Tracking Cookie > Computer Cookie Definitions (N) - NewtonKnows

NewtonKnows

Category: Cookie

Risk: Low Risk

* Low risk threats pose a very low risk or no immediate danger to your computer or your privacy, however these types of applications may profile user online habits, but only according to specific privacy policies stated in the applications End-User License. These types of threats generally borderline on being a threat to being a standard application that has a complex license agreement that you knowingly installed.

Description: NewtonKnows comprises a IE search-hijacker and toolbar, and a targeting pop-up system that works across many browsers. Speech-bubble-style site links pop up in the bottom-right corner of the browser window whilst browsing. When a targeted site is visited, NewtonKnows sends a request back to its controlling servers include the hostname of the site being viewed, and a unique ID. This can be used to track your usage of different web sites. If you entered an e-mail address at the time of install, such a browsing record is personally identifying. The privacy policy explicitly allows NewtonKnows's makers to combine personally identifying web usage records with other databases (which might include, for example, addresses and telephone numbers), and to use this database for marketing. NewtonKnows has a silent self-updating feature which allows its controlling server to execute arbitrary unsigned code. Newton Knows is bundled with file sharing programs such as Grokster.

Alias: None

Signatures: None Listed

Updated: 02/18/2006
Copyright @2006 THR Computer Solutions: NewtonKnows