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The Windows Update page is offering the Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 1 as a crucial download with the usual rhetoric about fulfilling a great user experience on the web.
After installing this, I ran Ad-aware 5.83 (the newest version w/ the newest spyware definitions) to find out the Alexa extensions were now present in my machine. I have never (knowingly) downloaded anything from Alexa (until now.) I then ran RegCleaner and found it in the registry.
I removed all Alexa files and, so far, do not notice any problems with IE.
As with everything else, I'm sure there are many opinions of the, now common, practice of including hidden software without informing the user. I myself consider this a sneaky, unethical invasion of my privacy, and potential threat to my property. When did I give permission? I read the installation disclosures and did not see the name Alexa.
It seems to me that basic human rights are seriously being compromised at increasing frequency on the internet. As business technology evolves, considerations once thought of as standard ethics are fast degrading.
ALEXA's toolbar service collects and stores information about the web pages you view, the data you enter in online forms and search fields, and, with versions 5.0 and higher, the products you purchase online while using the toolbar service. Although ALEXA does not attempt to analyze web usage data to determine the identity of any ALEXA user, some information collected by the toolbar service is personally identifiable. ALEXA aggregates and analyzes the information it collects to improve its service and to prepare reports about aggregate web usage and shopping habits.In addition, when you perform searches using the search function available on ALEXA 's toolbar service software version 6.5 and higher or on the ALEXA website, you often will be taken to a website detail page at amazon.com. If you have an account on amazon.com and an amazon.com cookie enabled, your search results will be transmitted to and logged by amazon.com and may be correlated by amazon.com with any personally identifiable information you may have previously provided to amazon.com.[edited by: tedster at 3:21 pm (utc) on Sep. 17, 2002]
It is my understanding that Alexa requires a user to agree to tese terms. Packaging it in with IE updates to unknowing users appears to be an extreme breach of trust, and especially a violation of their own Privacy Policy terms. This is what I am gathering from all of these previous posts - please set me straight on this if I am wrong.
ALEXA's toolbar service collects and stores information about the web pages you view, the data you enter in online forms and search fields
Including usernames and passwords?!
There are programs that scan your hard drive and registry for "spyware" just like anti-virus programs that look for viruses..
One such program that is capable of detecting Alexa is called AdAware by LavaSoft,
Download it here [lavasoftusa.com...]
Good Luck!
I'm really starting to hate MicroSoft.
I just put an OEM copy of Windows 98 SE on a new machine and installed the critical updates and a few other things from windowsupdate.microsoft.com.
I did go for the IE 5.5 service pack, but did not install IE 6.0; I decided to stay with IE 5.5 on this box. AdAware found Alexa in an IE folder.
I can not swear that it was Microsoft that put it on my new box, as I did load a few other programs like Winzip and Acrobat reader that could have put the spyware on my system...but the spyware program was in an IE folder -- before I removed it.
FWIW,
Louis
Thanks for the link, celerityfm! Love AdAware!
If you don't use the 'Show Related Links' menu links, and if you haven't installed any extra Alexa stuff ... then you are NOT in danger of being spied upon.
... if you don't use that menu or button, Alexa will not hear from you. No spying will take place. You may sleep soundly.
Happy now?
