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Comcast Installs Spyware on Consumers PCs
Posted by Ernest Miller on Monday, October 28 @ 09:17:24 EST Privacy
Slashdot has a fascinating story on Comcast Cable's Broadband Internet service installation of apparent spyware - something not unsimilar to a Trojan horse program - on clients computers as part of the standard installation process (What Software Do Cable Installers Place on Your PC?). Non-tech savvy folk would have little reason to suspect Comcast (or the other companies that use this software) of such nefarious behaviour. Furthermore, a post to the "Interesting People" mailing list claims that Comcast service reps have no idea what software is installed during installation or what it does (Comcast spy software? [ or does Comcast really know what they aredoing djf]). Apparently, other people have been noticing this (Google Search: Broadjump Client Foundation).

The company whose software is in question is BroadJump - "The Leader in Broadband Software." The website is chock-a-block with mostly meaningless buzzwords. Apparently, what the company does is standardize broadband installation software across multiple platforms, but more importantly, manages the broadband provider - customer relationship in order that:

broadband and content and application providers are able to deliver a mix of services via several delivery models, including PC-based applications, network edge services, residential gateway services, and standard Web content. The ControlWorks system normalizes the service delivery lifecycle across all of these methods.
If you are able to actually parse that ("normalizes the service delivery lifecycle" indeed), the system basically tries to make it easier for broadband providers to sell you stuff. Frankly, I thought good connectivity would be enough of a selling point. In any case, I'm still not entirely clear what BroadJump does, let alone what its software actually tracks on consumer's PCs.
 
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What about the question in the /. article? (Score: 1)
by MurphysLaw on Tuesday, October 29 @ 10:38:51 EST
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Is the EULA binding on the homeowner if the cable installer clicks "Agree"? Is there a theory of agency which binds the homeowner to an agreement he never saw?


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