Samsung installs keylogger on its laptop computers

[Semi-Lobster]

http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/sec/2011/032811sec2.html



First Sony, now Samsung! This is outrageous!

 

[Captain.Abrecan]

pff. What software did he use? Has someone else done it and verified it? I don't care how many times he does it himself, that is useless. Also, what models were these machines? What store did they come from? What serial number batches are they? I don't trust this lazy conjectural reporting one bit. The article being blessed by 'networkworld' makes me leer even more.

"no one seems to have reported a StarLogger installation as far as we have been able to determine using Web search engines." --no kidding

The blog author links to an article where they say that Samsung basically admits that they put it there, but the author doesn't even have the decency to quote the exact conversation. There is also no proof of a Email or letter. Where is this magical thing? Was it a phone conversation? Is there a recording of it?

Also, if Samsung uses a ghost to install the OS on each machine, maybe it has been compromised. Doesn't mean it is deliberate. Did the store "upgrade" to OS as a point of sale option? I don't trust that either. The guy is supposed to be a security expert, why doesn't he just wipe the installation that comes with the machine?

 

[bokou]

psh.. reasoning has no place here. Grab the pitchforks!

 

[Mr McC]

It is indeed outrageous. Companies want complete control and full access: privacy be damned. What saddens me is that discussions relating to DRM or other corporate control methods too often descend into discussion of piracy and consumer rights appear to be subsidiary. I sincerely hope that Samsung are forced to pay considerable compensation.

Edit: assuming that this is indeed the case, as my two colleagues above suggest otherwise. In any event, that author's credentials are convincing:

Mohamed Hassan, MSIA, CISSP, CISA is the founder of NetSec Consulting Corp, a firm that specializes in information security consulting services. He is a senior IT Security consultant and an adjunct professor of Information Systems in the School of Business at the University of Phoenix.

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Thanks you made me laugh Bokou.

 

[IINexusII]

this is why you should always do a clean format on laptops these days, get rid of all the crap, and keep the drivers you need.

 

[newtekie1]

Shit like this is exactly the reason I wipe and re-install any pre-built machine I purachase.

I don't trust this lazy conjectural reporting one bit.

I kind of threw up red flags when I saw him refer to the software he used as "false-positive proof" because he had used it for years and never had a false positive before, and he also woudln't say what software is was that he was using to detect the keylogger. That is a very BS course of logic.

 

[CrAsHnBuRnXp]

TL;DR

Is it a software keylogger or a hardware keylogger?

If its software, then I woudlnt have to worry as when i get it home I take an OS disc (in this case Win7) and format it leaving out all the crap they pre install on it and just use the serial key they gave me.

 

[bokou]

Shit like this is exactly the reason I wipe and re-install any pre-built machine I purachase.



I kind of threw up red flags when I saw him refer to the software he used as "false-positive proof" because he had used it for years and never had a false positive before, and he also woudln't say what software is was that he was using to detect the keylogger. That is a very BS course of logic.

I don't do it much any more if hardly any, but I used to get software through less than legitimate means and while talking about that is frowned upon the reason I bring it up is that 9 times out of 10 someone would leave comments like "it's got a virus!!!!!!1!" and it's just fear mongering or someone running norton that is way too intrusive to begin with.

I haven't purchased anything but laptops for several years now pre-built and usually it's just the cheaper ones - $350 HP or something. HP and Compaq come with like 20 gigs of useless shit on them now though

 

[Steevo]

I just uninstalled norton security scan web-bar from a PC that already had anti-virus, according to it the PC was infected and there would be system damage if I didn't just pay the price to get full norton.

It wasn't infected, but it did have cookies.

 

[streetfighter 2]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/btl/lower...m-flap-report-says-56000-images-snapped/33263

I'm so ****ing paranoid that I advise people to put electrical tape over their webcams when they're not using them. Needless to say I also advise them to reformat new computers. In hindsight I'm probably crazy because I preach to anyone who'll listen that anti-virus software is itself a virus!

I also call into question the "truthiness" of the article.

 

[Captain.Abrecan]

Here we go! It is a language pack installed by Microsoft:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/31/samsung-squashes-spyware-fears/

Independent Tests:
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002132.html
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002133.html

Apparently the app searches by the folder name, which is what caused the mistake. This Mohamed Hassan guy is a jackass. Networkworld is blaming the software maker, making the bloggers look like angels.

 

[Mr McC]

So the article is entirely false?

 

[ERazer]

seems like it

epic fail on Mohamed Hassan for not double checking

 

[newtekie1]

Looks like his "false-positive proof" software gave him a false positive. I called it when I read it, this guy is an idiot. I don't even call myself a "security consultant" and I obviously know more than this jackass.

 

[PVTCaboose1337]

Silly antiviruses calling any folder with certain initials a virus... That is what caused this. Samsung should not be blamed for anything.

 

[Semi-Lobster]

Here we go! It is a language pack installed by Microsoft:
http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/03/31/samsung-squashes-spyware-fears/

Independent Tests:
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002132.html
http://www.f-secure.com/weblog/archives/00002133.html

Apparently the app searches by the folder name, which is what caused the mistake. This Mohamed Hassan guy is a jackass. Networkworld is blaming the software maker, making the bloggers look like angels.

Ah I see, sorry for posting the story, it seemed like it was something important but it turns out it was just a false positive, sorry

 

[newtekie1]

Ah I see, sorry for posting the story, it seemed like it was something important but it turns out it was just a false positive, sorry

It isn't your fault, it is good that you posted it, because if it turned out to be true it would be extremely important. As it is, it serves as a lesson to us all to not trust an anti-virus, even a "proven" one, and to give the big company the benefit of the doubt every once in a while.

 

[micropage7]

and one message dont trust anything that you dont even know