Web Bugs

Partial · 06-19-02, 12:52 PM

I just read about web bugs www.bugnosis.com I replied to a post in the general page but it should be here in security. Cookies are just the beginning. Check out web bugs.

You guys know about this stuff?

I just installed the little bug tracker porgram. Quite interesting indeed. I browsed a few pages and with no alarms but then I went to Tripod.com and the web bugs are all over the place. check out this one. It found 9 web bugs in the page. How annoying.

So web monitoring is now evolving. The marketers are insisting on the ability to monitor and users are insisting on privacy. This doesn't look good...I can see the future now....

NEW SOFTWARE!!! Protects against cookies, web bugs, echiggers, micrognats, nanotreats, iSpys, Lanterns, netEyes, ethernettles, poison eVy .... on and on. We are really just getting started.

I noticed that the web server for one for one of the web bugs is http://ln.doubleclick.net. I am using the hosts file from the archive, the wonderful thing that it is, but ln.doubleclick.net is in the list and I am still picking up the bugs from those servers.

Shouldn't we be able to block the servers for these things just like ads?
The bugs from my blocked servers are still popping up.

TonyT · 06-19-02, 02:00 PM

looks like a bug ate your bugnosis link

Partial · 06-19-02, 05:19 PM

Thanks TonyT...took care of it.

mnosteele52 · 06-19-02, 05:44 PM

Good post, I agree there are a ton of "nasties" (if you will) out there that track what you do or just invade your privacy in some kind of way. I have been using WebWasher for the past few weeks and it works great. It will block banner ads, pop up windows, web bugs and all kinds of other privacy invading things and it doesn't slow my connection down at all I highly suggest giving it a try.

The_Lurker · 06-19-02, 07:59 PM

to stop web bugs and more, look for the "Proxomitron"

great program.

read this link------>http://forums.speedguide.net/showthr...threadid=81289

and this one------>http://forums.speedguide.net/showthr...threadid=81310

TL

TonyT · 06-20-02, 07:17 AM

FYI

MOST of these "web bugs" are harmless. They do not gather personal information about you. About the most personal datum gathered is your IP address. So what! Every web server you have ever visited has your IP address, unless using a Proxy.

Some of these web bugs are very important as they are used in Software Author's Affiliate programs. Presently, the ad revenue from webpage traffic is bust, therefore websites that sell stuff are moving into the next phase of a profitable internet, affiliate programs.

DoubleClick and similar services carry it a bit too far, but this is justv their attempt to continue accurate tracking because newer browsers and browser addons can filter their cookies.

Just be cautious which cookies and web bugs you block. For instance, this site financially depends to a small degree upon the ads seen on the pages here. You can block the Tribalfusion cookies but their servers still know how many times the ads were downloaded if you are not using a Hosts file or app to filter them.

Some of the guys that claim "invasion of privacy" are a bit bonkers. Honestly, do you REALLY care if some service has recoreded what webpages your IP looked at in a given period of time or a browser session? That info cannot be traced to you directly UNLESS YOUR ISP gives then the necessary accompanying info re the IP number, or if your ISP has Carnivore (DOJ sniffer) installed on their servers.

Worried? Feel invaded? What are you REALLY trying to hide?

Partial · 06-26-02, 01:20 PM

Tony T

I don't think this is so much a matter of immediate privacy i.e. do I really care if someone knows the websites that I went to today? Not really. We are still at the birthing stages of the internet so the principles that we move forward with will either haunt us in the future or we will say "The internet is great to use these days, I'm glad we didn't let this or that happen." Companies are wrapt up in the idea making big money on the internet....a handful of successes and a mess of failures so far. Are we going to conform to the money making ideas of some company or are we going to insist that they conform to us. Who will control the internet?

Web bugs are a simple extension of the power struggles going on. Everyone knows about cookies and many people already hate the idea. There are at least a dozen programs floating around that will block or managee cookies. So turn to web bugs. You can't see them, you don't know they are there...but its only a matter of time until we find out and don't like them. So we respond, and so do the designers ad nauseum.

This is a matter of ideas and principles.

Which is right?
Its my web page, I can control whatever I want on it.
Its my computer, I can control whatever I want on it.

06-19-02, 12:52 PM	#1
Partial Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 234	Web Bugs I just read about web bugs www.bugnosis.com I replied to a post in the general page but it should be here in security. Cookies are just the beginning. Check out web bugs. You guys know about this stuff? I just installed the little bug tracker porgram. Quite interesting indeed. I browsed a few pages and with no alarms but then I went to Tripod.com and the web bugs are all over the place. check out this one. It found 9 web bugs in the page. How annoying. So web monitoring is now evolving. The marketers are insisting on the ability to monitor and users are insisting on privacy. This doesn't look good...I can see the future now.... NEW SOFTWARE!!! Protects against cookies, web bugs, echiggers, micrognats, nanotreats, iSpys, Lanterns, netEyes, ethernettles, poison eVy .... on and on. We are really just getting started. I noticed that the web server for one for one of the web bugs is http://ln.doubleclick.net. I am using the hosts file from the archive, the wonderful thing that it is, but ln.doubleclick.net is in the list and I am still picking up the bugs from those servers. Shouldn't we be able to block the servers for these things just like ads? The bugs from my blocked servers are still popping up. Last edited by Partial; 06-19-02 at 05:19 PM.

06-19-02, 02:00 PM	#2
TonyT Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 9,613	looks like a bug ate your bugnosis link __________________ No one has any right to force data on you and command you to believe it or else. If it is not true for you, it isn't true. LRH

06-19-02, 05:44 PM	#4
mnosteele52 Dr Tweak Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Chesapeake, VA Posts: 11,625	Good post, I agree there are a ton of "nasties" (if you will) out there that track what you do or just invade your privacy in some kind of way. I have been using WebWasher for the past few weeks and it works great. It will block banner ads, pop up windows, web bugs and all kinds of other privacy invading things and it doesn't slow my connection down at all I highly suggest giving it a try. __________________ Help & Tips CableNut Tcp/Ip Analyzer TCPOptimizer Malware Removal Guide Dr Tweak

06-20-02, 07:17 AM	#6
TonyT Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2000 Location: Fairfax, VA Posts: 9,613	FYI MOST of these "web bugs" are harmless. They do not gather personal information about you. About the most personal datum gathered is your IP address. So what! Every web server you have ever visited has your IP address, unless using a Proxy. Some of these web bugs are very important as they are used in Software Author's Affiliate programs. Presently, the ad revenue from webpage traffic is bust, therefore websites that sell stuff are moving into the next phase of a profitable internet, affiliate programs. DoubleClick and similar services carry it a bit too far, but this is justv their attempt to continue accurate tracking because newer browsers and browser addons can filter their cookies. Just be cautious which cookies and web bugs you block. For instance, this site financially depends to a small degree upon the ads seen on the pages here. You can block the Tribalfusion cookies but their servers still know how many times the ads were downloaded if you are not using a Hosts file or app to filter them. Some of the guys that claim "invasion of privacy" are a bit bonkers. Honestly, do you REALLY care if some service has recoreded what webpages your IP looked at in a given period of time or a browser session? That info cannot be traced to you directly UNLESS YOUR ISP gives then the necessary accompanying info re the IP number, or if your ISP has Carnivore (DOJ sniffer) installed on their servers. Worried? Feel invaded? What are you REALLY trying to hide? __________________ No one has any right to force data on you and command you to believe it or else. If it is not true for you, it isn't true. LRH

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06-19-02, 05:19 PM	#3
Partial Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 234	Thanks TonyT...took care of it.

06-19-02, 07:59 PM	#5
The_Lurker Banned Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 2,871	to stop web bugs and more, look for the "Proxomitron" great program. read this link------>http://forums.speedguide.net/showthr...threadid=81289 and this one------>http://forums.speedguide.net/showthr...threadid=81310 TL

06-26-02, 01:20 PM	#7
Partial Regular Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Virginia Posts: 234	Tony T I don't think this is so much a matter of immediate privacy i.e. do I really care if someone knows the websites that I went to today? Not really. We are still at the birthing stages of the internet so the principles that we move forward with will either haunt us in the future or we will say "The internet is great to use these days, I'm glad we didn't let this or that happen." Companies are wrapt up in the idea making big money on the internet....a handful of successes and a mess of failures so far. Are we going to conform to the money making ideas of some company or are we going to insist that they conform to us. Who will control the internet? Web bugs are a simple extension of the power struggles going on. Everyone knows about cookies and many people already hate the idea. There are at least a dozen programs floating around that will block or managee cookies. So turn to web bugs. You can't see them, you don't know they are there...but its only a matter of time until we find out and don't like them. So we respond, and so do the designers ad nauseum. This is a matter of ideas and principles. Which is right? Its my web page, I can control whatever I want on it. Its my computer, I can control whatever I want on it.