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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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 Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject: Korapware... |
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*Rant*  One guy's opinion.
Man, if there is one program that needs to be burned at the stake...You know which one...that Korean "Ahnti-virus" software.
This pervasive crapware installs itself on everything; Korean companies piggyback it with every single software that you can download off the net, yet it doesn't even ask you if you want to install it! It does so without question! The only Korean program I can think of that isn't covertly bundled with it is Gomplayer, and that is only because it has reached an audience outside of Korea's borders, where piggybacking is unacceptable.
The program doesn't work, is a resource hog and cannot be effectively uninstalled by the average user; it wraps itself so deeply into Windows. It clearly doesn't work, as evidenced by the miserable state of the average Korean computer; riddled with all manner of trojans and data-miners.
And that the problems are trojans and data-miners is very telling. The Korean internet doesn't want the users' computer crippled, but open for business. There doesn't seem to be many reports of virus attacks here, does there? This Ahnti-virus program plays into this game, not bothering to find anything it knows to be non-threatening to the computer powering up and getting on the net.
In many ways, the Korean internet is where the West is heading. There is a silent collective agreement by all that it is ultimately in all their best interests to allow harvesting, profiling and collection of National security numbers that are used as a header under which an detailed profile can be created. Privacy is unknown on the Korean internet; an absolutely outlandish concept.
The software in the crosshairs is on the tip of this spear, IMO. They are the ones claiming to be defending the user against what we all know to be spyware, yet in reality, they only serve as a hoodwinking placebo, fooling the Koreans into a false sense of well-being.
Big rant...sorry. Perhaps many people here (I know many in real life who do) use the Korean internet with some frequency and are oblivious to what IE can introduce to your system. Most think (as we have been told time and time again) that it is .exe files that are proliferated via e-mail and IM programs that are the Devil. This is all true, but doesn't tell the whole story.
What protects you in the West is the watchdog: if a consumer group (and there are many, highly vigilant groups) get a sniff of a site being malicious in any way (Firefox alert, anyone?), it will be crucified publicly and may never recover. This kind of grassroots protection is absent here and thus, we are not only unprotected, but actually being set up by our protector.
So...think before you surf, don't believe that certain Ahnti-virus software is doing anything for you and when not at your own personal computer (using the one at work, PC room, etc) don't do anything that needs your password; heck, don't do anything that requires you to type anything remotely sensitive.
Call me paranoid...fine. But am I wrong?
*Rant Over*
Post your stories folks....I'm sure there are many. |
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rocklee
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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Don't you know? Anti-virus is a big business and Korea leaves no stone unturned for making money.
I didn't quite understand any of the Korean anti-virus software and just installed Avast instead. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| rocklee wrote: |
Don't you know? Anti-virus is a big business and Korea leaves no stone unturned for making money.
I didn't quite understand any of the Korean anti-virus software and just installed Avast instead. |
Yes, I realize that. I'm not sure you understand what I said. It's not just about making money or slamming Koreans for wanting to do so. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:33 pm Post subject: |
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They have the VB100 certification.
I looked into it (join the site for free) and here is how they stack up:
2008 - Ahnlab V3: Failed.
2008 - Anhlab V3 for Windows Servers: Pass.
2007 - Ahnlab V3 Internet Security 2007 7.40.1: Failed.
2006 - AhnLab V3Net for Windows Servers 6.0: Pass.
2006 - AhnLab V3Pro: Failed..
2005 - AhnLab V3Net 6.0 2005.08.31.10: Pass.
2005 - AhnLab V3 Pro 2004 6.0.0.383: Pass.
2005 - AhnLab V3 VirusBlock 6.0.0.312: Pass.
2004 - AhnLab V3 VirusBlock 2005 IS: Failed..
2 more passes and 2 more failures round them out to 2003. VB100 lists Ahnlab as having participated in 13 tests, passing 7, with 45 testings not having entered.
Summary:
7 Success / 6 Failure / 45 no entry.
AVG results:
22 Success / 22 Failure / 14 No Entry.
AVG failed once in 2007 and once in 2004. Before 2003, they apparently made crap. Failed many in a row. However, at least they participated.
Avira:
13 Success / 2 Failure / 43 No Entry
Like Ahnlab, suspect entrance, but reasonable success for what they do put forward.
Why do they fail? (From 2006 to present)
Avira: Failed for 2 false positives.
AVG: Failed for 1 miss.
Ahnlab: 2008: 2 misses, 2007: 17 misses, 2006: 19 misses.
Now, this is only a test for viruses that are "in the wild", but clearly Ahnlab is low on the curve. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:56 pm Post subject: |
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Spit your coffee:
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| AhnLab, Inc. (KOSDAQ: #053800) is (1) the world's leading provider of antivirus and content security software and services, retaining nearly two-thirds of the Korean Anti-virus software market. (2) AhnLab boasts the longest history and the largest scale in the Korean information security sector. With (3) its world-class anti-virus technologies, it has achieved continuous growth since its inception. The company protects individuals, businesses and organizations against viruses and other malicious attacks (4) with its flagship V3 product line and other high-quality security solutions. Headquartered in Seoul, AhnLab has been increasingly gaining a strong presence overseas with its operations in Tokyo, Beijing, Shanghai and other countries and territories. News and information are available at http://www.ahnlab.com |
1. Factual obfuscation. Are they counting all of the piggyback, covert installs?
2. Meaningless. Some bad things go on for a long time.
3. Fails half the time since 2006 or refuses to be tested.
4. It's flagship sank recently. |
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CentralCali
Joined: 17 May 2007
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:09 pm Post subject: |
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| How the heck did Gomplayer get an audience outside of Korea? It's approximately worthless. Actually, worthless would be a step up from its quality level. Whenever I go to an Internet Caf� here, the first thing I do is reassociate video files with WMP. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Korapware... |
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| myself wrote: |
| yet it doesn't even ask you if you want to install it! It does so without question! |
To be fair, it probably is buried in the EULA somewhere. |
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mishlert
Joined: 13 Mar 2003
Location: On the 3rd rock from the sun
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 4:58 pm Post subject: |
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| CentralCali wrote: |
| How the heck did Gomplayer get an audience outside of Korea? It's approximately worthless. Actually, worthless would be a step up from its quality level. Whenever I go to an Internet Caf� here, the first thing I do is reassociate video files with WMP. |
Gomplayer outside Korea is just a video player without all the Spam and ad ware of its Korean counterpart. Also, it will play just about any video without you having to ad codecs. |
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eamo
Joined: 08 Mar 2003
Location: Shepherd's Bush, 1964.
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:11 pm Post subject: |
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| I don't think Koreans see spyware as a problem. In this rabid capitalist culture being sold something is as normal as taking a pee. They don't see it as invasive. They see it as either a potential consumer choice or just as someone trying to earn a buck. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 7:29 pm Post subject: |
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| eamo wrote: |
| I don't think Koreans see spyware as a problem. In this rabid capitalist culture being sold something is as normal as taking a pee. They don't see it as invasive. They see it as either a potential consumer choice or just as someone trying to earn a buck. |
Right. This, and Koreans are used to being ID'd at every turn. If not that, then certainly they aren't accustomed to the notion of absolute privacy or not wanting someone to know something.
I am not paranoid enough to believe that in the West, data-mining or general statistic/information gathering is singling anyone out, or trying to isolate an individual, though it could easily go that way. I realize that most of the info gleaned from these activities is used by advertisers or agencies interested in general habits.
In Korea, it seems you can't make a move without your national ID number. On the Marmot, some Konkuk prof got busted for impersonating a riot cop in an internet post. Pretty easy to find him too; our laws would never allow for that ease.
So, for good and bad, I guess. It is good to be able to weed out the real degenerates easily, but in order to do so, all must sacrifice. Seems to Patriot act in America is going the way of current Korea. 
Now, how this thread go turned from crappy software to a discussion about net neutrality, privacy, rights and freedoms, I am not certain. It's always an entertaining subject. I am scared of the internet. It can and will be used against us and it is our ignorance and living room comfort that lulls us into a state of mind-numbing ignorance.
This morning I visited YouTube, and got a little message on the front page that said "other videos that will interest you." That weirded me out for some reason, so I went on a big cookie search and added a few custom directories to my Ccleaner.
Demophobe is officially a Netophobe as well. Might as well buy an island, eh? |
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Horangi Munshin
Joined: 06 Apr 2003
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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| I completely agree with you on this Demophobe. I have a serious hate of the compulsory a$$lab antivirus. I can't use the internet at work without it installed. What a joke aye!! |
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SHANE02
Joined: 04 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Gom player is great, but I agree with what the OP said about Anlabs. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject: |
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| SHANE02 wrote: |
| Gom player is great, but I agree with what the OP said about Anlabs. |
Not much opinion in my post(s) specifically regarding Ahnlabs. The facts speak for themselves. |
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Horangi Munshin
Joined: 06 Apr 2003
Location: Busan
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| Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Demophobe wrote: |
| SHANE02 wrote: |
| Gom player is great, but I agree with what the OP said about Anlabs. |
Not much opinion in my post(s) specifically regarding Ahnlabs. The facts speak for themselves. |
True  |
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rocklee
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sat Jul 05, 2008 1:36 am Post subject: |
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| Demophobe wrote: |
| rocklee wrote: |
Don't you know? Anti-virus is a big business and Korea leaves no stone unturned for making money.
I didn't quite understand any of the Korean anti-virus software and just installed Avast instead. |
Yes, I realize that. I'm not sure you understand what I said. It's not just about making money or slamming Koreans for wanting to do so. |
Yeah I know what you said...just that the rant is too long and I can't be bother to read every word.
Korean do make a couple of good software including Gom player and KM player. In fact I was a fan of Gom player until I tweaked Media Center. |
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