Windows XP Bulit in spyware

[micky750]

Does anyone else know of any other built in services built in to XP that try to connect to m$ without any user permission these are the ones I know about:

Application Layer Gateway Service (Requires server rights.)

Fax Service
File Signature Verification

Generic Host Process for Win32 Services (Requires server rights.)

Microsoft Direct Play Voice Test

Microsoft Help and Support Center ( "Help and Support" notifies Microsoft of the subject of your search.)

Microsoft Help Center Hosting Server (Wants server rights.)

Microsoft Management Console
Microsoft Media Player (Tells Microsoft the music and videos you like.)
Microsoft Network Availability Test

Microsoft Volume Shadow Copy Service

Microsoft Windows Media Configuration Utility (Setup_wm.exe, sometimes runs when you use Windows Media Player.)

MS DTC Console program

Services and Controller app

Time Service, sets the time on your computer from Microsoft's computer.

cheers

[vass0922]

I don't even like Microsoft and I think this is a bit paranoid.

Microsoft Help and Support Center --- is a known problem, and has been publicized numerous times.

Fax service
Time Service? Thats hardly spyware... its simply set to get the time. MS probably has a time server ... think they're trying to spy on people and what time it is in their area?

Do you have any proof of what you say for these other apps?

[nomaxim]

No mention of Alexa?

Or does XP not have that?

[micky750]

Its not only that M$ get info from your machine these things also bypass firewalls and considering M$ wonderful reputation for security that makes me more than a bit concerned. How long has it been since the last "critical security patch"?

Incidentally the varouis patches M$ release tend reset these service if you have turned them off.

Get your hands on packet sniffer to see what XP is upto

[Martoch]

Originally posted by nomaxim
No mention of Alexa?

Or does XP not have that?

Yep, sure does have it. I run adaware every fresh install at home/work.

[vass0922]

ya WindowsUpdate does install Alexa... "for your benefit"

I'm suprised you haven't mentioned the BITS service... the description screams spy

"Background Intelliegence Transfer Service"

Don't think its used at all yet.

What firewall are you using?
Sygate works very well and always tells me when WIN32_Genericservice is accessing the net (usually for network test (only goes to my router), and DNS checkin (only goes to my ISP DNS servers))

if you look online and search for winxp spyware killer (dont have a link here at work) its a program that will disable all the known spyware MS has installed onto xp

[micky750]

Its limited what I can prove at the moment because I'm not on my own PC, but here is the problem with the media player:

Each time a new DVD movie is played on a computer, the media player contacts a M$ server to get title and chapter information for the DVD. When contact is made, the M$ server is given an electronic fingerprint which identifies the DVD movie being watched and a cookie which uniquely identifies a particular media player. With these two pieces of information M$ can track what DVD movies are being watched on a particular computer. Sign up for one of their news letters they know who you are to.

Also it keeps a record of everything you watch in:
C:\Documents and Settings\AllUsers\ApplicationData\Microsoft\Media Index"

Just think if you are a publishing DVDs on you want to enforce the region codes on DVDs you can remotely bar films from being played, no big deal at the moment but with the way everything is being integrated (like MSI's Mega PC) it could become a problem in the future

[Beemer]

Turn off the extra Services and then do the accounting again..

http://www.beemerworld.com/tips/servicesxp.htm

Cheers!

[DanGrease]

I only knew about the Alexa thing, but I use Ad-Aware and Spybot to get them deleted after a fresh install. Also Spybot always after a fresh start with XP finds two registry files identified as spyware, and the titels are related to Windows Media Player. So that is also the thing I know, that Windows Media Player contains spyware by default. Fax Service

dan