This is scary as hell.

June 4, 2000 11:47 AM

This is scary as hell. I'd like someone to explain to me how this ("update-dll.exe") is any different than "Back Orifice" or "Backdoor G7"? Aren't these guys violating the law? Where's the FBI when we need them?
posted by Steven Den Beste (7 comments total)

I saw this

"was installed in over 22 million (22,000,000) and counting Windows PC's worldwide"

but I don't see any indication of what program or programs carry this technology, or even where you'd download the radiate app. What exactly is Radiate, and why would someone download it? (is it some hidden dll that comes with winamp or realplayer or is it a standalone app that does something else?)
posted by mathowie at 12:31 PM on June 4, 2000

A good summary of the Aureate/Radiate spyware is at LangaList.
posted by Hegemonic at 2:08 PM on June 4, 2000

argh, I hope they were right about advert.dll, or else I'm screwed
posted by starduck at 2:16 PM on June 4, 2000

Here are some examples of programs which are bugged.

The whole point of the Radiate system is that you don't know that the programs you're loading are installing the Radiate software on your system. It is, in the truest sense, a trojan horse.

And that's why I ask: how is this different from Backdoor G7?

posted by Steven Den Beste at 4:20 PM on June 4, 2000

Steve Gibson and Jerry Pournelle have gone off about this in public; it's real.
posted by baylink at 5:16 PM on June 4, 2000

[ actually *looks at link* ]

"Jerry Pournelle has gone off in public about this, too, and Steve has a *very* clean rep."
posted by baylink at 5:21 PM on June 4, 2000

As was also mentioned in the original link, "Conducent Timesink" is a similar application, and as far as i know, is implemented in PKZip for Windows and ReGet. It is known as "TSADBOT" programwise, and would probably locate itself in C:\Program Files\TSADBOT.

I still use ReGet though, its still the better filedownloader for me.
posted by aki at 7:33 PM on June 4, 2000