Is Gator Spyware?
Some of you might have seen the ads for Gator's free ad supported
software product which is advertised as a personal utility program
to "assist you in managing your personal information, banking
records, credit card account numbers, passwords and other vital
information to process forms on your behalf while shopping on
online".
Then again maybe you haven't, although if you checked, you
might have noticed it in your programs folder with no idea
of how it got there.
Gator offers an "online" shopping wallet and the download
process can start on your computer if you have the misfortune
of visiting a web site that includes a Gator download in the background!
As part of Gator's on line "wallet" Gator incorporates
an additional component called Offer Companion which generates
Gator's supported advertisement programs and monitors the Gator
users web surfing habits. To generate it's information for it's
targeted ads Gator utilizes adware/spyware modules to gather information
about the users web surfing habits and then uses the information
to generate these highly targeted advertisements to it's users.
Gator maintains a continuous data stream between it's headquarters
and each users computer which transmits highly detailed information
regarding each users web usage. An additional and alarming facet
of the Gator program is that they sell and share the complied
detailed personal information of it's users to their advertising
clients and other third parties. This information can included
users e-mail addresses and other detailed information collected
during users on line activities. Gator's eWallet is still available
for download in many locations although it is not the only way
Gator's GAIN adware program can get installed.
Gator's privacy policy is ambiguous and misleading. Although
they state that they have an op-out it pertains to the direct
e-mails from Gator only and does not apply to their third party
advertising clients. Now in an effort to disassociate itself from
the "spyware" label which has been hung around i'ts
neck the company has changed it's name to Claria Corporation.
We hope that our viewers will not be fooled by this more innocent
sounding name because once a Gator - always a Gator - even if
it now wants to go by the name Claria! After reading about this
name change I could envision a cute cartoon character of a Gator
with big round eyes, long eye lashes and a cute little bonnet
(like the Big Bad Wolf pretending to be Little Red Riding Hood's
Sweet old Grandma - which is not to far off from their current
logo) who still has great big teeth to bit you with! We will try
to keep our views updated as to any new developments related to
this name change, but to our knowledge they are still installing
the same things on users computers.
Gator has broadened the reach of their notorious advertisements
and is currently partnered with several major search engines (i.e.
Overture, Terra Lycos and FindWhat) to deliver pop-under ads on
other search sites through the use of their Search Scout toolbar.
SearchScout is owned and operated through Gator's new corporate
identity of Claria Corporation. Users who install the new SearchScout
toolbar will be displayed pop-under advertisements via Gator's
GAIN network which will be triggered by search terms and site
content. Unfortunately many persons downloading the software don't
realize they are agreeing to receive ads in exchange for its use.
Search Scout is downloaded to users' computers in return for free
software, like its e-wallet application for filling out online
forms.
This software has several distribution methods. It can be
found as an independent free download and is also included
in a number of shareware and file sharing applications such
as AudioGalaxy and Limewire and is being distributed to consumers
who do not know the true nature of what Gator is doing. In
addition to these two traditional installation methods Gator
has partnered with a number of web sites to include an Active
X installer to install Gator's Offer Companion directly on
to a web surfers computers. This installation process has
taken place in many cases without the surfers knowledge or
consent. In most installation cases Gator then uses a low
bandwidth Trickler file to slowly download and install the
additional offer companion adware components on the sly. This
trickler file then adds a run key to the users registry and
silently loads at start up.
According to security researchers, the ActiveX Backdoor.Trojan
plug-in which is included in the Gator program can be hijacked
by attackers and used to place other back-door software or
"malware" on the victim's computers. Although Gator
has taken some steps to resolve this installation issue it
is still listed as a backdoor trojan by several Anti-Virus
software programs.
Gator can also be bundled with several other adware/spyware
programs such as Cydoor, SaveNow, TopText, Onflow, and Webhancer
depending on the marketing and advertising platform of the
parent software. It is known to be included in Limewire, AudioGalaxy
and possibly several other file sharing apps. For more information
regarding concerns with file sharing applications please see
our Gnutella File Sharing Network User
Alert.
During the past several months Gator has come under a lot of
scrutiny because of its unethical advertising practices whereby
they literally switched authorized and paid advertising on web
sites and replaced them with ads of their paying clients. When
Gator came under fire from the Internet Advertising Bureau and
Online Publishers Association for these unethical advertising
practices Gator responded by a filing a law suit against the IAB
to prevent them from restricting their (Gator's) Advertising practices.
After several continued threats of law suits from the IAB Gator
eventually suspended it's unethical ad switching program and reverted
back to a normal pop-up ad program. For more information on Gator's
Ad switching program see our article Is
Gator Highjacking your Banner Ads?
Luckily there is an alternative program for Gator called Roboform:
www.roboform.com
They do not bombard you with popup ads and their website gives
instructions on how to convert your Gator passwords into RoboForm.
All personal data that you enter into AI RoboForm Identities and
PassCards is stored locally on your computer. RoboForm does NOT
cause your personal data to leave your computer. RoboForm does
NOT monitor or send information about sites that you visit or
any information about your browsing. RoboForm is NOT a spyware.
Gator has provided advertisements to some major corporations
including: 1-800 Flowers, Allstate Insurance, Apple Store, Avon,
CapitalOne Mastercard, Chrysler, Columbia House, Disneyland Resort,
Dollar Rental Car, Expedia, First Premier Bank, FTD.com, Hooked
on Phonics, ING Direct, LoJack, Movielink, Orbitz, Palm, Priceline,
Radisson, Rail Europe, Sun Microsystems, Thrifty Rental Cars,
Time-Life, Travelocity, uBid, University of Phoenix, Verizon DSL,
Western Union Bidpay
We strongly hope that viewers will boycott companies that participate
in these kinds of unethical promotional advertising.
For more information on Gator's installation & removal
process
Click
Here .
Written by Debbie St.Clair
UnwantedLinks.com
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Additional Gator Information:
Gator sheds skin, renames itself
Last modified: October 29, 2003, 9:17 PM PST
By Stefanie Olsen
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
Gator, the controversial advertising software and e-wallet company,
has changed its name to better reflect its business in behavioral
marketing.
The Redwood City, Calif.-based company plans to provide more details
Thursday of its decision to adopt a name that better reflects
its other businesses. The name change to Claria, however, is already
reflected on Gator’s Web site.
http://news.com.com/2100-1024_3-5099212.html
Harvard study wrestles with Gator
Last modified: May 22, 2003, 4:00 AM PDT
By Declan McCullagh
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
A Harvard University researcher has completed an investigation
of the Gator advertising utility, offering a glimpse into the
workings of one of the Web's most controversial pop-up networks...
The report "provides some data as to how much advertising
Gator is showing and to whom it is targeted," said author
Ben Edelman, who has testified as an expert witness against Gator
in at least one legal challenge to its service. "For Web
site operators, and to be sure, their legal staff, it's important
to know whether Gator is targeting them or not, and if so, how
much."
http://news.com.com/2100-1032_3-1008954.html
Search engines get 'Gatored'
Last modified: January 14, 2003, 11:54 AM PST
By Stefanie Olsen
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
The Gator online advertising network is testing a new paid search
product that lets rivals poach on each other's territory in one
of the Net's hottest new marketing venues.
Search Scout, launched in December, triggers a pop-under window
when Gator members search on a site such as Google and Yahoo.
The window lists search results tied to keywords purchased through
competing search services.
A small "info" tag on the results says they originate
from "top search engines." During the test phase, Gator
is using results from paid search kingpin Overture Services, Terra
Lycos and FindWhat.com.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-980572.html
Suit Over Gator's Pop-Up Ads Settled
NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2003
(AP)
(CBS) The nation's largest news publishers have settled a
dispute over an Internet advertising practice in which unauthorized,
third-party ads pop up on nytimes.com and other news sites.
Terence Ross, the lead attorney for the publishers, on Friday
declined to release terms of the settlement reached this week.
The parent companies of The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall
Street Journal and The Washington Post and the digital arms of
Knight Ridder and Conde Nast were among news outlets that sued
Gator Corp. in June over its pop-up ads.
Gator, which claims 30 million active users and 500 advertisers,
has contended its pop-up windows are no different than what happens
when a user runs instant messaging, e-mail or other programs in
separate windows while surfing a Web site.
Gator still faces lawsuits from United Parcel Service, which said
unauthorized pop-ups have included ads for rival FedEx Corp.,
and from Six Continents Hotels, which operates Holiday Inn and
Crowne Plaza and complains that Gator directed visitors to deals
from Marriott and other competitors.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/08/tech/main539931.shtml
Search engines get "Gatored"
By Stefanie Olsen
Staff Writer, CNET News.com
January 14, 2003, 11:54 AM PT
The Gator online advertising network is testing a new paid
search product that lets rivals poach on each other's territory
in one of the Net's hottest new marketing venues.
Search Scout, launched in December, triggers a pop-under window
when Gator members search on a site such as Google and Yahoo.
The window lists search results tied to keywords purchased
through competing search services.
A small "info" tag on the results says they originate
from "top search engines." During the test phase,
Gator is using results from paid search kingpin Overture Services,
Terra Lycos and FindWhat.com.
Like previous products from Gator, Search Scout allows advertisers
to reach members of the Gator network when they are visiting
competitors' sites--a feature that has already drawn lawsuits
in the context of banner and pop-up advertising.
http://news.com.com/2100-1023-980572.html
Gator Branded A Trojan Horse Despite Security Fix
By Brian McWilliams, Newsbytes
REDWOOD CITY, CALIFORNIA, U.S.A.,
07 Mar 2002, 3:42 PM CST
Gator Corp. has corrected a security flaw in the Web-based
installer program for its popular digital wallet software,
but some anti-virus utilities still brand the program a Trojan
horse.
Responding to a report in February that the ActiveX installer
opened a potential back door for attackers, Gator temporarily
removed the program, GatorSetup.exe, from its sites and posted
a security update that eliminates the vulnerability for users
who have installed the program using the ActiveX control.
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/175046.html
Gator
see ya later.
Despite supposedly resolving security issues with its digital
wallet software, Gator corporation still finds its application
being branded a "Trojan" by Symantec. Ironic, considering
Symantec is one of the companies that have invested in Gator
corporation.
http://www.dslreports.com/shownews/15862
Gator Digital Wallet Allows Hacker Back Doors
Feb 22, 2002
Gator, a digital wallet program installed on millions of computers,
contains a security flaw that could enable malicious sites
to take control of a user's computer. An ActiveX plug-in installed
with the Gator program can be hijacked by attackers and used
to place back-door software or other "malware" on
the victim's computer. Gator is installed with many popular
file sharing programs such as AudioGalaxy.
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/174709.html
Daily News
Gator digital wallet allows hacker back doors
By Brian McWilliams, Newsbytes.
February 23, 2002
Gator, a digital wallet program installed on millions of computers,
contains a security flaw that could enable malicious sites
to take control of a user's computer.
According to security researchers, an ActiveX plug-in installed
with the Gator program can be hijacked by attackers and used
to place back-door software or other "malware" on
the victim's computer.
http://www.computeruser.com/news/02/02/23/news7.html
Gator
Ad War Update
Gator and the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) declare
a truce to the legal battles over Gators Pop-Up Ads. "Gator
has agreed to stop selling the Companion Pop-up Banner vehicle
in its current form," he said. "We will put this
product on hold as we talk with IAB members to co-develop
a new version that is more publisher friendly, designed to
create a revenue stream for them by monetizing unused banner
inventory."
http://www.newsbytes.com/news/01/172528.html
Gator ad policy raises Internet privacy issues
Thursday, September 13, 2001
There is a big difference between tracking you within a Web
site to serve you better within that site and tracking you
whenever you're logged in and rambling around the Internet.
The former is a service to you, the user; the latter could
be an invasion of your privacy.
http://www.post-gazette.com/interact/20010913radin0913bnp4.asp
Advertising on the web - the next step?
by Sue Widemark
Most companies allow an 'opt-out' clause and I thought Gator
did also when I read the website information. However,
a more careful reading revealed that the opt-out was only
for email offers (not for the banner ads).
http://suewidemark.netfirms.com/gator.htm
Gator.com Lawsuit Escalates Online Ad Controversy
ecommercetimes.com.. When consumers download Gator's free
software, they are shown an informational screen that clearly
describes that they are getting our software at no charge
...
www.ecommercetimes.com/perl/story/13188.html - 10k - Cached
- Similar pages
Guerrilla Ad Banner Battle Looms
.. To others, Gator's software program is more akin to heisting
a magazine and putting
new ads on the back cover before the publication is delivered
to readers. ...
IBA report on Gator unethical advertising
http://www.iab.net/news/content/08_28_01.html
Silicon Alley News: IAB Blasts Gator
http://www.atnewyork.com/news/article/0,1471,8471_874141,00.html
The Attack of Ad-Replacing Software
From Entrepreneur.com: Gator software may be taking a bite
out of Web sites'revenue by employing guerrilla marketing
tactics. eMarketer analyst Jonathan ...
Is Your Money Being Stolen?
New Advertising Software May Be Taking Your Revenue
This an article about Gater
http://html.about.com/library/
The Word Spy - gator
.. that a person is visiting. When a particular company's
site comes into view, the
Gator software pops up a banner ad for a rival company.
www.logophilia.com/WordSpy/gator.html
Shooting Back At Gator's 'Ambush Ads'
(washingtonpost.com)
.. Moreover, when I installed Gator's software, I discovered
more than a dozen advertisers
using Gator to run ambush ads at rival sites. When I visited
the site ...
Gator wrestling: How much advertising can you
...
From ZDNet.. Why? Because the Gator software allows the company
to watch what you are doing in your browser and send advertisements
based on your behavior. Here's the catch ...
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