The Golden Age Of The Internet is over

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 15 Apr 2009, 19:44

I have a computer security background, but haven't kept up to date over the last few years ...

... so today I was shocked to read about a new technology called Deep Packet Inspection.

This is a system whereby a commercial organisation (e.g. Phorm) gives/lends a hardware box to an ISP.

This box monitors EVERYONES web, VoIP, email etc traffic and analyses it.

In some implementations the system then injects adverts tailored to YOU back into web pages sent to your screen.

So if you browse a few car magazine and then a car scrapyard you might suddenly see an advert for Halfords embedded in a web page.

Someone else might see a new car advert on the same webpage because they happened to look at a car loan page earlier.

The owner of the web page with the advert might not even be aware of what's going on ... a spare chunk of blank space may have been used for the advert.

The data capture box can be quite clever: even encrypted data can be analysed to a degree. The content won't be readable but the timings, data rates, etc will tell the software that you are, say, copying music or using a webcam.

Essentially these new systems can (and will) capture ALL of your Internet activity.

From about today I would assume that you have a gaggle of gangsters & government agents watching every Internet move you make, be it email, web, VoIP, music, films etc.

It had to come I suppose ... but I hadn't expected to arrive quite so soon.

For more info see: http://dpi.priv.gc.ca/
and
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/ ... -phorm.htm

Note: I think that users of the BT and Talk-Talk ISPs are the first being monitored.

UPDATE: This sort of system can also inject sneaky Javascript into EVERY web page you view! This sort of code can read, say, your current location if you have a web enabled mobile with GPS.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 15 Apr 2009, 22:16

I rarely see adverts on web sites, as I use NoScript to block most of them. I block JavaScript, Flash and anything else that slows down page loading. Apparently I visit web sites with some quite intrusive advertising, but have never seen it

. Presumably there will be a battle between the advertisers and producers of this sort of software.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 15 Apr 2009, 23:23

Over the years of no tv, no newspapers, turning off radio ads and generally being against yankee corporatism etc, I can ignore ads easily, just like my eyes flick over certain users' posts. A strange but useful 'skill' to acquire.

I asked a friend the other day who pays for YouTube. He said, "The advertisers". I replied, quite genuinely, "What advertisers?"

I never knew there were adverts on YouTube pages.

As for tracing what I do on the the internet, feck 'em. Do I really care? With that baseball bat behind the door?

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 16 Apr 2009, 00:04

I'm pretty immune to advertising too. Even when I had a telly, I've been know to have a sudden urge to get rid of things that I've bought that I've then seen advertised!

I wouldn't be very amused if I knew that adverts were appearing on the web sites I run without permission though. Especially if I didn't get a commission!

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 16 Apr 2009, 08:58

You know, I came into work on Tuesday, went on Guido and thought, the internet has arrived.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 16 Apr 2009, 09:23

It seems that not every big organisation in cyberspace is impressed:

DODGY TAX AVOIDERS has said it will not allow online advertising system Phorm to scan its web pages to produce targeted ads.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7999635.stm

Blue Peter · Post by **Blue Peter** » 16 Apr 2009, 09:28

DODGY TAX AVOIDERS has said it will not allow online advertising system Phorm to scan its web pages to produce targeted ads.

Because it does it itself already?

Peter.

Prono 007 · Post by **Prono 007** » 16 Apr 2009, 11:43

Worrying stuff certainly.

Will those ISP's that don't use these tools advertise the fact and charge a higher rate to their users for the privilege I wonder?

As a user of adblock plus and no script I also feel somewhat immune to this kind of stuff. In the computer world there always seems to be a solution to these things. But I guess it's only for those who are aware and care enough to implement the solution that will benefit.

RevdTess · Post by **RevdTess** » 16 Apr 2009, 12:28

Youtube has adverts??!

I never noticed.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 16 Apr 2009, 12:38

Tess wrote:Youtube has adverts??! I never noticed.

There you go.

JohnB · Post by **JohnB** » 16 Apr 2009, 14:30

Blue Peter wrote:
DODGY TAX AVOIDERS has said it will not allow online advertising system Phorm to scan its web pages to produce targeted ads.
Because it does it itself already

DODGY TAX AVOIDERS does it in a kind of helpful way, by suggesting products that they sell that might be useful to you, because you've actually bought things in their shop. A bit like a good old fashioned corner shop owner who knows their customers. Phorm takes it to a much higher (or lower) level, like Tesco trying to get you to buy baked beans because they know you looked at the baked beans in the local wholefood shop.

Wish I could get rid of that annoying Make A Donation button on here. It wastes my time and bandwidth visiting PayPal when loading pages

Adam1 · Post by **Adam1** » 16 Apr 2009, 15:14

Using Firefox with an Add on, like Adblock Plus, deals with nearly all the on screen ads.

If there is problem that is bugging you while you are browsing, it has usually bugged a member of the open source community enough for them to produce a Firefox/Mozilla Ad on to manage it - some better than others.

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 17 Apr 2009, 09:49

Following this discussion I have:

1. Installed AdBlock into Firefox ... to kill adverts and speed up page display.

2. Installed NoScript into Firefox ... to prevent scripts running ... although I'm not yet sure if this is worthwhile.

3. Switched my DNS server to OpenDNS & created a custom high security (free) account. This service blocks accesses to phishing sites, porn sites, advertising sites etc.

On top of using Firefox with a paid AVG anti-virus package, using SpyBot now and then, and with Microsoft updates turned on I feel fairly safe ... (famous last words!)

I also have configured Firefox to delete all cookies at the end of a session.

(I also seem to have a cookie block list set up ... maybe I did that in the past or perhaps it comes with Firefox ... ????)

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 17 Apr 2009, 18:59

Out of curiousity I have perused the Firefox addons and there's one called Ghostery which seems to alert you to being watched. There's AdBlock Plus by Vlad someone, is that the one you mean?

Vortex · Post by **Vortex** » 17 Apr 2009, 19:37

Yep, AdBlock Plus is it.

You need to load the s/w and ALSO a 'ban list'. I chose the 'USA only' one as no UK variant seemed to be there.

There are about a zillion ways to protect your PC ... it's nuts!