When installing Creative Labs drivers a little program called newsupd.exe is installed also. Creative claims this piece of software is part of their update process, checking to see if the connection is live and imitates a download if there is an update, others find this a likely story to guise the true purpose of the software, gather information on the surfing habits of the user i.e. spyware.

"The company acknowledges it has received complaints about newsupd.exe but said there is nothing to get excited about because it is only there to alert consumers to software and hardware upgrades."

More from News.com

"When the Creative drivers are installed using the provided set-up utility, the NewsUpd.exe program is written to disk and installed in the Registry's Run key with the /q parameter. This parameter instructs the software to automatically and silently perform its unwelcome functions without making its presence known to the user. If the spyware program is run without the /q parameter, it displays a message indicating that its purpose is to periodically "retrieve the latest news", and asks whether you would like to run it on start-up. The program even identifies itself as "News Update" utility, but analysis of its file accesses and network connections makes clear that it is in fact an advertisement download and tracking technology with a comprehensive reporting system. The implication that it performs a useful news function appears to be a disingenuous attempt to fib about the program's true purpose."

More from Counterexploitation.org

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Old new from 2001

Thanks dude, thread removed. Sorry for the screwup all.

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