Media Player Classic - Adware?

[Jeremiah58]

PestPatrol has detected that Gabest MPC has an adware.

http://www3.ca.com/securityadvisor/pest/pest.aspx?id=453083020

Is this true?

[ROF]

I believe this was reported some time ago. It's not really adware but spyware. There is connection made between a gabest server and your machine when connected it attempts to read what files you've been playing with the media player. No harm really IMO unless it's sending pop-ups as well now.

[Jeremiah58]

Thanks for the answer ROF.
I'm allergic on any software that spy the activity and reports to a boss, so this will be a bye-bye to Gabest.

[Jim44]

Umm, looking at the link you posted, the only "spyware" indication from ca.com is that there is a "recent file list" entry in the registry? That's it? Many programs have that. That by itself does NOT indicate a piece of spyware.

Also, take a look at the forum discussions for the project at SourceForge:
http://sourceforge.net/forum/message.php?msg_id=3151838
and
http://sourceforge.net/forum/message.php?msg_id=3092310
I would take the developer's word for it, as well as one of the replies by celtic_druid (frequent contributor here as well). Or grab the source and check it out for yourself, since it is an open-source project.

There is no evidence backing up ROF's assertion, so feel free to use it comfortably.

Jim

[Jeremiah58]

Hi Jim44,
Thanks very much for your reply.
I checked the links.
Yes, on a second thought, it seems that you are right. Thanks for the links and the explanation.
Cheers

[Jim44]

Thanks for the links and the explanation.

No problem. At a minimum, it helped me kill a few minutes here at work

Jim

[ROF]

There is no evidence backing up ROF's assertion, so feel free to use it comfortably.

Jim

It is spyware but like you and I both said

It's mostly harmless.

[Jim44]

It is spyware

Proof?

Jim

[ROF]

The link proves it. Any program that returns information about your habits is spyware. Some is harmless such as this while others are more devious.

[Faustus]

Hrm... I'm no expert but the write up on why its bad is exactly what Jim44 said. It says it has a recent files area in the registry. It says nothing about calling home.

[drjtech]

For that matter the link provided specifically claims that MPC is adware:

Gabest Media Player Classic
Overview
Category
Adware : Software that displays popup/popunder ads when the
primary user interface is not visible or which do not appear to be
assocaited with the product.

MPC is very obviously not adware, so this entire entry is suspect at best. The spelling "assocaited" is quoted directly from the source.

-drj

[Faustus]

The spelling "assocaited" is quoted directly from the source.

hahaha good point.


Now that I think about it isn't MPC open source? I mean you can just check the code right?

[thecoalman]

The link proves it.

So if I find a page that says copying DVD's is legal then it's true?

[Faustus]

Bah it got messed up but oh well. Please check here.

http://www.crystalmidnight.com/true.html

All it takes to be an expert is a keyboard.

[ROF]

The link proves it.

So if I find a page that says copying DVD's is legal then it's true?

No. The law in this case would take precedence over what you would read in tabloid land of the internet, but in the case of the software package in this thread the program records your actions.

[thecoalman]

but in the case of the software package in this thread the program records your actions.

As far as I see the only record it makes is a list of recently opened files, if that is considered spyware I have a shitload of spyware on my comp then. Just about every app I have installed has a recently opened files list.... Matter fact I guess we can classify Windows itself as spyware since it too has it's own recent documents list.

That's four times you stated it's spyware, if anything it prevents spyware since you don't need to install all the baggage that comes with Real Media software..... You're putting down a fine FREE open source project that someone has labored to make .....show me where it's spyware, don't state it, show me. The fact that it's open source just about negates any possibility of it containing spyware since anyone with knowledge can examine the code to see what it does.

Otherwise see this thread: https://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/t244978.html

[ROF]

but in the case of the software package in this thread the program records your actions.

As far as I see the only record it makes is a list of recently opened files, if that is considered spyware I have a shitload of spyware on my comp then. Just about every app I have installed has a recently opened files list.... Matter fact I guess we can classify Windows itself as spyware since it too has it's own recent documents list.

Is this really an issue for you? I know it doesn't bother me. As a matter of fact, I don't mind most spyware located on my machine even those that phone home. I've gotten some fantastic deals on products which I can blame on spyware keeping track of my activities. There's good and there's bad spyware. Just like there is good rootkits and there are bad rootkits. It depends on the it's purpose. This one is benign.

[thecoalman]

Is this really an issue for you? I know it doesn't bother me. As a matter of fact, I don't mind most spyware located on my machine even those that phone home. I've gotten some fantastic deals on products which I can blame on spyware keeping track of my activities. There's good and there's bad spyware. Just like there is good rootkits and there are bad rootkits. It depends on the it's purpose. This one is benign.

What's an issue for me is the fact that your spouting complete bullshit. Someone goes through the trouble of creating a software and you say it's spyware. It's nitwits like you that are detriment to the open source community who spend a lot of their time freely to create things for the rest of us. Get your facts straight or don't post them... Again where is the proof, you've only stated it's spyware and try and steer the topic elsewhere, you and that misleading link above are the only thing that point it out as spyware. None of the major spyware detection vendors consider it spyware, do you know something the rest of us don't know? Proof... I want proof.... Show me.... teach me..... Let me learn....

You can't can you?

[ROF]

Arguementative.

Sorry I've already explained this to you now how many times?

By definition Spyware is a general term for a class of software that monitors the actions of a computer user. The proof is in the original link. Spyware detection software is only good when and if the spyware is transmitting the info.

For example, Whenever I use Kazaa I get a warning from my spyware protection that Kazaa is spyware and it asks if I want to block it. Most of the time Kazaa just resides on my system without ever setting off the spyware detection system. Spyware detection software only functions when and if it's transmitting data. It's internal collection methods are never trapped by this software otherwise your windows restore software would set it off every few seconds.

You could have hidden programs that are set to transmit data once a week, month, or year. Maybe you even have Spyware installed that is set to transmit at a specific date. Maybe you have spyware that never transmits it's data collection. Nevertheless, this is spyware by definition.

[thecoalman]

Arguementative.

Sorry I've already explained this to you now how many times?

By definition Spyware is a general term for a class of software that monitors the actions of a computer user. The proof is in the original link.

No you have not explained anything, you're not smart enough to explain anything to me, you just keep saying it's spyware... and you still haven't explained anything. If your proof is the original link then nearly every piece of software on the internet is spyware.

start>run> type regedit .... edit>find and type recent, recent documets , recent files .... you'll find multiple instances of this from multiple vendors. So by your proof you're saying any software that logs recent files which includes windows and every other piece of software that I use that works with other files is spyware?

[ROF]

By definition of spyware, Yes.

[thecoalman]

By definition of spyware, Yes.

So Windows is spyware, all my editing applications are spyware, Windows Word is spyware, IE is spyware, Firefox is spyware.... nearly every piece of software I have is spyware. At least by your definition.... Thanks for clarifying that.

[ROF]

Thanks for clarifying that.

No problem.

[VegasBud]

The definition of spyware (from dictionary.com):

any software that covertly gathers information about a user while he/she navigates the Internet and transmits the information to an individual or company that uses it for marketing or other purposes

Of course there are other definitions, but the common thread involves transmission of the information back to some entity. Since Media Player Classic transmits no information to any entity, it is not spyware.

Additionally, many programs use the registry, or ini files to maintain a MRU list for the convenience of the user. As long as that information is not transmitted to any entity, they are not spyware.

[liquid217]

Dictionary.com defines spyware as:

any software that covertly gathers information about a user while he/she navigates the Internet and transmits the information to an individual or company that uses it for marketing or other purposes

Since this log is never transmitted back to gabest's website/server, then I would hardly call it spyware. It is simply for the user's benefit to recall files that have been opened previously for the player. As mentioned previously, the sourcecode is available for anyone to look at, if they feel that there is covert code that transmits this data back home.

On a personal note, I myself have been accused of putting spyware into a program I wrote, simply because a flimsy anti-adware tool scanned the working directory of my utility and found a file(gm.exe) that had the same name of a reported spyware program. It can be very frustrating when these anti-ad/spyware tools either have bad information, or do not fully scan for the correct signatures in a file.

edit: totally missed Vegasbud's post. Looks like we had the same thought.

[isogonic]

Spyware detection software is only good when and if the spyware is transmitting the info.

it dosnt have to be "transmitting the info" to be detected

Spyware detection software only functions when and if it's transmitting data.

see above

It's internal collection methods are never trapped by this software otherwise your windows restore software would set it off every few seconds.

what???

[ROF]

Additionally, many programs use the registry, or ini files to maintain a MRU list for the convenience of the user. As long as that information is not transmitted to any entity, they are not spyware.

Sony's latest Rootkit does not transmit any information, is it Spyware? Remember the rootkit is not setup to transmit any data. All it does is gather such info about you and your habits. Like all good spyware it has the potential to be exploited for malicious purposes though.

[thecoalman]

Sony's latest Rootkit does not transmit any information, is it Spyware? Remember the rootkit is not setup to transmit any data. All it does is gather such info about you and your habits. Like all good spyware it has the potential to be exploited for malicious purposes though.

AFAIK that has only been labled a POS that can screw your computer up and make it vulnerable to spyware and viruses. I don't think the rootkit has been officially labled spyware. The media player on the other hand has been labled spyware, Ithink you have your software mixed up.

[ROF]

Perhaps you could contact Microsoft and tell them that adding the detection and removal of this Sony Rootkit to their AntiSpyware software package is incorrect.

BTW, the MPC software has been incorrectly labeled adware not spyware as you now correctly claim it as.

[thecoalman]

BTW, the MPC software has been incorrectly labeled adware not spyware as you now correctly claim it as.

Adware spyware whatever.... I'll lump it into malware. Regardless it has nothing to do with Media Player Classic.