Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its
developers, which puts them in a position of power over the users;
that is the basic injustice. The developers and manufacturers often
exercise that power to the detriment of the users they ought to
serve.

This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.

Some malicious functionalities are mediated by back doors. Here are
examples of programs that contain one or several of those,
classified according to what the back door is known to have the
power to do. Back doors that allow full control over the programs
which contain them are said to be �universal.�

Rest of page:
https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.en.html

Nomen Nescio <nobody@dizum.com> wrote in
news:97eb6b255816e1b0e5d257cd6a713434@dizum.com:

> Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
> mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its
> developers, which puts them in a position of power over the users;
> that is the basic injustice. The developers and manufacturers often
> exercise that power to the detriment of the users they ought to
> serve.
>
> This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.
>
> Some malicious functionalities are mediated by back doors. Here are
> examples of programs that contain one or several of those,
> classified according to what the back door is known to have the
> power to do. Back doors that allow full control over the programs
> which contain them are said to be �universal.�
>
> Rest of page:
> https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.en.html
>
>

I have noticed an increasing number of intrusive programs. They often
hijack browsers to spam you by opening your browser without your input.
I-translator is one such browser addon. I suspect also ccleaner and
wonder if they are downloading all the data they claim to delete in
order to track you or worse. They also connect to your machine like
malware in order to span you with their bullshit. Started off as a good
program and became increasingly instrusive. Many of the so called free
av programs act like this too. Mozilla actually recommends several of
the malware addons. So much for professionalism and user concern from
FFox.

On Sat, 19 Nov 2022 02:50:25 -0000 (UTC), sumbuddy
<sumbuddy@yahoo.com> wrote:

>Nomen Nescio <nobody@dizum.com> wrote in
>news:97eb6b255816e1b0e5d257cd6a713434@dizum.com:
>
>> Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
>> mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its
>> developers, which puts them in a position of power over the users;
>> that is the basic injustice. The developers and manufacturers often
>> exercise that power to the detriment of the users they ought to
>> serve.
>>
>> This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.
>>
>> Some malicious functionalities are mediated by back doors. Here are
>> examples of programs that contain one or several of those,
>> classified according to what the back door is known to have the
>> power to do. Back doors that allow full control over the programs
>> which contain them are said to be “universal.”
>>
>> Rest of page:
>> https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.en.html
>>
>>
>
>I have noticed an increasing number of intrusive programs. They often
>hijack browsers to spam you by opening your browser without your input.
>I-translator is one such browser addon. I suspect also ccleaner and
>wonder if they are downloading all the data they claim to delete in
>order to track you or worse. They also connect to your machine like
>malware in order to span you with their bullshit. Started off as a good
>program and became increasingly instrusive. Many of the so called free
>av programs act like this too. Mozilla actually recommends several of
>the malware addons. So much for professionalism and user concern from
>FFox.

I use the older vers. 5.39 version of CCleaner. Never updated once I
learned of their info snooping with the new versions.

Even this one I have my firewall blocking any connections of the
Ccleanr itself plus its 'emergency update' feature.

Let's not even talk about Moilla and what it has become.

me@invalid.com wrote on 19/11/22 3:08 pm:
> On Sat, 19 Nov 2022 02:50:25 -0000 (UTC), sumbuddy
> <sumbuddy@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Nomen Nescio <nobody@dizum.com> wrote in
>> news:97eb6b255816e1b0e5d257cd6a713434@dizum.com:
>>
>>> Nonfree (proprietary) software is very often malware (designed to
>>> mistreat the user). Nonfree software is controlled by its
>>> developers, which puts them in a position of power over the users;
>>> that is the basic injustice. The developers and manufacturers often
>>> exercise that power to the detriment of the users they ought to
>>> serve.
>>>
>>> This typically takes the form of malicious functionalities.
>>>
>>> Some malicious functionalities are mediated by back doors. Here are
>>> examples of programs that contain one or several of those,
>>> classified according to what the back door is known to have the
>>> power to do. Back doors that allow full control over the programs
>>> which contain them are said to be “universal.”
>>>
>>> Rest of page:
>>> https://www.gnu.org/proprietary/proprietary-back-doors.en.html
>>
>> I have noticed an increasing number of intrusive programs. They often
>> hijack browsers to spam you by opening your browser without your input.
>> I-translator is one such browser addon. I suspect also ccleaner and
>> wonder if they are downloading all the data they claim to delete in
>> order to track you or worse. They also connect to your machine like
>> malware in order to span you with their bullshit. Started off as a good
>> program and became increasingly instrusive. Many of the so called free
>> av programs act like this too. Mozilla actually recommends several of
>> the malware addons. So much for professionalism and user concern from
>> FFox.
>
> I use the older vers. 5.39 version of CCleaner. Never updated once I
> learned of their info snooping with the new versions.

Hmm! I've used CCleaner (don't know which version) on my Win7
installation, usually when I wanted to run it.

Last couple of weeks, when I've started my Win7 to update my Anti-Virus
program, I've noticed CCleaner has installed itself in the auto-start-up
portion of my Win7 (bottom right of screen) so it is running all the
time I have my Win7 running.

I must disable it sometime soon.

> Even this one I have my firewall blocking any connections of the
> Ccleanr itself plus its 'emergency update' feature.
>
> Let's not even talk about Moilla and what it has become.
>
--
Daniel

"Daniel65" <daniel47@nomail.afraid.org> wrote

| Hmm! I've used CCleaner (don't know which version) on my Win7
| installation, usually when I wanted to run it.
|....
| I must disable it sometime soon.

That kind of software doesn't even serve a useful purpose.
It's a type of scam that started with Norton System Doctor,
where it does things like remove irrelevant file type keys in
the Registry and makes you feel like it just fixed a gas leak
in your kitchen. But actually, the fix is meaningless.

There was a recent article at Slashdot detailing how 50% of
the malware on Macs comes from something called MacKeeper:

https://it.slashdot.org/story/22/11/17/2313216/nearly-50-of-macos-malware-comes-from-one-app

It's an ideal scam. Companies provide these things, usually
free, and tell you that all you need is their software to feel
safe. Then people tell each other that they would never be
without their security program... even though they have no
idea what it does.