts of other companies... which he probably makes some amount of money from as well.
(why else would he take the time to integrate these things into his browser? we can only speculate.)
(why else would he take the time to integrate these things into his browser? We can only speculate.)
At the end of the day it's pretty clear that this browser is a huge scam and you shouldn't use it.
</p>
</div>
@ -159,12 +159,12 @@
<h4>Sources:</h4>
<ol>
<li id="s1">
<a href="http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php">SRWare Iron: The Browser of the future - Overview</a>
<a href="http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php">SRWare Iron: The Browser of the future — Overview</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20181118232123/http://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron.php">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="https://archive.is/qMNlG">[archive.is]</a><br>
</li>
<li id="s2">
<a href="https://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_faq.php">SRWare Iron: The Browser of the future - Frequently asked questions</a>
<a href="https://www.srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_faq.php">SRWare Iron: The Browser of the future — Frequently asked questions</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180502103925/http://www.srware.net:80/en/software_srware_iron_faq.php">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="https://archive.fo/TXJbh">[archive.is]</a><br>
</li>

24
articles/itunes.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>iTunes - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>iTunes — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/itunes_logo.png" alt="itunes logo">
@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ iTunes is a media player, media library, Internet radio broadcaster, and mobile
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=red>EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
iTunes is a spyware music player developed by Apple that collects an enormous amount of information about its users. iTunes is riddled with numerous spyware features and types of information collection, and is integrated with Apple's spyware platforms. Apple is not subtle about its spyware- it explains what it does plainly and clearly, so there is no deception about the scope and level of privacy violations comitted by its software.
iTunes is a spyware music player developed by Apple that collects an enormous amount of information about its users. iTunes is riddled with numerous spyware features and types of information collection, and is integrated with Apple's spyware platforms. Apple is not subtle about its spyware- it explains what it does plainly and clearly, so there is no deception about the scope and level of privacy violations committed by its software.
</p>
<h3>Itunes is integrated into the Apple ID spyware platform</h3>
<h3>iTunes is integrated into the Apple ID spyware platform</h3>
<p>
Itunes is integrated with the "Apple ID" spyware platform, which it requires for you to use certain features of the app.
iTunes is integrated with the "Apple ID" spyware platform, which it requires for you to use certain features of the app.
This spyware platform collects the following information from you<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>:
</p>
<ul>
@ -30,19 +30,19 @@ This spyware platform collects the following information from you<sup><a href="#
</ul>
<h3>Phoning Home</h3>
<p>
Whenever you open Itunes, these two requests are immediately made:
Whenever you open iTunes, these two requests are immediately made:
</p>
<img src="../images/itunes_spyware1.png" alt="Itunes unsolictied network requests">
<img src="../images/itunes_spyware1.png" alt="iTunes unsolicited network requests">
<p>
<a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201999">Here</a><sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> is a list of all of the domains that Itunes will connect too.
So, whenever you start up Itunes, you are immediately checked into the botnet. It's not clarified exactly what Itunes is
<a href="https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201999">Here</a><sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> is a list of all of the domains that iTunes will connect too.
So, whenever you start up iTunes, you are immediately checked into the botnet. It's not clarified exactly what iTunes is
connected to for what reason. The only hint we have comes from this passage in the privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>:
</p>
<p><i>
"We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, referrer URL, location, and the time zone where an Apple product is used so that we can better understand customer behavior and improve our products, services, and advertising."
</i></p>
<p>
So, we can only assume that Itunes is collecting all of this information, or at least as much of it as it can get, from you and sending it back to apple.
So, we can only assume that iTunes is collecting all of this information, or at least as much of it as it can get, from you and sending it back to apple.
</p>
<h3>Apple sells your personal information</h3>
<p>
@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Apple is very up-front about this in its privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a>
"Apple shares personal information with companies who provide services such as information processing, extending credit, fulfilling customer orders, delivering products to you, managing and enhancing customer data, providing customer service, assessing your interest in our products and services, and conducting customer research or satisfaction surveys."
</i></p>
<p>
So, there can be no illusion or mistake about what happens to the information you provide to Itunes- it will be sold to datamining companies.
So, there can be no illusion or mistake about what happens to the information you provide to iTunes — it will be sold to datamining companies.
</p>
<hr>
@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ So, there can be no illusion or mistake about what happens to the information yo
This article was last edited on 5/12/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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30
articles/ksp.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Kerbal Space Program - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Kerbal Space Program — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/ksp_logo.png" alt="Kerbal Space Program Logo">
@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
Kerbal Space program is a spyware program that mines large amounts of personal information of its users<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup><sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>,
to use for its own advertising, and to sell to other advertisers. On its face, it is a video game, but it is loaded with a huge amount of spyware that makes it completely unusable from a privacy standpoint.
If you MUST use this program, run it in a VM with no internet connection. KSP collects so much information, that it has managed to catapult itself into the highest ranks of
this webiste and can only be described as a uniquely malicious datamining platform. KSP at one point was integrated with the <a href="../articles/redshell.html">Redshell</a> spyware platform.<sup><a href="#1">[3]</a></sup><sup>
this website and can only be described as a uniquely malicious datamining platform. KSP at one point was integrated with the <a href="../articles/redshell.html">Redshell</a> spyware platform.<sup><a href="#1">[3]</a></sup><sup>
</p>
<h3>Kerbal Space Program collects vast amounts of personal information</h3>
@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
</ul>
<p>
Anyone who is framiliar with privacy violating software can notice that compared to most spyware out there, this is a MASSIVE amount of personal information that is being collected.
Anyone who is familiar with privacy violating software can notice that compared to most spyware out there, this is a MASSIVE amount of personal information that is being collected.
It's further clarified that not only does this program collect all of your information, but it uses this information to build a unique profile of you by correlating that information
together.
</p>
@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
<p>
KSP is integrated with social networking websites such as Facebook<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>, which allows it to collect a lot of personal information about you from any sort of social media profile that you
have on that website. If you're wondering how it could collect your date of birth, gender and photo if the program doesn't explicitly ask you, this is probably how it does it.
When you give KSP access to your facebook account by logging in through spyware platforms such as Facebook, it collects as much information from your profile as it possibly can. This includes:
When you give KSP access to your Facebook account by logging in through spyware platforms such as Facebook, it collects as much information from your profile as it possibly can. This includes:
</p>
<ul>
@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
which it does not show and restraint in collecting.
</p>
<p>
Not only is KSP integrated with Facebook's spyware platfrom, but it is also integrated with other spyware platforms as well:
Not only is KSP integrated with Facebook's spyware platform, but it is also integrated with other spyware platforms as well:
</p>
<p><i>
"When you use a third-party authentication service or link your Company account with a third-party account, you will be asked to provide account information associated with that third-party account. Certain membership information may be transferred automatically to the Company when you register to join an Online Service from a third-party gaming network system or link your Online Service membership with a third-party service, such as your friends list on that gaming network or social network service."
@ -86,7 +86,7 @@
"If you use, purchase, or register for an Online Service through a third-party service such as a gaming console's network service, an internet based gaming service, or a social network website, or request that we associate a Company account with a third-party service account, then limited user account personal information may be transferred to the Company as part of the registration process and we may be able to collect information about your use of the Online Services."
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<h3>Kerbal Space Program allows advertisers to collect personal information seperately</h3>
<h3>Kerbal Space Program allows advertisers to collect personal information separately</h3>
<p>
In addition to tracking its users, KSP allows advertisers to track its users as well<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. These advertisers are:
@ -103,14 +103,14 @@
</ul>
<p>
Which of course, all have their own seperate privacy polcies about how they handle your information. So, not only is KSP tracking you, but a huge amount of advertisers are
Which of course, all have their own separate privacy policies about how they handle your information. So, not only is KSP tracking you, but a huge amount of advertisers are
also tracking you when you use their services.
</p>
<h3>Kerbal Space Program sells your information to advertisers</h3>
<p>
KSP's privacy policy uses more vauge language here, but its clear that your information is being sold to advertisers. See the following quotes:
KSP's privacy policy uses more vague language here, but it's clear that your information is being sold to advertisers. See the following quotes:
</p>
<p><i>
@ -132,14 +132,10 @@
</p>
<p><i>
"The Company uses this information to send you promotional materials...We also use your personal and other information for our internal marketing and demographic studies, so we can constantly improve the products and services we provide you and to better meet your needs."
"The Company uses this information to send you promotional materials. [...] We also use your personal and other information for our internal marketing and demographic studies, so we can constantly improve the products and services we provide you and to better meet your needs."
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p><i>
"The Company uses this information to send you promotional materials...We also use your personal and other information for our internal marketing and demographic studies, so we can constantly improve the products and services we provide you and to better meet your needs."
</i></p>
<h3>Kerbal Space Program does not make its source code availible</h3>
<h3>Kerbal Space Program does not make its source code available</h3>
<p>
Its impossible to discern the level and scope of privacy violations done by this software beyond what they tell us in the privacy policy. The source code could potentially be hiding
@ -166,7 +162,7 @@
<a href="http://web.archive.org/web/20180530204319/https://forum.kerbalspaceprogram.com/index.php?/topic/171850-does-ksp-v14-really-have-spyware-in-it/&page=12&tab=comments">[web.archive.org]</a><br>
<a name="3">3.</a>
<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/psa_red_shell_spyware_holy_potatoes_were_in_space/">[PSA] RED SHELL Spyware - "Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!" integrated and removed it after complaints</a>
<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/psa_red_shell_spyware_holy_potatoes_were_in_space/">[PSA] RED SHELL Spyware — "Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!" integrated and removed it after complaints</a>
<a href="https://snew.github.io/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/">[snew.github.io]</a>
<a href="http://archive.is/jwlur">[archive.is]</a>
<br>
@ -178,9 +174,9 @@
This article was last updated on 5/30/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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2
articles/lynx.html
View File

@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Lynx - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Lynx — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>

4
articles/netsurf.html
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Netsurf - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Netsurf — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>
@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
<img src="../images/netsurf.png" alt="Images are in the ../images folder"/>
<h1>Netsurf</h1>
<p>
From their website: "NetSurf is a multi-platform web browser for RISC OS, UNIX-like platforms (including Linux), Mac OS X, and more" <sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> Verstion Tested: Netsurf 3.9
From their website: "NetSurf is a multi-platform web browser for RISC OS, UNIX-like platforms (including Linux), Mac OS X, and more" <sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> Version Tested: Netsurf 3.9
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <span class="yellowgreen">Low</span></h2>
<p>Upon launch Netsurf makes a request to get the default search engine's icon, that default search engine is Google. This was tested with mitmproxy. Other than that, there are no unsolicited requests. After following the <a href="../guides/netsurf.html">mitigation guide</a>, this software is <span class="green">not spyware</span>.</p>

12
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@ -19,20 +19,20 @@
<p>
Nvidia produces graphics cards, and of course to use this hardware you need to install their drivers. Unfortunately Nvidia's drivers are riddled with
spyware and the installation process is a minefeild of serious privacy pitfalls, with options selected by default that have serious privacy
spyware and the installation process is a minefield of serious privacy pitfalls, with options selected by default that have serious privacy
implications they have if actually enabled. It isn't possible to install any of their drivers without bundled spyware being installed onto your computer,
which needs to be cleaned up after the install.
which needs to be cleaned up after the installation.
</p>
<h3>Nvidia's installer is bundled with other spyware programs</h3>
<p>
When attempting to install an Nvidia graphics card driver you will be shown an option to install the spyware program GeForce Experience onto your computer.
This program is malware that is also developed by Nvidia as well, and has a huge range of serious privacy issues, including scanning and uploading information
about the files onto your comptuer to Nvidia. (An article about GeForce Experience is planned)
about the files onto your computer to Nvidia. (An article about GeForce Experience is planned)
</p>
<img src="../images/nvidia_bundling.png" alt="Nvidia driver installation screenshot">
<h3>Nvidia drivers install telemetry services onto the host machine</h3>
<p>
When the installation is finished, these services will show up (This is on windows 7):
When the installation is finished, these services will show up (This is on Windows 7):
</p>
<img src="../images/nvidia_spyware_service.png" alt="Nvidia spyware services">
<p>
@ -73,8 +73,8 @@
This article was last edited on 7/22/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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10
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@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Opera - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Opera — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/opera_logo.png" alt="Images are in the /images folder">
<img src="../images/opera_logo.png" alt="Opera logo">
<h1>Opera</h1>
<p>
A web browser made by Opera Software, using the Blink engine. Has some interesting features like mouse gestures, a built-in ad blocker and VPN. It is the sixth most popular browser. But how does it look like in terms of privacy?
@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
<p>Opera has a Facebook chat button on the sidebar, and Facebook is one of the most anti-privacy organizations out there.</p>
<h3>Opera's "Partners"</h3>
<p>Opera has a list of "partners" - those are the websites that are in the Speed Dial by default. If you click on one of them from there, they will know you visited from Opera's Speed Dial. Those requests also include <b>unique user IDs</b>.
<p>Opera has a list of "partners" — those are the websites that are in the Speed Dial by default. If you click on one of them from there, they will know you visited from Opera's Speed Dial. Those requests also include <b>unique user IDs</b>.
What happens if you close Opera and run it again? The websites in the Speed Dial will change to the ones from your country! And the same rule about them knowing where you came from applies.</p>
<h3>Opera is closed source</h3>
@ -77,9 +77,9 @@
This article was created on 11/25/2017
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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6
articles/otter.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Otter Browser - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Otter Browser — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/otter_browser_logo.png" alt="Otter Browser Logo">
@ -23,9 +23,9 @@
This article was created on 11/25/2017
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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8
articles/paint.net.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Paint.NET - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Paint.NET — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/paintnet_logo.png" alt="logo">
@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ It's impossible to build Paint.NET from source and read its source code to verif
<h3>Paint.NET is self-updating software</h3>
<p>
Paint.NET contains an updater that downloads new version of Paint.NET. This updater also downloads a file from paint.net's website to check for new versions, which is a form of phoning home.
(I didn't check what protocol or kind of request it makes, though) This can be disabled, however, and you should disable it. Paint.NET also will phone home when you install or upate the software.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
(I didn't check what protocol or kind of request it makes, though) This can be disabled, however, and you should disable it. Paint.NET also will phone home when you install or update the software.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
So the only way to avoid this is to block the program from accessing the internet, and disabling all updates.
</p>
<hr>
@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ So the only way to avoid this is to block the program from accessing the interne
This article was last edited on 6/1/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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12
articles/palemoon.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Pale Moon - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Pale Moon — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/palemoon_logo.png" alt="Pale Moon logo">
@ -26,11 +26,11 @@
By default, Pale Moon's home page is set to https://palemoon.start.me, and it will automatically make a connection to it upon its first run.
This page connects to Google Analytics, which can fingerprint and track you across the internet.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/pm_analytics.png" alt="Google Analyics requests sent by Pale Moon's default homepage">
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/pm_analytics.png" alt="Google Analytics requests sent by Pale Moon's default homepage">
<h3>Blocking privacy-enhancing addons</h3>
<p>
Pale Moon by default won't allow you to install the privacy-enhancing addon noscript, citing this rationale for
blocking such an imporant addon: <i>"NoScript is known to cause severe issues with a large (and growing) number of websites. Unless finely tuned for every website visited,
Pale Moon by default won't allow you to install the privacy-enhancing addon NoScript, citing this rationale for
blocking such an important addon: <i>"NoScript is known to cause severe issues with a large (and growing) number of websites. Unless finely tuned for every website visited,
NoScript will cause display issues and functional issues."</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
<b><font color=yellow>To disable this blocklist, set extensions.blocklist.enabled to false in about:config.</font></b>
</p>
@ -62,9 +62,9 @@ NoScript will cause display issues and functional issues."</i><sup><a href="#1">
This article was created on 3/19/2019<br>
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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14
articles/palemoon_old.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Outdated Pale Moon - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Outdated Pale Moon — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/palemoon_logo.png" alt="Pale Moon logo">
@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
</p>
<h3>Pale Moon's start page</h3>
<p>
By default, Pale Moon's start page is set to https://palemoon.start.me, and it will automatically make a connection to it upon its first run. That page will then (again) make a bunch of requests for various trackers - here is a list:
By default, Pale Moon's start page is set to https://palemoon.start.me, and it will automatically make a connection to it upon its first run. That page will then (again) make a bunch of requests for various trackers — here is a list:
<ul>
<li>Google Ads (location-aware)</li>
<li>Facebook (so if you're logged in, they know who you are)</li>
@ -42,14 +42,14 @@
<li>A few others</li>
</ul>
<p>
All these requests contain the Pale Moon start page referrer, so they know where you came from. They also all set uniquely idenfifying cookies, so if you come across another website with these trackers included, they will know you're the person from the Pale Moon's start page, and could start building a profile from your browsing habits. You can easily delete the cookies and change the start page so that it never appears again, but <b>there is no way to avoid the requests being made upon Pale Moon's first run.</b>
All these requests contain the Pale Moon start page referrer, so they know where you came from. They also all set uniquely identifying cookies, so if you come across another website with these trackers included, they will know you're the person from the Pale Moon's start page, and could start building a profile from your browsing habits. You can easily delete the cookies and change the start page so that it never appears again, but <b>there is no way to avoid the requests being made upon Pale Moon's first run.</b>
</p>
<h3>Blocking privacy-enhancing addons</h3>
<p>
Pale Moon blocks privacy enhancing addons like noscript, citing this rationale for
Pale Moon blocks privacy enhancing addons like NoScript, citing this rationale for
blocking such an imporant addon: <i>"NoScript is known to cause severe issues with a large (and growing) number of websites. Unless finely tuned for every website visited,
NoScript will cause display issues and functional issues. "</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> So, it looks like Pale Moon's developers are actively working against the intrests of its
NoScript will cause display issues and functional issues. "</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> So, it looks like Pale Moon's developers are actively working against the interests of its
privacy-concerned users, and would rather allow websites to execute malicious ECMAScript programs on unsuspecting user's machines, than to be blamed for a broken website.
<b><font color=yellow>To disable this blocklist, set extensions.blocklist.enabled to false in about:config.</font></b>
</p>
@ -91,9 +91,9 @@ privacy-concerned users, and would rather allow websites to execute malicious EC
This article was last updated on 10/14/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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22
articles/poweriso.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>PowerISO - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>PowerISO — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ PowerISO is a CD / DVD / BD image file processing tool.
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color="yellow">Medium</font></h2>
<p>
The PowerISO software itself, after you have installed it, does not seem to have a lot of serious privacy problems and would probably be listed
as "Not Spyware" or "Low". However, downloading and installing this software requires careful attention because it attempts to install serveral spyware
as "Not Spyware" or "Low". However, downloading and installing this software requires careful attention because it attempts to install several spyware
programs and otherwise violates your privacy at every step of the installation process. So it's received this higher rating because of how bad this
process is for user privacy. Also, keep in mind that this is for the free version of the software and the paid version might be slightly better for
user privacy, however because there are so many problems with the free version you would have to do your own tests to make sure.
@ -37,20 +37,20 @@ When you try to download this program off of the developer's website (<a href="h
which appears to be a link to: <code>http://www.fettcedob-nero.com/vf6o1o5/PowerISO7-x64.exe</code>, is actually a redirect to a website that tries to run a third
party script (spyware) on your browser.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/piso_scripts.png" alt="PowerISO install button running scripts- caught by noscript.">
<h3>Attempting to install a chrome extenison</h3>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/piso_scripts.png" alt="PowerISO install button running scripts caught by NoScript.">
<h3>Attempting to install a Chrome extension</h3>
<p>
I could not manage to download this program with a Firefox-based browser so I used a Chrome-Based browser to download it. Once I had enabled JavaScript and executed all of the
spyware involved, it attempted to get me to install this chrome extension:
I could not manage to download this program with a Firefox-based browser, so I used a Chrome-Based browser to download it. Once I had enabled JavaScript and executed all of the
spyware involved, it attempted to get me to install this Chrome extension:
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/piso_extension.png" alt="PowerISO attempt to install a chrome extension">
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/piso_extension.png" alt="PowerISO attempt to install a Chrome extension">
<p>
While this is not a review of search manager, it's worth noting that this extension is known adware at least, and who knows what else it does. Any searches about this
extension should explain this. But at the very least, assuming that you didn't install any spyware yet, you at least have the PowerISO installer...
</p>
<h3>Attempts to Install spyware in the PowerISO installer</h3>
<h3>Attempts to install spyware in the PowerISO installer</h3>
<p>
Once you run the PowerISO installer, it will attempt to install the following progams on your computer:
Once you run the PowerISO installer, it will attempt to install the following programs on your computer:
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/PowerISO7-x64_1.png" alt="PowerISO attempt to install spyware 1">
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/PowerISO7-x64_2.png" alt="PowerISO attempt to install spyware 2">
@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ extension should explain this. But at the very least, assuming that you didn't i
This article was created on 10/7/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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8
articles/qutebrowser.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Qutebrowser - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Qutebrowser — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/qutebrowser_logo.png" alt="Qutebrowser Logo">
@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=lime>Not Spyware</font></h2>
<p>
Qutebrowser <b><font color=lime>makes no unsolicited requests at all.</font></b> It is also fully open source. This web browser is a great choice to use, and there is
nothing to complain about from a privacy standpoint. (although I don't really know how to use the User Interface that well... ) So far this browser looks like it can stand tall in the ranks of the other privacy-respecting web browsers out there.
nothing to complain about from a privacy standpoint. (although I don't really know how to use the User Interface that well...) So far this browser looks like it can stand tall in the ranks of the other privacy-respecting web browsers out there.
</p>
<hr>
<center>
@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ nothing to complain about from a privacy standpoint. (although I don't really kn
This article was created on 5/10/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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2
articles/razer.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Razer - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Razer — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/razer_logo.png">

10
articles/razer_en.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Razer - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Razer — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/razer_logo.png">
@ -36,8 +36,8 @@
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/theevidence.png">
<p>
Where is the option "Sign in later" at? Without an account, you CAN'T configure your keyboard,
change your mouse DPI and RGB configuration and such, this means that the configurations you set to your (Razer) peripherals are in somebody's
elses PC, and Razer knows who has that (your) info.
change your mouse DPI and RGB configuration and such, this means that the configurations you set to your (Razer) peripherals are in somebody
else's PC, and Razer knows who has that (your) info.
</p>
<hr>
@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
</p>
<hr>
<h2>References</h2>
<p>1. <a id="1" href="https://www.razer.com/legal/privacy-policy">Razer - Privacy Policy | Razer United States</a> <a href="https://archive.fo/sVOGz">[archive.is]</a><br>
<p>1. <a id="1" href="https://www.razer.com/legal/privacy-policy">Razer — Privacy Policy | Razer United States</a> <a href="https://archive.fo/sVOGz">[archive.is]</a><br>
2. <a id="2" href="http://wp.xin.at/archives/1438">The Razer Synapse 2.0 spy ware</a> <a href="https://archive.fo/sjgDR">[archive.is]</a></p>
<hr>
@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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30
articles/realplayer.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>RealPlayer - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>RealPlayer — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/realplayer_logo.png" alt="realplayer logo">
@ -21,25 +21,25 @@ from other spyware services like Facebook and Twitter to build these profiles. <
<p>
No actual tests of the software were done to write this article since there isn't really a point... RealPlayer doesn't seem to be hiding anything,
since the privacy policy is so open about what it does. There probably is more spyware hidden in it, but it's really at such a point where it can't
receive a higher rating or a diffrent advisory: <b><font color=red>Do not use this program.</font></b>
receive a higher rating or a different advisory: <b><font color=red>Do not use this program.</font></b>
</p>
<h3>RealPlayer records the media you own and consume with it</h3>
<p>
In the same way that a web browser can spy on you by recording all of your internet history and showing it to the developers, RealPlayer spies on you
by recording all of media history and showing it to it's developers. It is very clearly stated in the privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> that
by recording all of media history and showing it to its developers. It is very clearly stated in the privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> that
RealPlayer collects the following information about you:
</p>
<p><i>
"Such information can include...Information relating to your use of our products and services, for example information relating to photographs or videos you upload to RealPlayer or add to RealTimes, content you download using RealPlayer including domains associated with such content, geo-location information or patterns associated with photographs or videos to enable features in RealTimes, and activities on our websites such as pages visited;"
"Such information can include [...] Information relating to your use of our products and services, for example information relating to photographs or videos you upload to RealPlayer or add to RealTimes, content you download using RealPlayer including domains associated with such content, geo-location information or patterns associated with photographs or videos to enable features in RealTimes, and activities on our websites such as pages visited;"
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p>
So, because of this vauge wording, it can only be assumed that RealPlayer has access to all of the media that you consume using it.
So, because of this vague wording, it can only be assumed that RealPlayer has access to all of the media that you consume using it.
</p>
<h3>RealPlayer tracks the physical locations of its users</h3>
<p>
What is especially agregious about this policy is that is designed to create detailed profiles of the user. RealPlayer specifically mentions that when it
uses it's spyware to access your photos, it will search for <i>"geo-location information"</i>, as well as <i>"patterns associated with photographs or videos"</i>.
What is especially egregious about this policy is that is designed to create detailed profiles of the user. RealPlayer specifically mentions that when it
uses its spyware to access your photos, it will search for <i>"geo-location information"</i>, as well as <i>"patterns associated with photographs or videos"</i>.
This is worded in a (somewhat) innocent way but it tells a lot about what this spyware is for. "Patterns" associated with media implies that RealPlayer is
using the information it collects on its users for facial recognition.
</p>
@ -47,14 +47,14 @@ receive a higher rating or a diffrent advisory: <b><font color=red>Do not use th
RealPlayer also fingerprints the hardware you use:
</p>
<p><i>
"Such information can include...Information about your computer or mobile device such as your unique device ID (persistent/ non-persistent, MAC or IMEI), hardware, software, platform, and Internet Protocol (IP) address."
"Such information can include [...] Information about your computer or mobile device such as your unique device ID (persistent/ non-persistent, MAC or IMEI), hardware, software, platform, and Internet Protocol (IP) address."
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p>
Since we also know that RealPlayer scrapes the geolocation information from your images, this is more information that RealPlayer can use to collect information about
your physical location. And this is only further confirmed by this statement later in the privacy policy:
</p>
<p><i>
"we sometimes receive information from third parties such as...Service providers that help us determine your device’s location based on its IP address to customize certain products to your location"
"we sometimes receive information from third parties such as [...] Service providers that help us determine your device’s location based on its IP address to customize certain products to your location"
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p>
So, this is proof that RealPlayer is <b><font color=red>designed to track your physical location.</font></b>
@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ receive a higher rating or a diffrent advisory: <b><font color=red>Do not use th
<h3>RealPlayer colludes information with other spyware services to profile its users</h3>
<p>
RealPlayer uses all of the information it collects in combination with information that other spyware platforms and services use
to build a more accurate profile of it's users. It clearly states in its privacy policy that it colludes information with<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>:
RealPlayer uses all of the information it collects in combination with information that other spyware platforms and services used
to build a more accurate profile of its users. It clearly states in its privacy policy that it colludes information with<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>:
</p>
<ul>
<li><i>
@ -83,10 +83,10 @@ receive a higher rating or a diffrent advisory: <b><font color=red>Do not use th
</p>
<ul>
<li><i>
"RealNetworks uses information to...Provide personalized content recommendations, language and location customization, and/or personalized help and instructions"
"RealNetworks uses information to [...] Provide personalized content recommendations, language and location customization, and/or personalized help and instructions"
</i></li>
<li><i>
"RealNetworks uses information to...Communicate with you, such as sending you messages concerning your account and customer service issues; asking you to participate in surveys; and delivering news, updates, targeted advertising, promotions, and special offers."
"RealNetworks uses information to [...] Communicate with you, such as sending you messages concerning your account and customer service issues; asking you to participate in surveys; and delivering news, updates, targeted advertising, promotions, and special offers."
</i></li>
</ul>
<h3>RealPlayer sells the information it collects to third parties</h3>
@ -113,9 +113,9 @@ receive a higher rating or a diffrent advisory: <b><font color=red>Do not use th
This article was last edited on 8/13/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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18
articles/redshell.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Redshell - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Redshell — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/redshell_logo.png" alt="redshell Logo">
@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Redshell is a spyware platform that is integrated into many video games.
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=red>EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
Redshell is a spyware platform. It's purpose is to collect huge amounts of information about its user's computers
Redshell is a spyware platform. Its purpose is to collect huge amounts of information about its user's computers
to try and connect marketing data (collected through other spyware platforms) to actual results. It fingerprints
any computers it is attached too and phones home. It also collects information about how a player has been interacting
with the video game that it is embedded in. It's strongly recommended that any programs that embed this spyware are
@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ avoided entirely.
<ul>
<li>Operating System</li>
<li>Installed Browsers</li>
<li>Availible Fonts</li>
<li>Available Fonts</li>
<li>Screen Resolution</li>
<li>IP Address</li>
<li>Timezone</li>
@ -44,27 +44,27 @@ avoided entirely.
<h3>Phoning home</h3>
<p>
Redshell is designed to phone home at its client's (the game developer) whim. Any program using Redshell will phone home with
personal information in a way perculiar to that program.
personal information in a way peculiar to that program.
</p>
<h3>Sharing Information with third parties</h3>
<p>
Redshell clearly says that it shares any kind of marketing data with third parties<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>:
</p>
<p><i>
"For example: Studio X wants to run ads through Google AdWords. When a potential customer clicks on an that ad, they are sent through our tracking link and redirected to the destination set by the studio (in the same way a bitly link works) - usually their game's Steam page. AdWords provides us with unique id for that user and if they end up playing the game, we tell AdWords so they know the ad was effective."
"For example: Studio X wants to run ads through Google AdWords. When a potential customer clicks on an that ad, they are sent through our tracking link and redirected to the destination set by the studio (in the same way a bitly link works) — usually their game's Steam page. AdWords provides us with unique id for that user and if they end up playing the game, we tell AdWords so they know the ad was effective."
</i></p>
<p>
Of course, the words "integrated partner" are used to describe these third parties. The bottom line is that other people are being
given this information. There is also an important distinction to make when talking about this: as Redshell's spyware is a product,
Redshell does not actually have control over what the buyers of that product can do. So, just because Redshell doesn't sell the
the information it's spyware collects about it's users to third parties, that doesn't mean that the buyers of the product do not or
information its spyware collects about it's users to third parties, that doesn't mean that the buyers of the product do not or
will not sell the information that they collect through Redshell to third parties.
</p>
<hr>
<center>
<h3>Further Reading</h3>
<p>
<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/psa_red_shell_spyware_holy_potatoes_were_in_space/">[PSA] RED SHELL Spyware - "Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!" integrated and removed it after complaints</a>
<a href="https://old.reddit.com/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/psa_red_shell_spyware_holy_potatoes_were_in_space/">[PSA] RED SHELL Spyware — "Holy Potatoes! We’re in Space?!" integrated and removed it after complaints</a>
<a href="https://snew.github.io/r/Steam/comments/8pud8b/">[snew.github.io]</a>
<a href="http://archive.is/jwlur">[archive.is]</a>
</p>
@ -81,9 +81,9 @@ avoided entirely.
This article was last edited on 7/16/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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16
articles/slimjet.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Slimjet - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Slimjet — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <span class="red">EXTREMELY HIGH</span></h2>
<p>
Slimjet's website claims that it is very committed to user privacy, and that it blocks Google tracking, unlike Google Chrome<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>. However this claim is <b><font color=red>not true</font></b>. Slimjet is constantly sending information to google and connecting to google
Slimjet's website claims that it is very committed to user privacy, and that it blocks Google tracking, unlike Google Chrome<sup><a href="#s1">[1]</a></sup>. However, this claim is <b><font color=red>not true</font></b>. Slimjet is constantly sending information to google and connecting to google
services. Slimjet claims to be concerned about privacy but ultimately retains just about all of the spyware features found in Google Chrome, as well as additional spyware added on by FlashPoint. In this way, Slimjet manages to implement all of the spyware that is found in browsers like Google Chrome, except instead of one company having this information, it's split up among several companies...
</p>
<h3>Phoning Home</h3>
@ -29,19 +29,19 @@
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/sj_google_requests.png" alt="Slimjet sending requests to all sorts of google services">
<p>
So, this claim just isn't true at all. It's still got a lot of Google's spyware in it, if it's still connecting to so many Google services. What's kind of surprising is that it didn't seem connect to any servers explicitly operated by FlashPeak when I was testing it. Even though, it claims to collect information about it's users for internal usage.<sup><a href="#s2">[2]</a></sup> So, it must be phoning home as well as sending information to Google. Maybe it sends information through some kind of Google web service?
So, this claim just isn't true at all. It's still got a lot of Google's spyware in it, if it's still connecting to so many Google services. What's kind of surprising is that it didn't seem to connect to any servers explicitly operated by FlashPeak when I was testing it. Even though, it claims to collect information about its users for internal usage.<sup><a href="#s2">[2]</a></sup> So, it must be phoning home as well as sending information to Google. Maybe it sends information through some kind of Google web service?
</p>
<h3>Default Search Engine is Spyware</h3>
<p>
The default search engine is <a href="../articles/bing.html">Bing</a>, which sells your information to advertisers. If that isn't enough, it's
<i>"served from fpseek.com"</i> which means that not only are you exposing your information to Bing, this is also being logged by fpseek, which
has it's own privacy policy<sup><a href="#s3">[3]</a></sup>. Whenever you search something using the default search engine, requests are sent to both Bing and fpseek.
has its own privacy policy<sup><a href="#s3">[3]</a></sup>. Whenever you search something using the default search engine, requests are sent to both Bing and fpseek.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/fpseek.png" alt="Fpseek connection">
<p>
So, not only are you sharing everything with Microsoft, now there is another company looking at all of your searches. This is a uniquely bad
default search engine because of how much information it leaks out. Fpseek itself is a company that seems to be tracking how users interact
with advertisments and it says that it uses information it collects about it's users to:
with advertisements and it says that it uses information it collects about its users to:
</p>
<p><i>
"...maintain and improve the quality and operation of the Software & Services, including, monitoring viewability of and interaction with advertisements, search results and other products and services provided by Company."
@ -52,8 +52,8 @@
</p>
<h3>Collecting Information about Users</h3>
<p>
Slimjet claims to collects <i>"some anonymous feature usage statistics information"</i>, and claims not to record your IP or sell that information
to advertisters. However it is still opt-out spyware.
Slimjet claims to collect <i>"some anonymous feature usage statistics information"</i>, and claims not to record your IP or sell that information
to advertisers. However, it is still opt-out spyware.
</p>
<h3>Using the Microsoft BITS service to upload search history to Google servers</h3>
<p>
@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/sj_google_BITS_3.png" alt="Bits3">
<p>
Personal information was censored from these images. It's unclear what this is for specifically but this is probably being done to implement the
"CLOUD SYNC OF BOOKMARK & DATA" that is advertised on Slimjet's website. This is probably how they upload all of your search history and bookmarks into their cloud services, which seem to be provided by Google. There are no other features or requests made that would require large amounts of data to be sent too an external server in this way, so by process of elimination this is my theory as to how it's implemented.
"CLOUD SYNC OF BOOKMARK & DATA" that is advertised on Slimjet's website. This is probably how they upload all of your search history and bookmarks into their cloud services, which seem to be provided by Google. There are no other features or requests made that would require large amounts of data to be sent to an external server in this way, so by process of elimination this is my theory as to how it's implemented.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/sj_cloud.png" alt="cloud sync feature">
<p>

16
articles/snapchat.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Snapchat - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Snapchat — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
@ -15,11 +15,11 @@ Snapchat, developed by <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snap_Inc">Snap Inc
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color="red">EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
Snapchat is spyware because it identifies you with your IP, demands too many permissions and punishes the user for not allowing it certain permissions. Furthermore, it logs your GPS location constantly, makes you provide a phone number or email to use it after a set grace period, and you are forced to use the offical client</p>
Snapchat is spyware because it identifies you with your IP, demands too many permissions and punishes the user for not allowing it certain permissions. Furthermore, it logs your GPS location constantly, makes you provide a phone number or email to use it after a set grace period, and you are forced to use the official client</p>
<h3>It Identifies You With Your IP</h3>
<p>
Snapchat constantly logs your IP even if the app is closed and not running on the phone<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. Furthermore, it combines all these logged IP addresses to build a log on the person. This log can help identify what cities/countries the user has visited or are residing in. Furthermore it can help pinpoint the users home without using the GPS. This feature is mandatory and there is no way you can disable it, however one might be able to use a VPN or the TOR network, although it has been reported that Snapchat is now blacklisting VPN networks and TOR exit nodes<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> claiming that they "detected suspicious activity", forcing the user to reveal their real IP address.
Snapchat constantly logs your IP even if the app is closed and not running on the phone<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>. Furthermore, it combines all these logged IP addresses to build a log on the person. This log can help identify what cities/countries the user has visited or are residing in. Furthermore, it can help pinpoint the users home without using the GPS. This feature is mandatory and there is no way you can disable it, however one might be able to use a VPN or the TOR network, although it has been reported that Snapchat is now blacklisting VPN networks and TOR exit nodes<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> claiming that they "detected suspicious activity", forcing the user to reveal their real IP address.
</p>
<h3>It Demands Assess to Too Many Permissions and Punishes The User For Not Granting It Permissions</h3>
@ -37,16 +37,16 @@ For a simple social media app, Snapchat demands too many permissions. When I tes
<li>Identifying device information: IEMI number, carrier, SIM status, phone number</li>
<li>Control phone vibrator motor</li>
</ul>
<p>To top all of that off, Snapchat will punish the user for denying it too many permissions. When I was testing the app, it would lock me out of the app if I didn't give permission assess all my files. It also it would not let me record video if I didn't give it assess to the microphone.</p>
<p>To top all of that off, Snapchat will punish the user for denying it too many permissions. When I was testing the app, it would lock me out of the app if I didn't give permission to access all my files. It also it would not let me record video if I didn't give it access to the microphone.</p>
<h3>It Contains a GPS Location Logger</h3>
<p>As well as keeping track of IP's, Snapchat logs locations taken from the phones GPS at random times<sup><a href="#4">[4]</a></sup>. If that wasn't scary enough, Snapchat even sells this data to third party advertisers. Also, Snapchat has introduced SnapMap, a feature that shows where your friends are located. People have reported having their location broadcasted to all their friends<sup><a href="#5">[5]</a></sup> even though they didn't accept any prompts. This is dangerous as this can broadcast your location to potential stalkers and the user doesn't even realize it.</p>
<h3>You Must Provide a Phone Number or Email</h3>
<p>If logging IPs and GPS Locations wasn't enough, Snapchat will now lock out accounts that haven't provided an email or phone number<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>. Snapchat will let you use thier app for a grace period before it locks you out and demands an email or phone number in order to get your account back. The length of this grace period is unknown.</p>
<p>If logging IPs and GPS Locations wasn't enough, Snapchat will now lock out accounts that haven't provided an email or phone number<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>. Snapchat will let you use their app for a grace period before it locks you out and demands an email or phone number in order to get your account back. The length of this grace period is unknown.</p>
<h3>You Must Use the Official Client</h3>
<p>If a user is fed up with the the vast amount of information the official Snapchat client collects about you, they CANNOT change to the 3rd party client. Doing so is strictly prohibited. Snapchat has a service that is designed to catch users using 3rd party clients and permanently lock your account. This forces the user to use the official client which contains the spyware.</p>
<p>If a user is fed up with the vast amount of information the official Snapchat client collects about you, they CANNOT change to the 3rd party client. Doing so is strictly prohibited. Snapchat has a service that is designed to catch users using 3rd party clients and permanently lock your account. This forces the user to use the official client which contains the spyware.</p>
<hr>
<center>
@ -84,9 +84,9 @@ For a simple social media app, Snapchat demands too many permissions. When I tes
This article was last edited on 2/23/2019
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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8
articles/sphere.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Sphere Browser - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Sphere Browser — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ download it and the lack of source code hold it back from the title of "Not Spyw
<p>
Sphere Browser is based around an "identities" feature that lets you change how your browser appears to the rest of
the internet in a rather easy way- and then it by default loads the site <code>f.vision</code> which can identify your new identity in a pretty
centeralized way, and even includes a tracking pixel from the getclicky analytics service. If you want to use this browser, you really
centralized way, and even includes a tracking pixel from the getclicky analytics service. If you want to use this browser, you really
should not be using this default homepage. It contrasts with the privacy features of the browser rather poorly.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/sphere_tracking.png" alt="getclicky tracking pixel on the sphere browser default homepage">
@ -41,9 +41,9 @@ is so focused on privacy?
This article was last edited on 12/12/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
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20
articles/steam.html
View File

@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Steam - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Steam — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/steam_logo.png" alt="Steam logo">
@ -14,11 +14,11 @@ Steam is a video game launching service, digital content store, DRM platform, fi
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color="red">EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
This program is spyware because it collects huge amounts of user information, including but not limited to your Home Address, Telephone Number, Credit Card Number, and Internet Search History. Steam also profiles your hardware, communciations through Steam's social networking features, and contains a mandatory self-updater. Steam will not work without an internet connection.
This program is spyware because it collects huge amounts of user information, including but not limited to your Home Address, Telephone Number, Credit Card Number, and Internet Search History. Steam also profiles your hardware, communications through Steam's social networking features, and contains a mandatory self-updater. Steam will not work without an internet connection.
</p>
<h3>Steam's source code is unavailible</h3>
<h3>Steam's source code is unavailable</h3>
<p>
Steam cannot be built from an availible copy of the source code. This means that it is impossible to prove that Steam is not spyware or does not use certain spyware features that it potentially has.
Steam cannot be built from an available copy of the source code. This means that it is impossible to prove that Steam is not spyware or does not use certain spyware features that it potentially has.
</p>
<h3>Steam collects and shares huge amounts of sensitive user information</h3>
<p>
@ -33,16 +33,16 @@ In Steam's privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>, Steam details that it
<li>IP Address</li>
<li>Device Unique ID</li>
<li>Chat logs</li>
<li>Fourm posts</li>
<li>Forum posts</li>
<li>Voice Chat Recordings</li>
<li>Hardware Enumeration</li>
</ul>
<p>
Steam also confirms that it shares this information with third parties. The implications of this are as follows: Steam knows your name, age, where you live, your banking information, and what your e-mail is. Steam shares this information with other companies (at least, to the extent allowed by law). Steam can use your IP Address to track where you are to the nearest county and can use your Device Unqiue ID provided by the fingerprinting spyware features inside Steam to track your usage habits across devices that you use. Steam also records all of your communications with others through its social networking and instant messaging services, such as all chat logs, voice conversations, and forum posts, and can share all of this information with third parties as well.
Steam also confirms that it shares this information with third parties. The implications of this are as follows: Steam knows your name, age, where you live, your banking information, and what your e-mail is. Steam shares this information with other companies (at least, to the extent allowed by law). Steam can use your IP Address to track where you are to the nearest county and can use your Device Unique ID provided by the fingerprinting spyware features inside Steam to track your usage habits across devices that you use. Steam also records all of your communications with others through its social networking and instant messaging services, such as all chat logs, voice conversations, and forum posts, and can share all of this information with third parties as well.
</p>
<h3>Steam has been and may still be recording your internet history</h3>
<p>
It was proven that Steam's VAC system records your internet history and uploads it to an offical Valve server<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>. Valve has subsequently denied<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup> that they store user's internet history, but it is impossible for Valve to prove that they do not store internet history. What we do know is that Valve does have the ability to spy on a users internet history, the spyware feature is programmed into Valve's software and the internet history is processed by Valve's servers. It is up to you to decide wether or not you trust Valve when they say that they have turned this feature off or not.
It was proven that Steam's VAC system records your internet history and uploads it to an official Valve server<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>. Valve has subsequently denied<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup> that they store user's internet history, but it is impossible for Valve to prove that they do not store internet history. What we do know is that Valve does have the ability to spy on a user's internet history, the spyware feature is programmed into Valve's software and the internet history is processed by Valve's servers. It is up to you to decide whether or not you trust Valve when they say that they have turned this feature off or not.
</p>
<h3>Steam records and publicly broadcasts your program usage habits</h3>
<p>
@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ Steam records your program usage habits for all programs launched through Steam'
</p>
<h3>Steam attempts to collect your telephone number</h3>
<p>
Steam has the spyware feature which allows you to "opt-in" to certain features of the Steam service by providing Steam your telephone number. This is done through a pop-up that cannot be turned off. This spyware feature is currently not required, but is being encouraged by Steam. Steam in fact will lock out certain features and privledges to users who want to protect their privacy- for example, access to the "steam store" which is an online marketplace run by valve requires you to give you your phone number. So it is impossible to use all features of the software without giving up this kind of information.
Steam has the spyware feature which allows you to "opt-in" to certain features of the Steam service by providing Steam your telephone number. This is done through a pop-up that cannot be turned off. This spyware feature is currently not required, but is being encouraged by Steam. Steam in fact will lock out certain features and privileges to users who want to protect their privacy- for example, access to the "steam store" which is an online marketplace run by valve requires you to give you your phone number. So it is impossible to use all features of the software without giving up this kind of information.
</p>
<h3>Steam "phones home" and requires and internet connection</h3>
<p>
@ -107,9 +107,9 @@ Steam contains spyware features that allow it to update itself without user veri
This article was last edited on 8/3/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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4
articles/surf.html
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Surf - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Surf — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>
@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
<h2>Spyware Level: <span class="green">Not Spyware</span></h2>
<p>
Surf <b><span class="green">makes no unsolicited requests at all.</span></b>
It is also fully libre software under the expat license. It was tested in conjuction with tabbed, another piece of software developed by the same people for use with surf, it adds support for tabs. From a privacy standpoint, this browser is an excellent choice.
It is also fully libre software under the expat license. It was tested in conjunction with tabbed, another piece of software developed by the same people for use with surf, it adds support for tabs. From a privacy standpoint, this browser is an excellent choice.
</p>
<p>Surf requires proxychains to connect to Tor, as it only supports HTTP proxies, not SOCKS (which is what Tor uses).</p>
</div>

2
articles/surf_fr.html
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Surf - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Surf — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>

12
articles/systemd.html
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@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
<body>
<h1>systemd</h1>
<p><a href="../articles/index.html">Back to catalog</a></p>
<h1><font color=red>This aritcle is not accurate and needs to be rewritten</font></h1>
<h1><font color=red>This article is not accurate and needs to be rewritten</font></h1>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color="yellow">Not Rated</font></h2>
<p>
A lot of people asked me to write this article, so here is my attempt at writing it. Lots of people have lots of reasons to dislike systemd, and a lot of them wonder if
@ -20,13 +20,13 @@ can prove that it is spyware. If you have proof then feel free to email me and I
</p>
<p>
This line of reasoning for giving systemd a "Not Spyware" rating has some flaws, and the most obvious one is that it isn't reasonable to audit the 1 million lines of systemd
code for spyware. But this is still too generic of a critisim to make about it, because while in theory it is true, there needs to be real proof. Maybe the take-away is
that while there are many reasons to not like systemd, it's really probably not violating anyones privacy, just because of how much scrutiny it has gotten. Maybe it should be
code for spyware. But this is still too generic of a criticism to make about it, because while in theory it is true, there needs to be real proof. Maybe the take-away is
that while there are many reasons to not like systemd, it's really probably not violating anyone's privacy, just because of how much scrutiny it has gotten. Maybe it should be
rated "Potential Spyware" or a lower, "Probably Not Spyware"? I think that the rating should be taken with a grain of salt because of this.
</p>
<p>
I have personally never used systemd and I don't have the skills to actually audit it or run tests on it myself. So this isn't a very good place to look when looking for reasons
to dislike systemd. At the very least, I can point to anti-systemd web pages that I am sure would be the first to report on systemd potentially violating the privacy of it's users.
to dislike systemd. At the very least, I can point to anti-systemd web pages that I am sure would be the first to report on systemd potentially violating the privacy of its users.
But I don't want to call them "sources" or anything because what they talk about is beyond the scope of this website.
</p>
<hr>
@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ But I don't want to call them "sources" or anything because what they talk about
This article was last edited on 8/7/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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8
articles/telegram.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Telegram - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Telegram — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/telegram_logo.png" alt="Telegram Logo">
@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ of this, meaning that the servers that the developers operate are the only choic
</p>
<h3>Telegram does not follow its GPLv2 Obligations</h3>
<p>
Telegram clients are advertised as free software, but in practice the source code is not immediately accessible<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>, the delay sometimes being up to 5 months. So, unknown spyware features could be in the official Telegram client binaries that you download, without you knowing. It's recommended that you build an outdated version of telegram from its source code, since its not provable whether or not the binaries that are distributed have unknown spyware or not.
Telegram clients are advertised as free software, but in practice the source code is not immediately accessible<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>, the delay sometimes being up to 5 months. So, unknown spyware features could be in the official Telegram client binaries that you download, without you knowing. It's recommended that you build an outdated version of telegram from its source code, since it's not provable whether or not the binaries that are distributed have unknown spyware or not.
</p>
<hr>
<center>
@ -51,9 +51,9 @@ Telegram clients are advertised as free software, but in practice the source cod
This article was last edited on 2/18/2019
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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14
articles/thunderbird.html
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@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Thunderbird - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Thunderbird — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/thunderbird.png" alt="Mozilla Thunderbird logo">
@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ Mozilla Thunderbird is an email, newsgroup, news feed, and chat client that was
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=yellow>Medium</font></h2>
<p>
Thunderbird contains a lot of spyware features, however all of these can be opted-out of and most of the spyware is connected to the web-browsing capaiblities of Thunderbird. Thunderbird contains some minor spyware protection to its users and does not attempt to collect any information that is extremely sensitive, however it is spyware and does share and collect user information by default that it does not need to share.
Thunderbird contains a lot of spyware features, however all of these can be opted-out of and most of the spyware is connected to the web-browsing capabilities of Thunderbird. Thunderbird contains some minor spyware protection to its users and does not attempt to collect any information that is extremely sensitive, however it is spyware and does share and collect user information by default that it does not need to share.
</p>
<h3>Thunderbird shares your E-Mail address with other parties</h3>
<p>
@ -24,11 +24,11 @@ Thunderbird contains a lot of spyware features, however all of these can be opte
</i></p>
<h3>Thunderbird allows other websites to track you</h3>
<p>
Thunderbird contains web browsing spyware features, including compatiblity with tracking cookies and javascript, which can both be used to allow other parties to spy on users. As such, all of the spyware concerns of browsing the web are relevant when using Thunderbird. However, these features can be turned off. They are not spyware in and of themselves but they are attack vectors for other spyware programs to be downloaded and executed by the user. Thunderbird however provides some basic protections by default such as blocking all remote content in HTML E-Mails.
Thunderbird contains web browsing spyware features, including compatibility with tracking cookies and JavaScript, which can both be used to allow other parties to spy on users. As such, all of the spyware concerns of browsing the web are relevant when using Thunderbird. However, these features can be turned off. They are not spyware in and of themselves but they are attack vectors for other spyware programs to be downloaded and executed by the user. Thunderbird however provides some basic protections by default such as blocking all remote content in HTML E-Mails.
</p>
<h3>Thunderbird profiles its users and tracks the add-ons and personas they have installed</h3>
<p>
Thunderbird details in its privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> that it updates Mozilla with the add-ons that users have installed, and then uses that information to recommend other add-ons to its users. Thunderbird will also track which "personas" a person installs and uses (these are like themes) when the user is using Mozilla's centeralized "personal gallery". These spyware features can be opted-out of or not used.
Thunderbird details in its privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> that it updates Mozilla with the add-ons that users have installed, and then uses that information to recommend other add-ons to its users. Thunderbird will also track which "personas" a person installs and uses (these are like themes) when the user is using Mozilla's centralized "personal gallery". These spyware features can be opted-out of or not used.
</p>
<h3>Thunderbird shares your web browsing information with other parties</h3>
<p>
@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ Thunderbird details in its privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> that it
When you visit a secure website or access secure remote content via emails, Thunderbird may check the identity of that secure remote service using any status provider mentioned in the certificate provided by that service. Thunderbird sends only the certificate identification to the certificate provider, not the exact URL you are visiting. Sending these verification requests to third parties is sometimes important to ensure your connection to a site is secure; to help maintain your security, Thunderbird may deny access to the site if it can't verify your connection using the third party.
</i></p>
<p>
Keep in mind that this only applies to web browsing activity that happes on Thunderbird, and not web browsing activity that happens on any other program. This feature can be opted-out of.
Keep in mind that this only applies to web browsing activity that happens on Thunderbird, and not web browsing activity that happens on any other program. This feature can be opted-out of.
</p>
<h3>Thunderbird is self-updating software</h3>
<p>
@ -65,9 +65,9 @@ Thunderbird contains several forms of opt-in spyware that only collects informat
This article was last edited on 6/2/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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8
articles/tor.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Tor Browser - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Tor Browser — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ associated with you. While spyware services can tell that you are connecting fro
greatly reduced. Tor browser is <b><font color="lime">Not Spyware</font></b> and is the best web browser to use for privacy.
</p>
<p>
One thing that complicates this review is that most browsers are chastized for sending auto-update requests. However the Tor browser is doing
One thing that complicates this review is that most browsers are chastised for sending auto-update requests. However, the Tor browser is doing
this over the Tor network... so while it's definitely "phoning home", it's doing so in an anonymous way.
</p>
<hr>
@ -43,9 +43,9 @@ this over the Tor network... so while it's definitely "phoning home", it's doing
This article was last edited on 11/20/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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8
articles/ungoogled_chromium.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Ungoogled-Chromium - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Ungoogled-Chromium — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ control, and transparency (almost all of which require manual activation or enab
Ungoogled-chromium is a fork of Chrome that has all of Google's spyware removed. It was tested with MITMproxy and makes
<b><font color="lime">no unsolicited requests</font></b>, and is therefore not spyware. Ungoogled-chromium is the highest-rated
browser based on <a href="../articles/chrome.html">Google Chrome</a>, and is probably one of the best choices if you can compile it.
Otherwise <a href="../guides/iridium.html">configuring Iridium</a> to a sufficient privacy standard might be a good choice if you are
Otherwise, <a href="../guides/iridium.html">configuring Iridium</a> to a sufficient privacy standard might be a good choice if you are
looking for a Chrome-based browser to switch too without taking the time to compile any software.
</p>
<hr>
@ -37,9 +37,9 @@ looking for a Chrome-based browser to switch too without taking the time to comp
This article was last edited on 11/1/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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12
articles/unity.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Unity - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Unity — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/unity_logo.png" alt="unity Logo">
@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ Unity is a game engine developed by Unity Technologies SF.
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=red>EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
Unity collects user information and uses it in a dubious and malicious way and is a classic example of how analytics are a framework for anti-user behavior. It should not be trusted. It also is integrated with other spyware programs, like the .NET runtime provided microsoft, and Visual Studio. You can use alternatives to these, though.
Unity collects user information and uses it in a dubious and malicious way and is a classic example of how analytics are a framework for anti-user behaviour. It should not be trusted. It also is integrated with other spyware programs, like the .NET runtime provided Microsoft, and Visual Studio. You can use alternatives to these, though.
</p>
<h2>Unity Editor collects user activity</h2>
<p>
@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ Unity collects user information and uses it in a dubious and malicious way and i
asking for a reason for their inactivity.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
Unity support have also been known to contact developers suspected to be earning over the $100,000 revenue limit with the gratis Unity Editor (against Unity EULA) to pressure them into purchasing a Pro license. Several of these developers were not active on services, or did not even have accounts on said services, which Unity support claimed to have "discovered" their projects.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup> Additionally, Unity Editor analytics can no longer be disabled unless users purchase the Pro edition.<sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>
</p>
<img src="../images/unity_analytics.png" alt="unity data collection UI">
<img src="../images/unity_analytics.png" alt="Unity data collection UI">
<h2>Unity games and system data collection</h2>
<p>
Many Unity games have been found to report telemetry at first launch and have telemetry enabled by default, sometimes with no option to disable it. With no way to disable data collection, players are left to blacklist the game through their firewall.<sup><a href="#4">[4]</a></sup> Exported Unity projects collect anonymized statistics about a system’s hardware configuration to monitor and report to developers which type of devices are used to play their Unity engine games. <sup><a href="#5">[5]</a></sup>
@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ Unity collects user information and uses it in a dubious and malicious way and i
<center>
<h2>Credits</h2>
<p>
This reveiew was written by Alia Sarmor.<br>
This review was written by Alia Sarmor.<br>
Formatting changes were done by the site maintainer.
</p>
<hr>
@ -60,9 +60,9 @@ Unity collects user information and uses it in a dubious and malicious way and i
This article was created on 8/24/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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6
articles/utorrent.html
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@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
<body>
<h1>uTorrent</h1>
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<img src="../images/utorrent_logo.png" alt="utorrent logo">
<img src="../images/utorrent_logo.png" alt="uTorrent logo">
<p>
uTorrent is a proprietary adware BitTorrent client owned and developed by BitTorrent, Inc.
</p>
@ -36,9 +36,9 @@ should be cited like this: <sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>.
This article was last edited on 8/3/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
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14
articles/vivaldi.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Vivaldi - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Vivaldi — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/vivaldi_logo.png" alt="vivaldi logo">
@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
<h3>Vivaldi's developers do not respect your privacy</h3>
<p>
Vivaldi connects to the analytics platform Piwik<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> that it uses to spy on its users, which is discussed in greater detail in other sections of this page.
What is most notable about this is the additude of Vivaldi's developer team: Developers that belittle privacy concerns, and insult their users further when they speak out about being spied on,
What is most notable about this is the attitude of Vivaldi's developer team: Developers that belittle privacy concerns, and insult their users further when they speak out about being spied on,
are <font color=red><b>not developers you can trust.</b></font> Below is an anti-privacy rant from a moderator on Vivaldi's forums:
</p>
<p><i>
@dib_ Stop spreading FUD. Piwik as employed by Vivaldi is not "spyware." Piwik is not a "spyware company" (unless Google, Facebook, Yahoo, TVGuide, Microsoft, Apple, NYT, Huffpo, Ancestry.com, WaPo, CenturyLink and McAfee are "spyware companies" - in which case just disconnect your computer and go to bed). It is irresponsible and malicious of you to lie about Vivaldi in this fashion. If you want to know what a connection does, ask. But don't sling around reckless accusations.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>
@dib_ Stop spreading FUD. Piwik as employed by Vivaldi is not "spyware." Piwik is not a "spyware company" (unless Google, Facebook, Yahoo, TVGuide, Microsoft, Apple, NYT, Huffpo, Ancestry.com, WaPo, CenturyLink and McAfee are "spyware companies" — in which case just disconnect your computer and go to bed). It is irresponsible and malicious of you to lie about Vivaldi in this fashion. If you want to know what a connection does, ask. But don't sling around reckless accusations.<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>
</i></p>
<h3>Addon updates</h3>
<p>
@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ are <font color=red><b>not developers you can trust.</b></font> Below is an anti
<h3>Phoning home</h3>
<p>
From Vivaldi's privacy policy: "When you install Vivaldi browser ('Vivaldi'), each installation profile is <b>assigned a unique user ID</b> that is stored on your computer. Vivaldi will send a message using HTTPS directly to our servers located in Iceland every 24 hours containing this ID, version, cpu architecture, screen resolution and time since last message. We anonymize the IP address of Vivaldi users by removing the last octet of the IP address from your Vivaldi client then we store the resolved approximate location after using a local geoip lookup. The purpose of this collection is to determine the total number of active users and their geographical distribution.". So they (claim to) delete "the last octet" of your IP. How generous of them. This is the full request: <img class="screenshot" src="../images/vivaldi_piwik.png">
From Vivaldi's privacy policy: "When you install Vivaldi browser ('Vivaldi'), each installation profile is <b>assigned a unique user ID</b> that is stored on your computer. Vivaldi will send a message using HTTPS directly to our servers located in Iceland every 24 hours containing this ID, version, CPU architecture, screen resolution and time since last message. We anonymize the IP address of Vivaldi users by removing the last octet of the IP address from your Vivaldi client then we store the resolved approximate location after using a local geoip lookup. The purpose of this collection is to determine the total number of active users and their geographical distribution.". So they (claim to) delete "the last octet" of your IP. How generous of them. This is the full request: <img class="screenshot" src="../images/vivaldi_piwik.png">
</p>
<h3>Anti-privacy search engine by default</h3>
<p>The default search engine is Bing, whose privacy policy states: "Microsoft will collect the search or command terms you provide, along with your IP address, location, the unique identifiers contained in our cookies, the time and date of your search, and your browser configuration.". To make it worse, that data is shared with third parties: "We share some de-identified search query data, including voice queries, with selected third parties for research and development purposes." (you have no proof it has been "de-identified", by the way). Vivaldi has other engines preinstalled, and you can easily change it - but still, the default is all we can judge it by.
<p>The default search engine is Bing, whose privacy policy states: "Microsoft will collect the search or command terms you provide, along with your IP address, location, the unique identifiers contained in our cookies, the time and date of your search, and your browser configuration.". To make it worse, that data is shared with third parties: "We share some de-identified search query data, including voice queries, with selected third parties for research and development purposes." (you have no proof it has been "de-identified", by the way). Vivaldi has other engines preinstalled, and you can easily change it, but still, the default is all we can judge it by.
</p>
<h3>New tab sites</h3>
@ -85,9 +85,9 @@ are <font color=red><b>not developers you can trust.</b></font> Below is an anti
This article was created on 11/25/2017
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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12
articles/vlc.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>VLC - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>VLC — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/vlc_logo.png" alt="VLC Media Player Logo">
@ -14,15 +14,15 @@ VLC is a free and open source cross-platform multimedia player and framework tha
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color=lime>Not Spyware</font></h2>
<p>
VLC Media Player is not spyware, but it does have notable features in it that could be possible forms of spyware. However all of these features are opt-in, and the software explicitly informs the user about the risks associated with these features. VLC is a model program that has convenience features in it that could compromise privacy, while still respecting user privacy.
VLC Media Player is not spyware, but it does have notable features in it that could be possible forms of spyware. However, all of these features are opt-in, and the software explicitly informs the user about the risks associated with these features. VLC is a model program that has convenience features in it that could compromise privacy, while still respecting user privacy.
</p>
<h3>VLC Media Player has been distributed with spyware programs by third parties</h3>
<p>
While VLC's creators do not distribute their player with spyware, it has been distributed with spyware<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> by other parties. If you download VLC Media Player, make sure you download it from <a href="https://www.videolan.org/">VideoLAN's web site</a>.
While VLC's creators do not distribute their player with spyware, it has been distributed with spyware<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup> by other parties. If you download VLC Media Player, make sure you download it from <a href="https://www.videolan.org/">VideoLAN's website</a>.
</p>
<h3>VLC Media Player contains some opt-in spyware features</h3>
<p>
VLC Media player searches through online databases to find complete album covers / metadata for songs. This implicitly means that it sends requests to external servers, and those servers could log information about specific users music libraries. VLC Media player also has a self-updater, however this does not update without the user's consent, and while there is no precedent for the developers to add spyware in its updates, it's still notable. This is the notice that users are presented with when first installing VLC, which adequately explains the implications of these features. The only improvement would be to not have them checked off by default.
VLC Media player searches through online databases to find complete album covers / metadata for songs. This implicitly means that it sends requests to external servers, and those servers could log information about specific users' music libraries. VLC Media player also has a self-updater, however this does not update without the user's consent, and while there is no precedent for the developers to add spyware in its updates, it's still notable. This is the notice that users are presented with when first installing VLC, which adequately explains the implications of these features. The only improvement would be to not have them checked off by default.
</p>
<img class="screenshot" src="../images/vlc_privacy_policy.png" alt="privacy policy">
<hr>
@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ VLC Media player searches through online databases to find complete album covers
This article was last edited on 7/30/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
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18
articles/waterfox.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Waterfox - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Waterfox — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/waterfox_logo.png" alt="Waterfox Logo">
@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ information about you with Mozilla, and has other spyware features.
If you start up Waterfox for the first time, it will make <b><font color="red">109 requests</font></b><sup><a href="#5">[5]</a></sup> to several spyware platforms, most notably
Google Analytics, and Mozilla online services like its Geolocation service, and several other Mozilla services, as
well as Waterfox's own update service. You can look at a list of these requests
<a href="../images/wfox.png">here</a> or a on mirror <a href="https://digdeeper.neocities.org/images/wfox.png">here</a>.
<a href="../images/wfox.png">here</a> or on a mirror <a href="https://digdeeper.neocities.org/images/wfox.png">here</a>.
</p>
<h3>Waterfox has a communication problem</h3>
<p>
@ -41,8 +41,8 @@ according to this reddit thread<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>,
actually explain what data is sent by Waterfox to Google. If this were
still accurate, it would have some serious privacy implications (and
would certainly bump up the spyware rating of this program). An
inaccurate and outdated privacy policy - i.e. one that does not
correctly explain what information is being shared - is
inaccurate and outdated privacy policy — i.e. one that does not
correctly explain what information is being shared — is
a <font color="red"><b>serious red flag</b></font> for any privacy-conscious user.
</p>
<h3>Waterfox "phones home" with information about your computer whenever you start it up</h3>
@ -63,13 +63,13 @@ Waterfox shares this information with Mozilla and will collect this information
By default Waterfox is using the spyware search engine <a href="../articles/bing.html">Bing</a>.
Why would a privacy-based Web Browser offer this search engine by default? The other offered search engines are not much better- we have the option of searching with Google,
which also logs your internet searches, and Ecosia, which also logs your internet searches (but it gives them to Bing). Luckily there are some more private search engines offered,
like StartPage and DuckDuckGo. What is concerning is the additude that the developer of waterfox has towards these spyware search engines:
like StartPage and DuckDuckGo. What is concerning is the attitude that the developer of Waterfox has towards these spyware search engines:
</p>
<p>
<i>"Bing is actually quite good for privacy as well (let's not forget Mozilla even suggested them as a more privacy focused search back in 2009)."</i><sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>
</p>
<p>
It's very clear that while the browser advertizes itself as very privacy focused, the actual words and actions of the developers aren't consistent with this claim.
It's very clear that while the browser advertises itself as very privacy focused, the actual words and actions of the developers aren't consistent with this claim.
</p>
<h3>Waterfox sends all website notifications through Mozilla's servers</h3>
<p>
@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ where the user can understand what they are giving up when they download the upd
<a href="https://archive.li/omeK3">[archive.li]</a><br>
<a name="3">3.</a>
<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/waterfox/comments/7m1pkq/waterfox_and_ecosia_privacy_concerns/">Waterfox and Ecosia - Privacy Concerns</a>
<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/waterfox/comments/7m1pkq/waterfox_and_ecosia_privacy_concerns/">Waterfox and Ecosia — Privacy Concerns</a>
<a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180201210222/https://www.reddit.com/r/waterfox/comments/7m1pkq/waterfox_and_ecosia_privacy_concerns/">[web.archive.org]</a>
<a href="https://archive.is/smDw6">[archive.is]</a><br>
@ -140,9 +140,9 @@ where the user can understand what they are giving up when they download the upd
This article was last edited on 6/2/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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2
articles/webbrowser.html
View File

@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Web Browser - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Web Browser — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>

24
articles/webdiscover.html
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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>WebDiscover - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>WebDiscover — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/webdiscover_logo.png" alt="Webdiscover logo">
@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ WebDiscover is a web browser made by WebDiscover Media.
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color="red">EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
WebDiscover uses the spyware search engine <a href="../articles/yahoo.html">Yahoo</a> as it's default search engnine, but on it's website it says it uses the spyware
WebDiscover uses the spyware search engine <a href="../articles/yahoo.html">Yahoo</a> as it's default search engine, but on its website it says it uses the spyware
search engine <a href="../articles/bing.html">Bing</a> as it's default search engine. It is hard to review since every time I run it,
it messes up MITMproxy so I can't see what it's doing. The privacy policy explains that it collects a large amount of personal information from it's users, so it is at least not a secret that this browser is spyware. This program acts in a very suspicious way and
it messes up MITMproxy so I can't see what it's doing. The privacy policy explains that it collects a large amount of personal information from its users, so it is at least not a secret that this browser is spyware. This program acts in a very suspicious way and
the privacy policy contains a lot of language in it about the use of the information it collects that elevates it
to a <b><font color=red>uniquely bad stance on user privacy and use of user information</font></b>, so I would recommend staying far away from it.
</p>
@ -41,17 +41,17 @@ According to its privacy policy<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>, WebDiscover coll
</ul>
<p>
Some of this information is typical of the kind of info that is collected by developers who write programs that phone
home using the HTTP protocol. However, WebDiscover also collects the following information about it's users which is
home using the HTTP protocol. However, WebDiscover also collects the following information about its users which is
more concerning:
</p>
<p><i>
"We may collect Personal Data and Anonymous Data when you download the Browser. We may also collect Personal Data when you send us information or communications directly. “Personal Data” means data that allows someone to identify or contact you including, without limitation, your name, physical address, electronic mail (email) address, phone number, and credit card information (collectively, your “Personal Data”) for the purposes of recording the transaction when you engage in activities on the Site or through use of the Browser."
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p>
So, WebDiscover will profile your computer, and WebDiscover Media will use every oppotunity they get to collect
So, WebDiscover will profile your computer, and WebDiscover Media will use every opportunity they get to collect
information about you.
</p>
<h3>WebDiscover sells information about it's users</h3>
<h3>WebDiscover sells information about its users</h3>
<p>
In this quote from the privacy policy:
</p>
@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ more concerning:
<p>
Confirming that the information that WebDiscover collects about you will be sold to advertisers.
</p>
<h3>WebDiscover uses your personal information in a malcious way</h3>
<h3>WebDiscover uses your personal information in a malicious way</h3>
<p>
WebDiscover sells your information to advertising companies that will send you junk mail seperately from
WebDiscover's discretion- it also DOES NOT comply with requests to stop contact, and requires you to seperately
WebDiscover sells your information to advertising companies that will send you junk mail separately from
WebDiscover's discretion- it also DOES NOT comply with requests to stop contact, and requires you to separately
request each company that it has sold your information to, to stop contacting you. I didn't check if they would comply
with those requests or not. The following quotes from the privacy policy should explain this:
</p>
@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ more concerning:
</i><sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup></p>
<p>
Which is basically threatening their users that they will use the information they collect to dox anyone who says bad things about their software.
This is possibly the most anti-user statment that I have read in a privacy policy.
This is possibly the most anti-user statement that I have read in a privacy policy.
</p>
<h3>Phoning Home</h3>
<p>When WebDiscover is started, it will begin making requests to this domain: </p>
@ -106,9 +106,9 @@ more concerning:
This article was last edited on 8/4/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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16
articles/yahoo.html
View File

@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Yahoo! Search - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Yahoo! Search — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/yahoo_logo.png" alt="Yahoo Logo">
@ -18,21 +18,21 @@ internet history is sent to Oath, and Oath will track you across the internet. T
</p>
<p>
It's important to notice that this is <b><font color=red>just scratching the surface</font></b> at the extent of spying that the Oath
spyware platform does to it's users, and only includes information collection aspects of the Oath spyware platform that could be reasonably attributed to Yahoo! search.
spyware platform does to its users, and only includes information collection aspects of the Oath spyware platform that could be reasonably attributed to Yahoo! search.
</p>
<h3>Integration into the "Yahoo Account" spyware platform and tracking internet history</h3>
<p>
Yahoo's privacy policy is actually called the "Oath" privacy policy, so it's not as simple to find. Yahoo search
is integrated into the "Yahoo Account" spyware platform, which shares all of the information it collects with it's parent company, Oath, including your browsing history. When you have an account connected to Oath, which would be an AOL account or a Yahoo account, your internet history is colleted and associated with a unique user identity obtained through browser fingerprinting.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
is integrated into the "Yahoo Account" spyware platform, which shares all of the information it collects with its parent company, Oath, including your browsing history. When you have an account connected to Oath, which would be an AOL account or a Yahoo account, your internet history is collected and associated with a unique user identity obtained through browser fingerprinting.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
</p>
<p>
It's important to notice that this information will be collected whether you are signed in or not. The Oath Privacy Policy makes it clear that
they fingerprint your computer and so can uniqley identify you no matter what. What is probably happening is that Yahoo will fingerprint your
use of it's services, so that you will be tracked through your usage of them, whether you have an account or not.
they fingerprint your computer and so can uniquely identify you no matter what. What is probably happening is that Yahoo will fingerprint your
use of its services, so that you will be tracked through your usage of them, whether you have an account or not.
</p>
<h3>Tracking users</h3>
<p>
The Oath Privacy Policy makes a lot of statements about how it tracks it's users across their devices and across the internet:
The Oath Privacy Policy makes a lot of statements about how it tracks its users across their devices and across the internet:
</p>
<p><i>
"We collect information from your devices (computers, mobile phones, tablets, etc.), including information about how you interact with our Services and those of our third-party partners and information that allows us to recognize and associate your activity across devices and Services. This information includes device specific identifiers and information such as IP address, cookie information, mobile device and advertising identifiers, browser version, operating system type and version, mobile network information, device settings, and software data."<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ is integrated into the "Yahoo Account" spyware platform, which shares all of the
This article was last edited on 8/3/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
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articles/youtube.html
View File

@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>YouTube - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>YouTube — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/youtube_logo.png" alt="youtube logo">
@ -13,35 +13,35 @@ YouTube is an American video-sharing website headquartered in San Bruno, Califor
</p>
<h2>Spyware Level: <font color="red">EXTREMELY HIGH</font></h2>
<p>
Google’s business strategy with Youtube relies on tracking user’s device identifiers, location, search history, IP addresses and other personally identifying data to provide to advertisers. Google discloses in their Youtube privacy policy that it collects many types of personal information, including geolocation, unique device identifiers, mobile telephone numbers, and persistent identifiers used to recognize a user over time and across different websites or online services.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
Google’s business strategy with YouTube relies on tracking user’s device identifiers, location, search history, IP addresses and other personally identifying data to provide to advertisers. Google discloses in their YouTube privacy policy that it collects many types of personal information, including geolocation, unique device identifiers, mobile telephone numbers, and persistent identifiers used to recognize a user over time and across different websites or online services.<sup><a href="#1">[1]</a></sup>
</p>
<h3>Integration with Google Tracking</h3>
<p>
YouTube is integrated with Google’s suite of advertising technologies and services, including AdWords, DoubleClick, and Google Preferred. DoubleClick is “an advertising serving and tracking company that uses web cookies to track browsing behavior online by their IP address to deliver targeted ads. Other DoubleClick ad technologies used to target YouTube users include the Campaign Manager, which helps advertisers “identify, locate and understand your customers, wherever they are.”<sup><a href="#2">[2]</a></sup>
</p>
<p>
You can find that Google operates tracking domains active on the Youtube page, “pubads.g.doubleclick.net” and “googleads.g.doubleclick.net” in addition to three cookies requested by *.youtube.com. Youtube serves a particular tracking cookie, “VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE” in order to continue monitoring users that have signed out of their account and to continue serving recommended videos related to that session. Of course, while you are logged in to any Google service, Google can track you with absolute precision. <sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>
You can find that Google operates tracking domains active on the YouTube page, “pubads.g.doubleclick.net” and “googleads.g.doubleclick.net” in addition to three cookies requested by *.youtube.com. YouTube serves a particular tracking cookie, “VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE” in order to continue monitoring users that have signed out of their account and to continue serving recommended videos related to that session. Of course, while you are logged in to any Google service, Google can track you with absolute precision. <sup><a href="#3">[3]</a></sup>
</p>
<p>
The Youtube app for android additionally uses the Google Firebase Analytics tracker which provides methods for logging events and setting user properties. The full app report finds that the Youtube app employs three trackers and requires 33 permission, 14 of which are considered dangerous such as access to the the user’s location and contacts.
The YouTube app for android additionally uses the Google Firebase Analytics tracker which provides methods for logging events and setting user properties. The full app report finds that the YouTube app employs three trackers and requires 33 permission, 14 of which are considered dangerous such as access to the user’s location and contacts.
<sup><a href="#4">[4]</a></sup><sup><a href="#5">[5]</a></sup>
</p>
<h3>Taking down more private alternatives</h3>
<p>
For some time, a popular Youtube tracking sanitizer, Hooktube.com was a useful resource for accessing Youtube videos without being subjected to Google’s surveillance techniques in full. Hooktube was also useful for circumventing region blocking. However, Google, not to be stopped in their spying endeavors, served Hooktube’s operators with a cease and desist over their use of the Youtube API. Hooktube was effectively forced to use Youtube’s official embedded player if they wished to continue to operate, nullifying Hooktube as a viable means for privately viewing Youtube content.<sup><a href="#6">[6]</a></sup><sup><a href="#7">[7]</a></sup>
For some time, a popular YouTube tracking sanitizer, Hooktube.com was a useful resource for accessing YouTube videos without being subjected to Google’s surveillance techniques in full. Hooktube was also useful for circumventing region blocking. However, Google, not to be stopped in their spying endeavors, served Hooktube’s operators with a cease and desist over their use of the YouTube API. Hooktube was effectively forced to use YouTube’s official embedded player if they wished to continue to operate, nullifying Hooktube as a viable means for privately viewing YouTube content.<sup><a href="#6">[6]</a></sup><sup><a href="#7">[7]</a></sup>
</p>
<h3>Youtube Requires non-free JavaScript</h3>
<h3>YouTube Requires non-free JavaScript</h3>
<p>
It is also worth noting that, in order to function, Youtube requires visitors to run non-free JavaScript. As with any proprietary software, these programs can be doing just about anything with almost no way to determine exactly what.<sup><a href="#10">[10]</a></sup> For example, there has been some speculation as to whether Youtube’s compulsory JavaScript might be useful for Youtube to track your device’s unique MAC address. <sup><a href="#8">[8]</a></sup><sup><a href="#9">[9]</a></sup>
It is also worth noting that, in order to function, YouTube requires visitors to run non-free JavaScript. As with any proprietary software, these programs can be doing just about anything with almost no way to determine exactly what.<sup><a href="#10">[10]</a></sup> For example, there has been some speculation as to whether YouTube’s compulsory JavaScript might be useful for YouTube to track your device’s unique MAC address. <sup><a href="#8">[8]</a></sup><sup><a href="#9">[9]</a></sup>
</p>
<p>
All that said, it would be wise to avoiding using any of Google’s services. If you must access Youtube, we recommend doing so through one of the remaining sanitizers such as Invidious (<a href="https://www.invidio.us">https://www.invidio.us</a>).
All that said, it would be wise to avoiding using any of Google’s services. If you must access YouTube, we recommend doing so through one of the remaining sanitizers such as Invidious (<a href="https://www.invidio.us">https://www.invidio.us</a>).
</p>
<hr>
<center>
<h2>Credits</h2>
<p>
This reveiew was written by Alia Sarmor.<br>
This review was written by Alia Sarmor.<br>
Formatting changes were done by the site maintainer.
</p>
<hr>
@ -85,12 +85,12 @@ The Youtube app for android additionally uses the Google Firebase Analytics trac
<hr>
<p><b>
This article was created on 9/10/2018<br>
This article was laste updated on 12/12/2018
This article was last updated on 12/12/2018
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 Liscence"></a>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 License"></a>
<p><a href="../articles/index.html">Back to catalog</a></p>
</center>
</body>

26
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@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
<title>Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Online Spyware Classification Project - Contribution Guide</h1>
<h1>Online Spyware Classification Project — Contribution Guide</h1>
<p><a href="/">Back to Home</a></p>
<p>
@ -19,16 +19,16 @@
<h2>Common Privacy Policy Pitfalls</h2>
<p>
Lots of software today contains a privacy policy - and a great starting point for understanding how a program invades your privacy
is to read the privacy policy so that you know what kinds of things the developers admit that the software does. However it is a
big mistake to take a privacy policy by its word, as many privacy policies are obfusicated, omit information, or lie. There are
Lots of software today contains a privacy policy — and a great starting point for understanding how a program invades your privacy
is to read the privacy policy so that you know what kinds of things the developers admit that the software does. However, it is a
big mistake to take a privacy policy by its word, as many privacy policies are obfuscated, omit information, or lie. There are
several common pitfalls that most privacy policies are guilty of:
</p>
<h3>Organization-Wide Privacy Policies</h3>
<p>
This is a common obfusication tactic that many organizations use when writing privacy policies (if you want to give them the
This is a common obfuscation tactic that many organizations use when writing privacy policies (if you want to give them the
benefit of the doubt, it could be laziness). Instead of writing a privacy policy that explains what kind of information is
being collected about you for each individual software, a privacy policy is written for all of the software that that company
produces and operates. This obviously makes it very hard to find out what one particular software does, and it means that
@ -36,20 +36,20 @@
and will rely on more speculation because of how uncertain the information is.
</p>
<h3>"We aren't spyware so we dont need a privacy policy"</h3>
<h3>"We aren't spyware so we don't need a privacy policy"</h3>
<p>
This category is where it's more difficult: programs that are not spyware do not have privacy policies- they don't need them if they
dont violate your privacy. This is OK but there is a category of programs that do not contain privacy policies but still have privacy
don't violate your privacy. This is OK but there is a category of programs that do not contain privacy policies but still have privacy
concerns. You can't take a developers word that their program is not spyware: you have to actually run the program and inspect any kind
of packets it sends out and what features it has. A lot of people have a lot of diffrent ideas about what is and isnt spyware- so you
of packets it sends out and what features it has. A lot of people have a lot of different ideas about what is and isn't spyware- so you
might have a developer who thinks that phoning home, etc, isn't a privacy issue that they need to make their users aware of.
</p>
<h3>Outdated/Inaccruate Privacy Policies</h3>
<h3>Outdated/Inaccurate Privacy Policies</h3>
<p>
Some privacy policies are very outdated and report privacy violations in the program that dont exist anymore, or fail to report new privacy
Some privacy policies are very outdated and report privacy violations in the program that don't exist anymore, or fail to report new privacy
violations, just because the developer of the software cannot be bothered to keep his privacy policy up to date. In this case such a
privacy policy should be heavily criticized because it shows that the developer cannot properly communicate to his users the privacy implications
of installing his software. So it's really like rolling the dice... who knows what the program will actually do? It's like not having a
@ -57,7 +57,7 @@
</p>
<p>
Ultimately the take away is that privacy policies are meaningful, but they also can't be the only thing to prove a program's innocence.
Ultimately the takeaway is that privacy policies are meaningful, but they also can't be the only thing to prove a program's innocence.
You have to verify all of the claims made on a privacy policy, and if you can't, you have to doubt them. When a privacy policy is not
enough to make a final decision, you need to use other methods of finding privacy issues in the program.
</p>
@ -69,13 +69,13 @@
network activity it is doing when you run it. A great guide is written about how you can check a program's network activity with
MITMproxy to discover spyware by a writer for this site who has written many of the articles on here. It's linked right here:
</p>
<a href="https://digdeeper.neocities.org/liftingtheveil.html">Lifting the veil - how to test browsers for spyware.</a>
<a href="https://digdeeper.neocities.org/liftingtheveil.html">Lifting the veil — how to test browsers for spyware.</a>
<h2>Citing Sources</h2>
<p>
Sources should be cited at the bottom of the article as a list of links, with links to archived versions of these links next to them.
There should be at least two archive links, from two diffrent archiving services, but ideally you should provide alterante links to as many
There should be at least two archive links, from two different archiving services, but ideally you should provide alternate links to as many
archives as you can. If you can't find an archived version of the page you want to save on a service that allows you to submit a link for
archiving, you should submit it and use that. That being said, there is a useful online service that lets you find archived links
by searching multiple archive sources for links. <a href="http://timetravel.mementoweb.org/">http://timetravel.mementoweb.org/</a> will usually

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<title>Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Online Spyware Classification Project - Spyware Classification Guide</h1>
<h1>Online Spyware Classification Project — Spyware Classification Guide</h1>
<p><a href="/">Back to Home</a></p>
<h2><font color=red>This page needs to be re-written should be disregarded for now</font></h2>
<p>
This guide specifies how the articles on this website classify programs as spyware, and assign scores. Programs given an amount of points for every spyware feature that the program contains and every spyware criteria that the program meets. It is important to note that not every feature and critera is proof that a program is spyware, but proof that the program could be spywre. Since we are holding all programs in contempt, programs that might not be spyware, but cannot be proven to not be spyware, are given spyware scores above 0 (not spyware) until they can be proven to not be spyware. If you want to amend/change this document, please follow the instructions in the <a href="/guides/faq.html">FAQ</a>.
This guide specifies how the articles on this website classify programs as spyware, and assign scores. Programs given an amount of points for every spyware feature that the program contains and every spyware criterion that the program meets. It is important to note that not every feature and criterion is proof that a program is spyware, but proof that the program could be spyware. Since we are holding all programs in contempt, programs that might not be spyware, but cannot be proven to not be spyware, are given spyware scores above 0 (not spyware) until they can be proven to not be spyware. If you want to amend/change this document, please follow the instructions in the <a href="/guides/faq.html">FAQ</a>.
</p>
<p>
This guide is written in a format where the name of each spyware feature or critera and the number of points given from containing said feature or meeting said critera is written in a header, and then a short description explaining why this feature or criteria is a spyware feature or criteria; and justifying the score given. There are diffrent severities of data collection or potential data collection, so it is important to outline how many points should be given for each type of feature. This document starts out by explaining what types of spyware criterias or features are given what scores, and then lists actual features and criterias and their classifications.
This guide is written in a format where the name of each spyware feature or criterion and the number of points given from containing said feature or meeting said criterion is written in a header, and then a short description explaining why this feature or criterion is a spyware feature or criterion; and justifying the score given. There are different severities of data collection or potential data collection, so it is important to outline how many points should be given for each type of feature. This document starts out by explaining what types of spyware criteria or features are given what scores, and then lists actual features and criteria and their classifications.
</p>
<h2>Types of Spyware Features and Criterias and their scores</h2>
<h3>Low Potential For Data Collection - 1</h3>
<h2>Types of Spyware Features and Criteria and their scores</h2>
<h3>Low Potential For Data Collection — 1</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria does not prove that data collection is happening, but proves that we cannot prove that data collection is not happening. The creators of the software do not have a history of producing any spyware programs and have claimed that their programs are not spyware.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion does not prove that data collection is happening, but proves that we cannot prove that data collection is not happening. The creators of the software do not have a history of producing any spyware programs and have claimed that their programs are not spyware.
</p>
<h3>Potential For Data Collection - 2</h3>
<h3>Potential For Data Collection — 2</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria does not prove that data collection is happening, but proves that we cannot prove that data collection is not happening. The creators of the software have created spyware programs in the past but otherwise have not provided any evidence that their program is spyware.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion does not prove that data collection is happening, but proves that we cannot prove that data collection is not happening. The creators of the software have created spyware programs in the past but otherwise have not provided any evidence that their program is spyware.
</p>
<h3>High Potential For Data Collection - 3</h3>
<h3>High Potential For Data Collection — 3</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria does not prove that data collection is happening, but proves that we cannot prove that data collection is not happening. The creators of the software have created spyware programs in the past and/or there is evidence that there may be or is a data collection feature inside of their program, but they have claimed that their software is not using this feature. An example is a known data collection feature in a program that the creators of the program have claimed is no longer active, but have not proven that said feature is no longer active. Another example is software creators who do not claim to include spyware features in their programs, but have failed to disclose spyware features in past programs that they have created.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion does not prove that data collection is happening, but proves that we cannot prove that data collection is not happening. The creators of the software have created spyware programs in the past and/or there is evidence that there may be or is a data collection feature inside of their program, but they have claimed that their software is not using this feature. An example is a known data collection feature in a program that the creators of the program have claimed is no longer active, but have not proven that said feature is no longer active. Another example is software creators who do not claim to include spyware features in their programs, but have failed to disclose spyware features in past programs that they have created.
</p>
<h3>Normal Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection - 3</h3>
<h3>Normal Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection — 3</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria proves that data collection is possible, in the normal way. I thought about creating a classification "Low Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection", but I realized that such sandboxed programs simply do not exist in today's userlands. The program has access to all availible files in the user's file system, enumeration of the hardware, access to the keyboard and mouse input, and any other input from other peripherals, as well as the enumeration of these peripherals, and access to the internet. The program has access some or all of these and has no access to anything described in "High Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection", and we are unable to prove that the program will never record and report information using this access.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion proves that data collection is possible, in the normal way. I thought about creating a classification "Low Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection", but I realized that such sandboxed programs simply do not exist in today's userlands. The program has access to all available files in the user's file system, enumeration of the hardware, access to the keyboard and mouse input, and any other input from other peripherals, as well as the enumeration of these peripherals, and access to the internet. The program has access some or all of these and has no access to anything described in "High Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection", and we are unable to prove that the program will never record and report information using this access.
</p>
<h3>High Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection - 10</h3>
<h3>High Potential Amount of Possible Data Collection — 10</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria proves that the program may be accessing an elevated amount of features that normal programs are unable to access. The program may require or ask the user to run it as a superuser (i.e. the program must be run as "root" on Unix-based systems and as "Administrator" on Windows-based systems). The program may install a kernel module or otherwise run in security levels higher than userspace, such as "ring 0".
The Spyware Feature or Criterion proves that the program may be accessing an elevated amount of features that normal programs are unable to access. The program may require or ask the user to run it as a superuser (i.e. the program must be run as "root" on Unix-based systems and as "Administrator" on Windows-based systems). The program may install a kernel module or otherwise run in security levels higher than userspace, such as "ring 0".
</p>
<h3>Confirmed Low Amount of Data Collection - 5</h3>
<h3>Confirmed Low Amount of Data Collection — 5</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria proves that the program is collecting a small amount of information on the user. This information may be information that the user might want to share. For example, a user might want to use a program to provide credentials to an online service, like a client to a subscription based video game. This means that the user's login activity is being collected by the creators of the program. This is different from client software where the user is giving credientials to people who are probably not the creators of the program, like an e-mail client.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion proves that the program is collecting a small amount of information on the user. This information may be information that the user might want to share. For example, a user might want to use a program to provide credentials to an online service, like a client to a subscription based video game. This means that the user's login activity is being collected by the creators of the program. This is different from client software where the user is giving credentials to people who are probably not the creators of the program, like an e-mail client.
</p>
<h3>Confirmed Medium Amount of Data Collection - 15</h3>
<h3>Confirmed Medium Amount of Data Collection — 15</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria proves that the program is collecting an substantial amount of information on the user. This information can include but is not limited to hardware profiles, e-mail addresses, fingerprinting, and basic usage information. This is generally known as "telemetry", which is a more sanitized term people use to refer to spyware.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion proves that the program is collecting a substantial amount of information on the user. This information can include but is not limited to hardware profiles, e-mail addresses, fingerprinting, and basic usage information. This is generally known as "telemetry", which is a more sanitized term people use to refer to spyware.
</p>
<h3>Confirmed High Amount of Data Collection - 25</h3>
<h3>Confirmed High Amount of Data Collection — 25</h3>
<p>
The Spyware Feature or Criteria proves that the program is collecting a high amount of information on the user. This information can include but is not limited to keylogging, screen capture or any form of screen recording, chat logs, search history, webcam access, filesystem scanning and/or profiling, and recording information from the microphone.
The Spyware Feature or Criterion proves that the program is collecting a high amount of information on the user. This information can include but is not limited to keylogging, screen capture or any form of screen recording, chat logs, search history, webcam access, filesystem scanning and/or profiling, and recording information from the microphone.
</p>
</body>
</html>

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@ -6,11 +6,11 @@
<title>Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<h1>Online Spyware Classification Project - Frequently Asked Questions</h1>
<h1>Online Spyware Classification Project — Frequently Asked Questions</h1>
<p><a href="../index.html">Back to Home</a></p>
<h2>What is spyware?</h2>
<p>
Spyware is a classification of programs which collect information about their users. Any program which collects any kind of information about its users is spyware. Programs are held in contempt (guilty until proven innocent) when evaluating spyware features. Spyware features include but are not limited to unavailable source code, telemetry of any kind, presistent user identities, network connectivity, and information collection on users, such as asking for a telephone number.
Spyware is a classification of programs which collect information about their users. Any program which collects any kind of information about its users is spyware. Programs are held in contempt (guilty until proven innocent) when evaluating spyware features. Spyware features include but are not limited to unavailable source code, telemetry of any kind, persistent user identities, network connectivity, and information collection on users, such as asking for a telephone number.
</p>
<h2>How does this website classify spyware?</h2>
<p>
@ -39,11 +39,11 @@ At a glance, this website will give spyware programs a spyware rating and then a
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center><h3><font color=greenyellow>Potential Spyware</font></h3></center></td>
<td>For software that cant be proven to be not spyware, and have red flags that make them suspicious without definite proof of spying.</td>
<td>For software that can't be proven to be not spyware, and have red flags that make them suspicious without definite proof of spying.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center><h3><font color="lightgreen">Probably not Spyware</font></h3></center></td>
<td>For software that doesnt seem to be spyware, but can't be absolutely proven to not be spyware.</td>
<td>For software that doesn't seem to be spyware, but can't be absolutely proven to not be spyware.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center><h3><font color=lime>Not Spyware</font></h3></center></td>
@ -51,16 +51,16 @@ At a glance, this website will give spyware programs a spyware rating and then a
</tr>
<tr>
<td><center><h3><font color=lime>N</font><font color=lightgreen>o</font><font color=yellowgreen>t</font> <font color=yellow>R</font><font color=orange>a</font><font color=red>t</font><font color=orange>e</font><font color=yellow>d</font></h3></center></td>
<td>For software that has an article, but does not have a complete article. The color of the text indicates what spyware score the incompelte article is leaning towards.</td>
<td>For software that has an article, but does not have a complete article. The color of the text indicates what spyware score the incomplete article is leaning towards.</td>
</tr>
</table>
<h2>How do I support this website?</h2>
<p>
You can support this website by submitting or translating articles and referring to articles already on the site to other people in your regular internet discussions. This will encourage other people to read this website and contribute to this website as well. You can also encourage your friends or other people online that you are aquainted with to use and submit articles to this website. As more people submit and refer to the content here, this website will become much better.
You can support this website by submitting or translating articles and referring to articles already on the site to other people in your regular internet discussions. This will encourage other people to read this website and contribute to this website as well. You can also encourage your friends or other people online that you are acquainted with to use and submit articles to this website. As more people submit and refer to the content here, this website will become much better.
</p>
<h2>How do I submit articles to this website?</h2>
<p>
Articles can be submitted by doing a pull request at the <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a> or contacting us via the XMPP at spyware@conference.nuegia.net. Any article that is submitted must follow the article style guide and the spyware criteria guide correctly to be accepted into the website. If you want to make changes to an article please download and edit that article, and resubmit your version of the article in an email, explaining what the changes are and why you made those changes. If your version of the article is conforming to the article style guide and spyware criteria guide and has justified changes it will be accepted as a replacement to the previous article. Your submissions will be manually reveiwed and added to the website at this time. I will reply to all submissions explaining if the submission was accepted or not, and if the submission was declined, why it was declined.
Articles can be submitted by doing a pull request at the <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a> or contacting us via the XMPP at spyware@conference.nuegia.net. Any article that is submitted must follow the article style guide and the spyware criteria guide correctly to be accepted into the website. If you want to make changes to an article please download and edit that article, and resubmit your version of the article in an email, explaining what the changes are and why you made those changes. If your version of the article is conforming to the article style guide and spyware criteria guide and has justified changes it will be accepted as a replacement to the previous article. Your submissions will be manually reviewed and added to the website at this time. I will reply to all submissions explaining if the submission was accepted or not, and if the submission was declined, why it was declined.
</p>
<h2>What language do the submissions need to be in?</h2>
<p>
@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ Submitting a pull request at the <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/Spyware
To be able to know if a program has absolutely no spyware features, you have to be able to compile it from source- it does not need to meet any of the other requirements that it would need to meet to be called "Free Software" or "Open Source Software" according to the definitions of the FSF or OSI. So, I don't like to use the words "Free Software" or "Open Source Software" on my website because it implies that a program needs to meet all of the requirements set by those organizations to be called "Free" or "Open" for spyware concerns to be alleviated. If you can compile it from source, that is the only thing needed.
</p>
<p>
Although, I don't want to say that just because a program allows you to compile it from source, it isn't spyware. It just ensures that you can be aware of all spyware features, and that there is no spyware hidden inside of a binary blob. Also, programs that do not distribute their sources can be analyzed even though they are only dstributed as binaries, which is in fact how we know about some of the more underhanded spyware features that Steam and Discord have, for example.
Although, I don't want to say that just because a program allows you to compile it from source, it isn't spyware. It just ensures that you can be aware of all spyware features, and that there is no spyware hidden inside of a binary blob. Also, programs that do not distribute their sources can be analyzed even though they are only distributed as binaries, which is in fact how we know about some of the more underhanded spyware features that Steam and Discord have, for example.
</p>
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<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Mozilla Firefox Spyware Mitigation Guide - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Mozilla Firefox Spyware Mitigation Guide — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>
@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
<p>This guide was tested working with Firefox version 74.</p>
<p>After configuring Mozilla Firefox with ghacks-user.js, according to this guide it's rating changes like so:</p>
<h2>Spyware Rating: <span class="orange">High</span> &rarr; <span class="green">Not Spyware</span></h2>
<p>The ghacks user.js is a template which aims to provide as much privacy and enhanced security as possible, and to reduce tracking and fingerprinting as much as possible - while minimizing any loss of functionality and breakage (but it will happen).<sup><a href="#two">[2]</a></sup></p>
<p>The ghacks user.js is a template which aims to provide as much privacy and enhanced security as possible, and to reduce tracking and fingerprinting as much as possible — while minimizing any loss of functionality and breakage (but it will happen).<sup><a href="#two">[2]</a></sup></p>
<br/>
<p>
Before beginning this guide it is important that you try and cross-reference it with other guides,
@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
<p>You may want to edit the file to your needs, if so:</p>
<code class="big-code">$EDITOR user.js</code>
<p>
If you want to disable OCSP as well, you should also add this to your user.js. These settings are seperated
If you want to disable OCSP as well, you should also add this to your user.js. These settings are separated
because while OCSP is a privacy breach, it is also a security feature. It works by contacting other servers to verify the authenticity of the address you are connecting to.
</p>
<p>
@ -92,13 +92,13 @@
At the end you need to delete several default plugins in Firefox directory at <code>/path/to/firefox/browser/features</code> (ie <code>/usr/lib/firefox/browser/features/</code>) that can violate privacy:
</p>
<ul>
<li>firefox@getpocket.com.xpi - Pocket</li>
<li>followonsearch@mozilla.com.xpi - Follow On Search</li>
<li>activity-stream@mozilla.org.xpi - Activity Stream</li>
<li>screenshots@mozilla.org.xpi - Screenshots</li>
<li>onboarding@mozilla.org.xpi - Onboarding</li>
<li>formautofill@mozilla.org.xpi - Autofill</li>
<li>webcompat@mozilla.org.xpi - Web Compatibility Reporter</li>
<li>firefox@getpocket.com.xpi — Pocket</li>
<li>followonsearch@mozilla.com.xpi — Follow On Search</li>
<li>activity-stream@mozilla.org.xpi — Activity Stream</li>
<li>screenshots@mozilla.org.xpi — Screenshots</li>
<li>onboarding@mozilla.org.xpi — Onboarding</li>
<li>formautofill@mozilla.org.xpi — Autofill</li>
<li>webcompat@mozilla.org.xpi — Web Compatibility Reporter</li>
</ul>
<p>
It is highly recommended to also check other user.js template settings from ongoing <i>"ghacks-user.js project"</i><sup><a href="#one">[1]</a></sup> for further hardening Firefox privacy, security and anti-fingerprinting.
@ -130,7 +130,7 @@
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 Liscence"></a>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 License"></a>
</div>
</div>
</body>

2
guides/firefox_es.html
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Guía de Mitigación de Spyware para Mozilla Firefox - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Guía de Mitigación de Spyware para Mozilla Firefox — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>

6
guides/iridium.html
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@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css">
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Iridium Browser Spyware Mitigation Guide - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Iridium Browser Spyware Mitigation Guide — Spyware Watchdog</title>
</head>
<body>
<img src="../images/iridium_logo.png">
@ -22,9 +22,9 @@
<hr>
<center>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be liscenced under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 Liscence"></a>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img class="icon" src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 License"></a>
<p><a href="../articles/index.html">Back to catalog</a></p>
</center>
</body>

4
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Netsurf Spyware Mitigation Guide - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Netsurf Spyware Mitigation Guide — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="../style.css"/>
</head>
<body>
@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
<h3>Mitigation Method 1:</h3>
<p>This method is rather simple, change the default search engine and the request to google will no longer happen, if you wish you can do this with the internet disconnected, that will prevent an initial request.</p>
<h3>Mitigation Method 2:</h3>
<p>This method is a little more involved, we use a source code patch to change the default search engine (and also remove non-privacy friendly options). Simply apply <a href="https://git.parabola.nu/abslibre.git/plain/libre/netsurf/remove_nonprivacy_options.patch">this patch</a> to the source code and recomplile.</p>
<p>This method is a little more involved, we use a source code patch to change the default search engine (and also remove non-privacy friendly options). Simply apply <a href="https://git.parabola.nu/abslibre.git/plain/libre/netsurf/remove_nonprivacy_options.patch">this patch</a> to the source code and recompile.</p>
</div>
<hr/>
<div class="footer">

4
guides/palemoon.html
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@ -69,9 +69,9 @@
</b></p>
<p>
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be liscenced under the CC0 liscence to be accepted.
If you want to edit this article, or contribute your own article(s), contact us on XMPP over in spyware@conference.nuegia.net, or visit us at the git repo on <a href="https://codeberg.org/TheShadow/SpywareWatchdog">Codeberg</a>. All contributions must be licensed under the CC0 license to be accepted.
</p>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 Liscence"></a>
<a href="https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/legalcode"><img src="../images/cc0.png" alt="CC0 License"></a>
</body>
</html>

42
guides/responses.html
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@ -8,14 +8,14 @@
<body>
<h1>Answers To Common Criticisms Of This Website</h1>
<p>
Sometimes I read criticisims of this website online, where the author finds a reason
Sometimes I read criticisms of this website online, where the author finds a reason
to "debunk" or otherwise invalidate (to them) the concerns or evidence that is brought
up in the articles on this website, when this criticisim does not actually invalidate or
up in the articles on this website, when this criticism does not actually invalidate or
debunk what is discussed in the articles on the website. So, I thought it would be
useful to write a page that lists common criticisims of the website and an adequate
response to each type of criticisim. Please understand that this page is not meant to
useful to write a page that lists common criticisms of the website and an adequate
response to each type of criticism. Please understand that this page is not meant to
write off people who have serious criticisms, and of course if you email me with those
you can exect a serious answer back.
you can expect a serious answer back.
</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="#Iknow">"I know that the program does this!"</a></li>
@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ you can exect a serious answer back.
<a name="Iknow"></a>
<h2>"I know that the program does this!"</h2>
<p>
This criticisim is probably the simplest kind: that because such a spyware feature is
known about a program, that this criticisim of the spyware feature is no longer valid.
This criticism is probably the simplest kind: that because such a spyware feature is
known about a program, that this criticism of the spyware feature is no longer valid.
</p>
<p>
The obvious response is that just because you KNOW that a program does something doesn't
validate what it is doing or sheild it from criticisim. If you KNOW a program is spying on
validate what it is doing or shield it from criticism. If you KNOW a program is spying on
you, that doesn't change anything about the situation or make it less of a problem. Just
because you know that a program can do certain things also doesn't mean that other people
know these things too, like someone who has not used the program before and is using the
@ -42,35 +42,35 @@ you can exect a serious answer back.
<a name="SoWhat"></a>
<h2>"I'm OK with these spyware features!"</h2>
<p>
This criticisim acknowledges the features of the program as spyware, but then claims that
because the critic is okay with using a spyware program, that the criticisims of the program
This criticism acknowledges the features of the program as spyware, but then claims that
because the critic is okay with using a spyware program, that the criticisms of the program
in the article are no longer valid.
</p>
<p>
But just because you are OK with using spyware, doesn't mean that everyone else is OK with
that. The articles on this website can only say: "This is what the program is doing.". And,
it's up to you if you're OK with that or not. Being OK with using spyware might invalidate
the criticisims of the spyware for you as an individual. But it doesn't invalidate it for
anyone else who might think diffrently about using spyware.
the criticisms of the spyware for you as an individual. But it doesn't invalidate it for
anyone else who might think differently about using spyware.
</p>
<a name="SpywareDefinition"></a>
<h2>"I don't agree with your definition of Spyware!"</h2>
</a>
<p>
This criticisim disagrees in the articles labeling of the program as spyware, but doesn't talk
This criticism disagrees in the articles labeling of the program as spyware, but doesn't talk
about the actual spyware feature in question, just the label assigned to that feature.
</p>
<p>
The point of the articles are not really the Spyware label that it assigns to everything, but
rather to raise awareness of features that can be used to invade user privacy. Even if the
definition of spyware that this website uses is wider than someone elses definition, that
definition of spyware that this website uses is wider than someone else's definition, that
doesn't change the facts about what is happening: it just changes the label we use to describe
those facts. Instead of thinking about "Is this Spyware?", we should consider: "Is this OK?"
</p>
<a name="Popularity"></a>
<h2>"Lots of people use this software!"</h2>
<p>
This criticisim states that because so many people use the software being criticised, that it
This criticism states that because so many people use the software being criticized, that it
is safe to use and is not spyware.
</p>
<p>
@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ you can exect a serious answer back.
<a name="TheyHadAReason"></a>
<h2>"The developers had a reason to add this feature!"</h2>
<p>
This criticisim states that because the developers of the software in question had a reason to
This criticism states that because the developers of the software in question had a reason to
add a spyware feature, that this makes the spyware feature okay.
</p>
<p>
@ -101,25 +101,25 @@ you can exect a serious answer back.
<a name="OptingOut"></a>
<h2>"I can disable this feature!"</h2>
<p>
This criticisim states that because the software can be configured so that the spyware feature being criticised in the
article is disabled, that this criticisim of the spyware feature is no longer valid.
This criticism states that because the software can be configured so that the spyware feature being criticized in the
article is disabled, that this criticism of the spyware feature is no longer valid.
</p>
<p>
This is a very attractive criticisim, to say that it doesn't matter if a program comes with spyware as long as it can all be
This is a very attractive criticism, to say that it doesn't matter if a program comes with spyware as long as it can all be
disabled through configuration. The most important issue is that an opt-out is not acceptable, since it doesn't change the fact that the program does spy on a portion of its userbase that have not opted-out, and that the program is designed to collect information about its users. So even
if some minority of users opt-out from the spyware, it is still damaging the privacy of users who don't know about these spyware features.
</p>
<p>
There are a few programs that make the privacy implications of certain features in their software prominent and clear, and make the way
to disable those features easy and accessible. But the vast majority of programs that allow an opt-out from certain spyware features do this in
a way that is not accesible to the vast majority of users, and the developers of these programs do not make an effort to explain to their users
a way that is not accessible to the vast majority of users, and the developers of these programs do not make an effort to explain to their users
the privacy implications of certain spyware features in their programs. So, even though, if you know how to do it, you can successfully opt-out,
that doesn't mean that the majority of users are capable of doing that too.
</p>
<p>
Even if you can opt-out from certain features, the privacy concerned user won't be aware of many of these features until his privacy has already
been compromised, since most spyware found in modern programs is not explained in any prominent place for a user to understand before they begin
using the software. Lots of programs require the user to block the program from acessing the internet, for example, in order to disable all of the spyware, since to disable the spyware, you have to execute the program, but executing the program will also compromise your privacy... a totally
using the software. Lots of programs require the user to block the program from accessing the internet, for example, in order to disable all of the spyware, since to disable the spyware, you have to execute the program, but executing the program will also compromise your privacy... a totally
inadequate chicken-and-egg scenario.
</p>

2
guides/style.html
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@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ This is a pretty old page, and I don't think it's linked anywhere on the site an
follow that in the spirit of this guide.
</p>
<p>
Articles should be submitted using only basic HTML features, and must include a link back to the article catalog at the top. The article should only contain information about why the software is spyware using the spyware classification guide as a reference. The article should list every spyware feature that the software includes and every spyware criteria that the software meets, and then describe in as much detail as neccessary how the spyware features work and what they do, as well as explain what level of contempt the ceators of the software should be held in based on past behaviors. Articles can include one 128 by 128 PNG image containing the logo of the software. Articles should be written with the example article as a refrence, so that all articles are uniform and easy to navigate. All articles should be submitted to <a href="mailto:spyware@aaathats3as.com">spyware@aaathats3as.com</a> for manual review.
Articles should be submitted using only basic HTML features, and must include a link back to the article catalog at the top. The article should only contain information about why the software is spyware using the spyware classification guide as a reference. The article should list every spyware feature that the software includes and every spyware criteria that the software meets, and then describe in as much detail as necessary how the spyware features work and what they do, as well as explain what level of contempt the creators of the software should be held in based on past behaviors. Articles can include one 128 by 128 PNG image containing the logo of the software. Articles should be written with the example article as a reference, so that all articles are uniform and easy to navigate. All articles should be submitted to <a href="mailto:spyware@aaathats3as.com">spyware@aaathats3as.com</a> for manual review.
</p>
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4
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Home - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Home — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"/>
</head>
<body>
@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
<a href="misc.html">Misc</a>
</div>
<div class="main">
<img src="images/logo.png" alt="The Watchdog - Spyware beware!"/>
<img src="images/logo.png" alt="The Watchdog — Spyware beware!"/>
<h1>Online Spyware Watchdog</h1>
<p>The goal of this website is to classify spyware programs, so that users can be more aware that they are installing spyware.</p>
<p>Many "everyday" applications are actually spyware. <b>We take an expansive and strict stance on what constitutes spyware.</b> We define spyware as anything that includes "telemetry, information collection, phoning home, automatic updates, or is listening in".</p>

2
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@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-type" content="application/xhtml+xml;charset=utf-8"/>
<title>Misc - Spyware Watchdog</title>
<title>Misc — Spyware Watchdog</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css"/>
</head>
<body>

14
requested_articles.txt
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@ -4,13 +4,13 @@ anyone's request. If you are interested in writing articles
for the site and need help choosing something to review, this
list is a good place to start.
1password - made a "stub" article:
1password — made a "stub" article:
https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/1password.html
Ask.com services (excite, myway) - no progress has been made
Ask.com services (excite, myway) — no progress has been made
Merge information from http://archive.is/baCzK and https://www.ghacks.net/2016/02/08/steam-uses-insecure-out-of-date-chromium-browser/
to the steam article, also run it through MITMproxy to find what requests it makes. - no progress has been made
to the steam article, also run it through MITMproxy to find what requests it makes. — no progress has been made
Create a new class of articles about browser addons, the following explicitly:
NoScript (allegedly phones home? needs a test to see if that's true or not...)
@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ Ghostery
No progress made on any of those ^
uTorrent - stub article: https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/utorrent.html
uTorrent — stub article: https://spyware.neocities.org/articles/utorrent.html
Write about Razor mouse products:
Useful links:
@ -61,13 +61,13 @@ https://libreboot.org/faq.html#intel
Some progress made with that. See AMD CPU article. Still need to finish that.
Write about visual studio- no progress
write about geary - no progress
Write about visual studio — no progress
write about geary — no progress
Add this tag to the top of everything:
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
Ublock Origin - No progress (phoning home? check privacy policy)
Ublock Origin — No progress (phoning home? check privacy policy)
> please add to overview browsers like Seamonkey, Srware Iron and Sphere
> browser: https://sphere.tenebris.cc <https://sphere.tenebris.cc/>