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==== Spouses ====
==== Spouses ====
Spectorsoft has marketed its spy software to people wanting to catch their spouses cheating. However, in the face of criminal charges and negative publicity, Spectorsoft now claims that it no longer markets its products to spouses, although there is nothing to stop a spouse from using the products illegally.<ref>{{cite web
Spectorsoft has marketed its spy software to people wanting to catch their spouses cheating. However, in the face of criminal charges and negative publicity, Spectorsoft now claims that it no longer markets its products to spouses, although there is nothing to stop a spouse from using the products illegally<ref>{{cite web
| url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/081607-spouse.html?page=2
| url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2007/081607-spouse.html?page=2
| title=Spouse-vs.-spouse cyberspying dangerous, possibly illegal - Network World
| title=Spouse-vs.-spouse cyberspying dangerous, possibly illegal - Network World

Revision as of 17:48, 19 July 2008

SpectorSoft, Inc.
Company typePrivate Company (Google Finance: Profile Page)
IndustrySoftware
Founded1998
HeadquartersVero Beach, Florida, USA
Key people
Doug Fowler (SpectorSoft President)
ProductsComputer-monitoring software
Number of employees
60
Websitehttp://www.spectorsoft.com

SpectorSoft is a software manufacturer that develops and sells stealth computer surveillance tools and spyware[1].

History

The company was founded in 1998 by current President Doug Fowler[2].

Products

Spector Pro[3] —A monitoring application capable of recording virtually all activity on the computer it is installed on.

Spector CNE —Identical to Spector Pro, but includes features aimed at corporate use.

Spector 360 —Includes the features of Spector Pro and Spector CNE, but can create graphs and statistics from the recorded data.

eBlaster -Recording capabilities very similar to Spector Pro with the exception that it can email all activity to a remote location.

Spector for Macintosh - Records activity on Macintosh systems via snapshots, keystrokes, and web site logging.

Spector 2.2 - Identical to the Mac version, but works on Windows based operating systems.

Awards/Distinctions

Spector Pro was given the editors choice award in a 2002 review of six computer activity monitoring tools[4]. In 2004, version 5.0 of Spector Pro was again given the editors choice award from a field four programs[5].

In 2004, SpectorSoft was listed on the INC 500 as Americas 244th fastest growing company[6]. The position slipped to 497th in 2005. [7].

Spectorsoft products have been mentioned in many well known media outlets, including ZDNET, PC/Computing, Time Magazine, CNN, NBC Nightly News, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal[8].

Netbus connection

Spectorsoft owns the former website of the Netbus hacker/cyber-crime tool[9]. There are sources that indicate that Spectorsoft's software is derived from Netbus[10][4]. In 2002, Spectorsoft advertised on the Netbus website "Netbus Users: Upgrade to Spector Professional Edition today"[11].

Users

Parents

Parents use Spectorsoft's monitoring software to check their under aged children's internet use[12][13]. This could help prevent online predators from targeting the children. This is legal since minors have no legal right to privacy from their parents.

Employers

Employers may choose to monitor their employees using Spectorsoft's software to prevent theft of intellectual property, and to ensure employees are using their computers only in appropriate ways[12]. This is legal, since employees will have signed a contract stating that their computer activity may be monitored when they were employed.

There are, however, still privacy concerns over things like personal email[14][15]

Illegal

Some of Spectorsoft's tools, especially eBlaster are extremely easy to use for criminal activities, and there have been several convictions for such misuse. For example, one spouse who installed eBlaster on a partner's personal computer was charged with four felony counts, facing up to five years in prison and $19,000 in fines. [16] [17].

Spouses

Spectorsoft has marketed its spy software to people wanting to catch their spouses cheating. However, in the face of criminal charges and negative publicity, Spectorsoft now claims that it no longer markets its products to spouses, although there is nothing to stop a spouse from using the products illegally[18][19].

Thieves

Since Spectorsoft's software is specifically designed to be extremely difficult to detect and remove, the tools (especially eBlaster) can easily be used by thieves who wish to steal credit card information, banking information, and passwords. Installation of the software can occur without the user's knowledge or permission[20]. Spectorsoft openly advertise that their tools will record all of a user's passwords[21].

There have been recorded cases of this happening[16].

Spyware Classification

Spectorsoft markets their software as "Spyware"[1], and it is listed as "high risk" by several anti-virus/anti-spyware software vendors[22][23][24]

The software products utilise rootkits to avoid detection by users, actively combat anti-spyware software by mutating and recreating filenames, registry keys[24].

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "eBlaster Remote Spyware". Retrieved 2007-05-22. Spectorsoft refer to eBlaster as Spyware themselves
  2. ^ "SPECTORSOFT CORPORATION". Florida Department of State - Division of Corporations. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  3. ^ "Spectorsoft Products". Spectorsoft. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  4. ^ a b Glass, Brett (2002-01-07). "Watching You, Watching Me - Spector Pro reviewed by PC Magazine". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2007-01-15. Spector Pro - Editors Choice ... A descendant of the Netbus Trojan horse {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ Delaney, Laura (2004-03-08). "Monitoring Software- Reviewed by PC Magazine". PC Magazine. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Inc 500 2004 (ranked 224)". Inc Magazine. 2004. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Inc 500 2005 (ranked 497)". Inc Magazine. 2005. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Spectorsoft - Press Mentions". Spectorsoft. Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  9. ^ "Whois.net - netbus.org". Retrieved 2007-04-11. Registrant Name:Spectorsoft Corp.
  10. ^ "The Spyware Plague: No Cure For The Enterprise pp6" (PDF). Shavlik Technologies. Retrieved 2007-04-11. Netbus was then reincarnated as SpectorSoft, ... often referred to as 'divorceware'
  11. ^ "Netbus". Spectorsoft. 2002. Archived from the original on 2002-03-28. Retrieved 2007-04-12. Netbus Users: Upgrade to Spector Professional Edition today
  12. ^ a b Spectorsoft (2003-07-23). "SpectorSoft - eBlaster for Windows - Solutions". Retrieved 2007-05-23.
  13. ^ Potter, Ned (2006-07-24). "Watching Your Kids Online". ABC News. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ Bill Wallace, Jamie Fenton (2000-11-15). "Analysis: Your PC could be watching you". CNN. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ Thomas C Greene. "Spyware Trojan sends Hotmail to your boss". The Register. Retrieved 2007-04-11.
  16. ^ a b John Leyden (2003-07-23). "'Online banking in SA was a time-bomb waiting to go off'". The Register. Archived from the original on 2004-06-23. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  17. ^ Matt Bean (2001-09-07). "Private electronic surveillance raising legal, rights questions". Court TV. Archived from the original on 2003-12-15. Retrieved 2007-04-10.
  18. ^ "Spouse-vs.-spouse cyberspying dangerous, possibly illegal - Network World". Network World. 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-23. Fowler says SpectorSoft, which makes consumer and business versions of its surveillance software, three years ago stopped marketing its products as spouse-spying tools.
  19. ^ Cohen, Adam (2001-07-02). "Internet Insecurity (page 6)". Time Magazine. Retrieved 2007-01-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "Blaster Remote Installation Guide". Spectorsoft. Retrieved 2007-05-23. eBlaster installs itself silently without any indication to the computer user that the installation has taken place
  21. ^ "Capture Their Email Passwords". Netbus.org - (Owned by Spectorsoft). Retrieved 2007-04-12. Passwords from any email account will be recorded, ... and all other passwords
  22. ^ "Symantec profile of eBlaster". Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  23. ^ "SpyNoMore profile of eBlaster 5.0". Retrieved 2007-03-27.
  24. ^ a b "PestPatrol profile of eBlaster". Retrieved 2007-03-27.
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