PHORM – Invading Your Privacy

This post was written by admin on April 27, 2009
Posted Under: personal information,privacy,Security

Phorm describes itself as 'striving to create a new, more responsive, intuitive kind of internet experience.'

Originally, this company was known as 121Media, which actively engaged in the promotion and distribution of spyware and adware programs.

Now it is in the process of working with major US and UK ISPs to deliver 'targeted advertising based on the websites that users visit' under the name 'WebWise'.

There have been many complaints about the use of this technology, which erodes privacy even further.

Although the UK government said that it was happy that Phorm conformed to existing European data laws, the European Commission was not so happy and instigated legal proceedings because Phorm intercepted user data without consent and only having an opt-in policy and to opt out all computers, all users, and all http applications used by each user of each computer would need to be configured to opt out.

Phorm, which will be known as 'WebWise', says the data collected will be anonymous and will not be used to identify users, and that their service would even include protection against phishing, adding incentives such as charity donations or a very small reduction from their ISP fees to entice users to opt-in.

On 14 April, the European Commission said they had opened an infringement proceeding against the United Kingdom regarding ISPs' use of Phorm as an infringement of end users privacy.

The European Union Directive on Privacy and Electronic Communications requires member states to ensure the confidentiality of their communications and related traffic data.

States must, it says, prohibit interception and surveillance unless the users concerned have given their consent.

Phorm has defended its technology in the face of what it calls misinformation from bloggers who claim that it threatens users privacy.

Most security firms classify Phorm's targeting cookies as adware.

Kaspersky Lab, whose anti-virus engine is licensed to many other security vendors, said it would detect the cookie as adware.

Trend Micro said there was a very high chance that it would add detection for the tracking cookies as adware and PC Tools echoed Trend's concerns about privacy and security, urging Phorm to apply an opt-in approach.

Specialist anti-spyware firm Sunbelt Software also expressed concerns, saying Phorm's tracking cookies were candidates for detection by its anti-spyware software.

Phorm monitors users surfing habits to deliver 'targeted' advertising that would be tailored to end users surfing.

There are other similar methods that use behavioural advertising systems which tend to use data only from partner websites visited by users, and do not work in conjunction with ISPs.

British Telecom users used the Beta forums to criticise and raise concerns about BT's implementation of Phorm, which BT quickly removed and added that if users wanted to find out more about BT Webwise they could go to www.bt.com/webwise.

According to Phorm, BT will have completed the rollout of its software by the end of 2009.

On top of this the UK ISPs started their 'Interception Modernisation Programme' which requires ISPs to link 'black boxes' to their servers to record all internet traffic, including details of emails, VoIP telephone conversations, instant messages and browsing habits.

Telephone conversations will also be monitored and the data would then be siphoned into a centralised database, enabling the government to monitor all business and domestic internet and telephone communications.

How safe is this? Given that over 1000 computers used by our illustrious (cough) leaders were found to be infected with Conficker, security is not a priority in the UK but spying on every web user IS.

To use the 'threat of terrorism' as an excuse is pretty poor, especially as they have systematically stripped us of any rights to privacy.

When will these systems get hacked and personal information sold online to the lowest bidder?

There are enough scares with personal information being divulged when our so called 'superiors' lose CD's and laptops containing personal information on tens of thousands of individuals!

Today it has been announced that Ministers have backed down over the plans for a centralised database with the Home Secretary stating that there were "absolutely no plans for a single central store".

The Home Secretary was speaking ahead of an announcement of proposals to extend Government records of emails, phone calls and internet usage and Ministers are well known for saying one thing and doing another!

Ah, I mentioned the word 'terrorism' so no doubt they will also pick this up as it will be one of their 'keywords'!

Websites should protect their users and block Phorm now. If you go to the footer of this page you will see that this site is protected by dephorm which has set a cookie to opt out of Phorm's insidious spying, which means that your information will NOT be passed on to Phorm as they will not be able to access it.

You can find more information about Phorm here on the dephormation website and the views of Sir Tim Berners Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web

Free PC Security will NOT allow invasions of privacy nor divulge personal information.