p2p news / p2pnet: Sharman Networks’ Kazaa p2p file sharing application, reviled equally by both the corporate entertainment and p2p communities, already has two important strikes welded permanently to its name:

To all intents and purposes, it introduced spyware and adware to the Net; and,

The vast majority of 18,000 victims singled out by the Big Four Organized Music cartel for special attention were said to have been using Kazaa.

Now StopBadware.org says Sharman’s Kazaa, "misleadingly advertises itself as spyware-free," and doesn’t, "completely remove all components during the uninstall process, interferes with computer use, and makes undisclosed modifications to other software".

StopBadware.org was started by the Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society and Oxford University’s Oxford Internet Institute, with support from Google, Lenovo and Sun Microsystems.

"The version of Kazaa we downloaded from the above URL comes bundled with TopSearch (www.altnet.com), AltNet Peer Points Manager (www.altnet.com), BullGuard P2P (www.bullguard.com), Cydoor (www.cydoor.com), The Best Offers (www.bestoffersnetworks.com), InstaFinder (www.vista-interactive.com and www.instafinder.com), and RXToolbar (www.vista-interactive.com)," it warns.

It also says:

• The Movieland.com MediaPipe download manager is badware, "because it does not fully disclose what it is installing, does not completely remove all components and "obligations" during the uninstall process, and modifies other software without disclosure.
• The SpyAxe.com spyware removal program is badware because, "it fails to uninstall completely, is difficult to exit without purchasing the full version of the product, and because it interferes with computer use and modifies other software without disclosure."
• Screensaver.com’s Waterfalls 3 is badware because, "it includes components that are generally considered spyware, is bundled with a Trojan horse-like program, and modifies other software without disclosure."

In full, the report on Kazaa reads:

Claims "no spyware", but bundled software is considered spyware

Sharman Networks claims that Kazaa has "NO SPYWARE", based on a highly restricted definition of spyware (namely, that no personally identifiable information is sent by the program). However, Kazaa’s installation includes several bundled programs that are considered spyware under the common definition of spyware as software that subverts the computer�s operation for the benefit of a third party (see Anti-Spyware Coalition and Wikipedia’s article on "Spyware").

Bundled application cannot be closed

The Best Offers Network, one of the bundled applications included with Kazaa, cannot be closed at all by a typical user. It must be closed by killing the process from within the Windows Task Manager.

Fails to uninstall executables and system components

The uninstallation process does not eliminate all components related to Kazaa and its bundled programs. Executables and system components still remain, including the Kazaa Plus Installer.

Adds links to Windows Desktop

Kazaa and its bundled applications add two new links to the Windows Desktop: "Your Free Casino Chips!" and "Play Poker Now!". The addition of these links is not disclosed to the user during the installation process.

Changes default 404 and DNS error pages in Internet Explorer

InstaFinder, one of the applications bundled with Kazaa, changes the default 404 page and DNS error pages in Internet Explorer. This modification is not disclosed to the user during the installation process.

Disclosed Behavior

Installs adware

Kazaa requires the installation of various adware programs, including TopSearch, AltNet Peer Points Manager, Cydoor, and The Best Offers. The bundling of these applications is disclosed to the user during the installation process, and the user has the option of proceeding with the installation or canceling it.

Installs file-sharing anti-virus software

Kazaa requires the installation of file-sharing anti-virus software (BullGuard P2P). The bundling of this application is disclosed to the user during the installation process, and the user has the option of proceeding with the installation or canceling it.

Installs programs that modify Internet Explorer

Kazaa requires the installation of programs that modify Internet Explorer, including AltNet’s Need2Find Bar, InstaFinder, and RXToolbar. These programs add several new toolbars to Internet Explorer. The bundling of these applications and the addition of these toolbars is disclosed to the user during the installation process, and the user has the option of proceeding with the installation or canceling it.

Recommendations

• We recommend that Sharman Networks, the producer of Kazaa, do the following:
  

• Stop claiming that Kazaa is spyware-free.
  

• Ensure that Kazaa is not bundled with programs that cannot be closed by the user.
  

• Remove all executables, system components, and registry keys during the uninstall process.
  

• Disclose to the user during installation that links that will be added to the Windows Desktop.
  

• Disclose to the user during installation that the bundled software will change the default 404 and DNS error pages in Internet Explorer.
  

• We currently recommend that users do not install the version of Kazaa that we tested, unless the user is comfortable with the level of risk we identify or until the application is updated consistent with the recommendations in this report.
  

Consumer Reports WebWatch is serving as an unpaid special advisor.

John Palfrey, Executive Director of the Berkman Center and Harvard Clinical Professor of Law, and Jonathan Zittrain, Harvard Law Visiting Professor and Professor of Internet Governance and Regulation at Oxford University, are StopBadware.org co-directors. Supporting them is an advisory board and working group made up of some of the top experts in the field, including Internet pioneers Esther Dyson and Vint Cerf.

Stay tuned.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 22nd, 2006 at 9:44 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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