Microsoft plans corporate espionage

[Dave Farber <farber@cis.upenn.edu>]

(from comp.risks)


 Date: Wed, 17 May 95 13:44:40 EDT
 From: cnorloff@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil
 Subject: Microsoft plans corporate espionage


  Microsoft officials confirm that beta versions of Windows 95 include a
  small viral routine called Registration Wizard.  It interrogates every
  system on a network gathering intelligence on what software is being run
  on which machine.  It then creates a complete listing of both Microsoft's
  and competitors' products by machine, which it reports to Microsoft when
  customers sign up for Microsoft's Network Services, due for launch later
  this year.


 "In Short" column, page 88, _Information Week_ magazine, May 22, 1995


 The implications of this action, and the attitude of Microsoft to plan
 such action, beggars the imagination.


 Chris Norloff  cnorloff@tecnet1.jcte.jcs.mil