Just to clear up this Alex stuff,
Alex is not spyware if you have not installed some of their software.
But Lavasoft's Ad-Aware identifies a standard registry key included with Internet Explorer as "Data Miner" spyware, with little or no further explanation, and offers to delete it. Spybot identifies it too, also without much explanation, though they have a smarter strategy to deal with it.
The issue is the 'Related Links' feature of IE which appears as the 'Tools'/'Show Related Links' menu item (and a corresponding toolbar button if you added it from the 'Customize...' link on the toolbar). If you use that feature, IE will contact the Alexa servers to obtain information about other web pages which might be, er, related, open an Explorer Bar, and display those (plus adverts and whatnot). Go check the Alexa web site to see if you think that is a good idea (and, just to be clear, I think it's a sucky idea), or just to double-check that you haven't deliberately or unintentionally or absent-mindedly installed some of their software.
And due to a recently discovered bug in IE, you might even transmit (potentially sensitive) URL information if you reload pages long after you close the Explorer Bar, about (even secure HTTPS/SSL) pages for which you didn't request Related Links.
But if you don't use that menu or button, Alexa will not hear from you. No spying will take place.
This feature is still 'spyware', to be clear. If you do use it, you will be sending information to MSN and Alexa, and there is nowhere that Microsoft adequately discloses and documents that privacy 'leak'. Sure Alexa have some information on it and a pretty clear privacy policy, but you don't get to know of Alexa's involvement until after you use the feature and even then you have to hunt for it, and still no mention is made of MSN's interstitial involvement. Don't blame Alexa though - it's Microsoft's responsibility to provide their users with complete and truthful disclosure - and they haven't.
But if you don't use it, it won't spy on you behind your back, and you may sleep soundly. Here are some options :-
- You can let Ad-Aware delete it, with no harm done (though if you later repair, or patch or upgrade IE, it may get re-established).
- You can ignore the alert and leave it be, with no harm done.
- You can fiddle with it so that it just doesn't work (so that even if you, or someone else using your PC, accidentally tries it, it won't contact Alexa).
- Or you can fiddle with it so that it uses Google to find related links, instead of Alexa.
Alex is not spyware if you have not installed some of their software.
But Lavasoft's Ad-Aware identifies a standard registry key included with Internet Explorer as "Data Miner" spyware, with little or no further explanation, and offers to delete it. Spybot identifies it too, also without much explanation, though they have a smarter strategy to deal with it.
The issue is the 'Related Links' feature of IE which appears as the 'Tools'/'Show Related Links' menu item (and a corresponding toolbar button if you added it from the 'Customize...' link on the toolbar). If you use that feature, IE will contact the Alexa servers to obtain information about other web pages which might be, er, related, open an Explorer Bar, and display those (plus adverts and whatnot). Go check the Alexa web site to see if you think that is a good idea (and, just to be clear, I think it's a sucky idea), or just to double-check that you haven't deliberately or unintentionally or absent-mindedly installed some of their software.
And due to a recently discovered bug in IE, you might even transmit (potentially sensitive) URL information if you reload pages long after you close the Explorer Bar, about (even secure HTTPS/SSL) pages for which you didn't request Related Links.
But if you don't use that menu or button, Alexa will not hear from you. No spying will take place.
This feature is still 'spyware', to be clear. If you do use it, you will be sending information to MSN and Alexa, and there is nowhere that Microsoft adequately discloses and documents that privacy 'leak'. Sure Alexa have some information on it and a pretty clear privacy policy, but you don't get to know of Alexa's involvement until after you use the feature and even then you have to hunt for it, and still no mention is made of MSN's interstitial involvement. Don't blame Alexa though - it's Microsoft's responsibility to provide their users with complete and truthful disclosure - and they haven't.
But if you don't use it, it won't spy on you behind your back, and you may sleep soundly. Here are some options :-
- You can let Ad-Aware delete it, with no harm done (though if you later repair, or patch or upgrade IE, it may get re-established).
- You can ignore the alert and leave it be, with no harm done.
- You can fiddle with it so that it just doesn't work (so that even if you, or someone else using your PC, accidentally tries it, it won't contact Alexa).
- Or you can fiddle with it so that it uses Google to find related links, instead of Alexa.
Rickf, I'm not sure if Alex? is spyware, but it's proven that Alexa is spyware..
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/threats/174.html
Company Alexa Internet
Aliases
URLs Website (http://info.alexa.com/)
Product (http://download.alexa.com/alexa6/quicktour.html)
Privacy (http://www.alexa.com/company/privacy.html)
Functionality Internet Explorer toolbar providing additional information and related links about visited websites.
Description The privacy statement says it all. They are storing quite a lot information, including personal data like accounts (if account data is used in URL). They give other companies access to their databases; those may only use the data to what it was retained for. The statements says what the data was retained for, but doesn't give exlusions what it isn't retained for.
Privacy ALEXA COLLECTS AND STORES INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEB PAGES YOU VIEW, THE DATA YOU ENTER IN ONLINE FORMS AND SEARCH FIELDS WHILE USING THE ALEXA SOFTWARE, AND, WITH VERSIONS 5.0 AND HIGHER OF THE BROWSER COMPANION SOFTWARE, THE PRODUCTS YOU PURCHASE ONLINE. ALTHOUGH ALEXA DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO ANALYZE WEB USAGE DATA TO DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF ANY ALEXA USER, SOME INFORMATION COLLECTED BY THE SOFTWARE 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. [...] We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf, such as technical support services. To perform those functions, it may be necessary for them to obtain access to Alexa’s databases and servers, which may contain personally identifying information about users. They may not use such access or information for any purpose other than that for which they are retained.
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/threats/174.html
Company Alexa Internet
Aliases
URLs Website (http://info.alexa.com/)
Product (http://download.alexa.com/alexa6/quicktour.html)
Privacy (http://www.alexa.com/company/privacy.html)
Functionality Internet Explorer toolbar providing additional information and related links about visited websites.
Description The privacy statement says it all. They are storing quite a lot information, including personal data like accounts (if account data is used in URL). They give other companies access to their databases; those may only use the data to what it was retained for. The statements says what the data was retained for, but doesn't give exlusions what it isn't retained for.
Privacy ALEXA COLLECTS AND STORES INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEB PAGES YOU VIEW, THE DATA YOU ENTER IN ONLINE FORMS AND SEARCH FIELDS WHILE USING THE ALEXA SOFTWARE, AND, WITH VERSIONS 5.0 AND HIGHER OF THE BROWSER COMPANION SOFTWARE, THE PRODUCTS YOU PURCHASE ONLINE. ALTHOUGH ALEXA DOES NOT ATTEMPT TO ANALYZE WEB USAGE DATA TO DETERMINE THE IDENTITY OF ANY ALEXA USER, SOME INFORMATION COLLECTED BY THE SOFTWARE 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. [...] We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf, such as technical support services. To perform those functions, it may be necessary for them to obtain access to Alexa’s databases and servers, which may contain personally identifying information about users. They may not use such access or information for any purpose other than that for which they are retained.
#1 cheater--You and Spysweeper are 100% correct about Alexa. I wish I had known to remove it a long time ago. I am just about positive that Alexa is the reason that I get dozens and dozens of junk (spam) email each day. Most of these have to do with buying health releated products or the sex enhancement meds or vitamins or you name it in the pill line of stuff. I used to post frequently at one of the Google (health-releated websites). Where else would such companies get my email address and know it. Yes I did related searches using that Alexa feature and never thought anything of it.
So if you have to spend a lot of time deleting unwanted emails, you can most likely thank Alexa. What REALLY ticks me off about it is that it is a part of Internet Explorer, which is a part of Microsoft--well you get the picture! (I think a warning should be put up to let users know before using it!)
So if you have to spend a lot of time deleting unwanted emails, you can most likely thank Alexa. What REALLY ticks me off about it is that it is a part of Internet Explorer, which is a part of Microsoft--well you get the picture! (I think a warning should be put up to let users know before using it!)
