Avast 與 Jumpshot 販賣使用者瀏覽記錄與行為

過了一陣子了,可以整理一下資料記錄起來...

報導可以看 PCMag 的「The Cost of Avast's Free Antivirus: Companies Can Spy on Your Clicks」與 Motherboard (VICE) 的「Leaked Documents Expose the Secretive Market for Your Web Browsing Data」這兩篇,大綱先把重點列出來了,Avast 在賣使用者的瀏覽記錄與行為:

Avast is harvesting users' browser histories on the pretext that the data has been 'de-identified,' thus protecting your privacy. But the data, which is being sold to third parties, can be linked back to people's real identities, exposing every click and search they've made.

Avast 利用免費的防毒軟體,蒐集使用者的瀏覽記錄與行為,然後透過 Jumpshot 這家子公司販賣出去:

The Avast division charged with selling the data is Jumpshot, a company subsidiary that's been offering access to user traffic from 100 million devices, including PCs and phones.

算是「免費的最貴」的標準型。另外比較有趣的是「資料賣給了誰」這件事情:

Who else might have access to Jumpshot's data remains unclear. The company's website says it's worked with other brands, including IBM, Microsoft, and Google. However, Microsoft said it has no current relationship with Jumpshot. IBM, on the other hand, has "no record" of being a client of either Avast or Jumpshot. Google did not respond to a request for comment.

Microsoft 說「現在沒有關係」,IBM 說「沒有 client 的記錄」,Google 則是不回應。

然後配合解釋資料長什麼樣子,以及可以怎麼用:

For instance, a single click can theoretically look like this:

Device ID: abc123x Date: 2019/12/01 Hour Minute Second: 12:03:05 Domain: Amazon.com Product: Apple iPad Pro 10.5 - 2017 Model - 256GB, Rose Gold Behavior: Add to Cart

At first glance, the click looks harmless. You can't pin it to an exact user. That is, unless you're Amazon.com, which could easily figure out which Amazon user bought an iPad Pro at 12:03:05 on Dec. 1, 2019. Suddenly, device ID: 123abcx is a known user. And whatever else Jumpshot has on 123abcx's activity—from other e-commerce purchases to Google searches—is no longer anonymous.

所以,如果 Google 手上有這個資料,就可以交叉比對自家的記錄,然後得到使用者完整的記錄。

在消息一公開後沒多久後,Avast 就宣佈關閉 Jumpshot,感覺連被抓包後的反應動作都超流暢,一臉就是排練過:「A message from Avast CEO Ondrej Vlcek」。

看了一下,Avast 旗下還有 AVG,還有個 VPN 服務...

這次換 HP 裝 Spyware 啦~

討論的頗熱烈的,像是「HP is installing spyware on its machines disguised as an "analytics client"」、「HP stealthily installs new spyware called HP Touchpoint Analytics Client」。

這個軟體會被注意到是因為吃太多資源,而且使用者沒有同意安裝這個軟體 (目前看是起來是透過自動更新機制裝進去的):「Didn't Install HP TouchpointAnalyticsClient and It's Causing CPU 95-98 Red」(先備份一份在這邊,以免被砍...)。

然後這軟體很明顯會傳資料回 HP:

The HP Touchpoint Manager technology is now being delivered as a part of HP Device as a Service (DaaS) Analytics and Proactive Management capabilities. Therefore, HP is discontinuing the self-managed HP Touchpoint Manager solution.

先前聯想因為類似的行為賠了 350 萬美金,這次 HP 搞這包不知道會怎麼樣...

改用沒有 FairShare 版本的 JavaScript Errors Notifier

在「Chrome Devtools Tips & Tricks」這邊看到介紹 Google Chrome 的 DevTools 用法說明,但讓我注意到文章最下面提到的兩個工具,其中提到了 JavaScript Errors Notifier 這個工具:

JS Error Notifier (non-“spyware” version) creates a popup each time a Javascript error is printed to the console. Unfortunately, the main version of this extension submits private “usage data” to a third-party service (see discussion in issue #28). But at any rate, this extension has helped me notice and fix several bugs.

找資料時可以發現 Hacker News 上面也有些討論:「Malware alert: JavaScript Errors Notification extension for Chrome (86k users)」。

馬上換掉...

Mac 版的 Java 安裝 Ask Toolbar...

在「Oracle has just given you another reason not to install Java on your Mac」這篇看到 Mac 版的 Java 居然會試著安裝 Ask Toolbar:

Oh my god,這太厲害啦~

還是想貼一下這則 tweet...

Comodo 的 PrivDog 更厲害:直接關掉 CA Certificate 檢查

感覺接下來的整個月會拿有無窮無盡的 Superfish-like 新聞,下次如果出現 NSA 或是 GCHQ 已經在用這些漏洞的話也不太意外就是了:「Adware Privdog worse than Superfish」。

PrivDogComodo 發行的 adware,比起 Superfish 更厲害,直接把 CA Certificate 的檢查關掉:

It will turn your Browser into one that just accepts every HTTPS certificate out there, whether it's been signed by a certificate authority or not.

而 Comodo 是發行 SSL certificate 的公司,很多便宜的 SSL certificate 都是由他們家發出來的... (包括我的 blog)

聯想與 Superfish 的法律訴訟,以及後續的發展...

在「Download.com and Others Bundle Superfish-Style HTTPS Breaking Adware」這邊看到的 tweet,講的相當經典,把他找出來:

文章裡面提到,Superfish 這種插入 CA root certificate 的軟體攔截 HTTPS 內容,不僅僅是 Superfish,這根本是目前免費軟體的「趨勢」,包括了十大裡面的前兩名:

Two of the top ten downloads on CNET (KMPlayer and YTD) are bundling two different types of HTTPS-hijacking adware, and in our research we found that most other freeware sites are doing the same thing.

Facebook 的「Windows SSL Interception Gone Wild」提到了 Facebook 自己觀察到的情況:(SSL traffic 被 Superfish 換掉的百分比,中國地區因為廣為人知的原因,是沒有偵測到的...)

另外「Beyond Superfish: Turns out SSL-trashing spyware is widespread」也提到問題的嚴重性。

甚至有些也偽裝成遊戲:「'Superfish'-style vulnerability found in games and parental control software」:

Rogers cites products including parental control software and IP-cloaking technology as containing the weakness, while Richard says Facebook discovered the certificates being issued by a number of adware vendors disguised as games or search assistants.

實際用 Google Chrome 下載 CNET 上的 KMPlayer,發現直接擋了下來:

在之後的新版則會更明顯的顯示出來:「More Protection from Unwanted Software」。

然後是訴訟的問題,在美國已經有消費者決定對聯想與 Superfish 打集體訴訟了,後續的判賠與和解可以繼續追蹤:「Lenovo hit with lawsuit over Superfish snafu」。

聯想對 Superfish 的新聞稿、反安裝說明,以及影響的機器列表

Update:參考「聯想與 Superfish 的法律訴訟,以及後續的發展...」。

上一篇「聯想在筆電上安裝 Adware」由於被證實每一台機器都是一樣的 CA key,所以這把 key 將可以拿來攻擊這些電腦。

各家的 Spyware/Adware/Malware 清除軟體都把 Superfish 納入了:

聯想官方的新聞稿中裡面有受到影響的機器列表:「LENOVO STATEMENT ON SUPERFISH」。

  • G Series: G410, G510, G710, G40-70, G50-70, G40-30, G50-30, G40-45, G50-45
  • U Series: U330P, U430P, U330Touch, U430Touch, U530Touch
  • Y Series: Y430P, Y40-70, Y50-70
  • Z Series: Z40-75, Z50-75, Z40-70, Z50-70
  • S Series: S310, S410, S40-70, S415, S415Touch, S20-30, S20-30Touch
  • Flex Series: Flex2 14D, Flex2 15D, Flex2 14, Flex2 15, Flex2 14(BTM), Flex2 15(BTM), Flex 10
  • MIIX Series: MIIX2-8, MIIX2-10, MIIX2-11
  • YOGA Series: YOGA2Pro-13, YOGA2-13, YOGA2-11BTM, YOGA2-11HSW
  • E Series: E10-30

另外聯想提供了反安裝說明,除了可以用自動化程式處理外,也可以用手動刪除,第一步是先反安裝 Superfish,移除完成後要清除所有 CA root 資料,包括 Windows 系統內 (IE、Chrome、... 使用系統的 CA 資料) 以及 Firefox 的:「Superfish Uninstall Instructions」。

用自動化移除的人,建議做完以後還是手動檢查。