Comments on: Talk Talk Makes Phorm An Opt-In http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/talk-talk-makes-phorm-an-opt-in/ Upgrade Your Lifestyle Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:17:47 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Pete http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/talk-talk-makes-phorm-an-opt-in/#comment-55864 Pete Mon, 27 Oct 2008 02:34:10 +0000 #comment-55864 I discovered during tests last night that content in Microsoft Office applications, and apparently (according to VM newsgroups) Open Office present the same 'user agent' as Internet Explorer.<br /> <br /> To a web proxy (or Phorm) the requests will be indistinguishable from the requests submitted by a web browser.<br /> <br /> The effect of this is that most popular desktop applications will be vulnerable to profiling by the Phorm profiler. <br /> <br /> Consequently the Phorms user agent white list is a complete red herring (because all these applications appear to be Internet Explorer).<br /> <br /> Applications like Word, Outlook, Open Office will effectively betray your privacy to Phorm. <br /> <br /> For example, some of the content in the emails you read, the domains and URLs where they came from. <br /> <br /> Potentially web content within word processor documents, and the domains and URLs where they originated.<br /> <br /> People don't want this.<br /> <br /> People don't want their email and word processing snooped as well as their web surfing. Its gone beyond opt in vs opt out.<br /> <br /> Phorm has to be stopped.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.badphorm.co.uk/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewforum.php?6" title="http://www.badphorm.co.uk/e107_plugins/forum/forum_viewforum.php?6" target="_blank" ref="nofollow">http://www.badphorm.co.uk/e107_plugins/forum/forum...</a><br /> <br /> (see posts 'same user agent').<br /> <br /> Pete. I discovered during tests last night that content in Microsoft Office applications, and apparently (according to VM newsgroups) Open Office present the same 'user agent' as Internet Explorer.

To a web proxy (or Phorm) the requests will be indistinguishable from the requests submitted by a web browser.

The effect of this is that most popular desktop applications will be vulnerable to profiling by the Phorm profiler.

Consequently the Phorms user agent white list is a complete red herring (because all these applications appear to be Internet Explorer).

Applications like Word, Outlook, Open Office will effectively betray your privacy to Phorm.

For example, some of the content in the emails you read, the domains and URLs where they came from.

Potentially web content within word processor documents, and the domains and URLs where they originated.

People don't want this.

People don't want their email and word processing snooped as well as their web surfing. Its gone beyond opt in vs opt out.

Phorm has to be stopped.

http://www.badphorm.co.uk/e107_plugins/forum/forum...

(see posts 'same user agent').

Pete.

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