FatManSmallCoat

Hey there, long time lurker, first time poster...

I've been reading/hearing about these "web bugs" that track our browsing habits not by using cookies, but by using 1-pixel gif image tags that aren't really pictures...

I downloaded Bugnosis that tracks this stuff (I guess) and now everytime I go anywhere in DVDTalk, I get these alerts about web bugs in this forum.

Examples:
http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=cZdGXyuEAtc&bids=13541.10000077&type=3&subid=0
http://service.bfast.com/bfast/serve?bfmid=30991737&siteid=38641856&bfpage=global468x60
http://www.qksrv.net/image-280928-1163318

I know DVDTalk needs revenue from ads to live and I don't mind taking a cookie or two...but I was wondering if these web bugs being detected are that threatening and why their being used...

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks...

Startide

Web bugs are also used to check if people read their email messages and when the email message (particularly if it had advertisements in it) was read.

Web bugs are also used to break "anonymity" and can be effective in some web forums that need to verify duplicate logins. By synchronizing your PC to a certain email address that is in turn synchronized to your IP, an identity can be developed. Another trick that RIAA can use to identify an anonymous uploader is to send an HTML message disguised to look like a regular non-html text message. Embedded in the email is a web bug. Now, hopefully when the person opens up a pop up or new webpage, the IP, time, and other access info can be revealed despite a firewall. For more info on how to generate a popup without a user's cooperation, there was some interesting commentary in the "porn popup" thread in this Feedback forum.

Privacy Foundation Webpage
http://www.privacyfoundation.org/resources/webbug.asp

USA Today article
http://www.usatoday.com/life/cyber/tech/cth582.htm

Startide

As mentioned in this thread's initial post and suggested by BartleyR7 in this dvdTalk thread, Bugnosis has a web bug detector (from the Privacy Foundation). Click on the little web bug below to go to their site. It works with IE5 or newer. You might also look at Proxomitron as another easy-to-use but powerful tool towards preserving your privacy and/or insuring that spammers don't verify that the email they sent to you was successfully read (which only serves to insure you will get more spam in the future since your email is now validated as being good).

<center><a href="http://www.bugnosis.org/"><img border=0 src="http://www.bugnosis.org/images/bugWhite.gif"></a><br><b>Bugnosis Web Bug Detector</b></center>