Starfield Technologies: Difference between revisions
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'''Starfield Technologies ''' is a business entity related to [[Go Daddy]], the American [[internet]] [[Domain name registrar|domain registrar]] and [[Web hosting]] company that also sells e-business related [[software]] and services. Starfield handles research and design for GoDaddy's web based services. |
'''Starfield Technologies ''' is a business entity related to [[Go Daddy]], the American [[internet]] [[Domain name registrar|domain registrar]] and [[Web hosting]] company that also sells [[e-business]] related [[software]] and services. Starfield handles research and design for GoDaddy's web based services. |
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==Starfield History== |
==Starfield History== |
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==Criticism== |
==Criticism== |
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There are a growing number of concerned users of Starfield's software, due to the subtlety, invasiveness, and potential [[privacy]]-breaching nature of their 'Workspace Installer' tool. Once installed the program creates a shortcut on the [[Desktop (computing)|desktop]] called 'Workspace Desktop'. The tool promotes its use as an extension of the GoDaddy web interface, allowing users added functionality, such as drag-and-dropping media files into their GoDaddy web based email client, desktop notification, and others. |
There are a growing number of concerned users of Starfield's software, due to the subtlety, invasiveness, and potential [[privacy]]-breaching nature of their 'Workspace Installer' tool. Once installed the program creates a shortcut on the [[Desktop (computing)|desktop]] called 'Workspace Desktop'. The tool promotes its use as an extension of the GoDaddy [[Web application|web interface]], allowing users added functionality, such as drag-and-dropping media files into their GoDaddy web based email client, desktop notification, and others. |
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On Mac devices it requires root privileges, the same is also true for older versions of the installer for [[Windows]] in that it requires administrator privileges to install. Newer Windows versions install using normal user privileges and only in the user account that invokes the installer. Once installed it becomes apparent that the application has been developed in a suspicious way as its location in the file system is not easily found, no documentation is installed and the Starfield web site offers no explanation of the program or its purpose. Older versions of the tool on Windows hides itself because the uninstall application is not found within Windows' native program removal interface. Newer versions on Windows appear in the Program and Features listing under the [[Control Panel (Windows)|Control Panel]] and is readily uninstalled. |
On Mac devices it requires [[Root (computing)|root privileges]], the same is also true for older versions of the installer for [[Windows]] in that it requires administrator privileges to install. Newer Windows versions install using normal [[Privilege (computing)|user privileges]] and only in the user account that invokes the installer. Once installed it becomes apparent that the application has been developed in a suspicious way as its location in the file system is not easily found, no documentation is installed and the Starfield web site offers no explanation of the program or its purpose. Older versions of the tool on Windows hides itself because the uninstall application is not found within Windows' native program removal interface. Newer versions on Windows appear in the Program and Features listing under the [[Control Panel (Windows)|Control Panel]] and is readily uninstalled. |
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The program runs silently in the background and never shows any visible signs of its presence except for system resource usage, which has also been found by some users to at times be notably high. Again, with older versions of the program the persistence of the application pack also lends itself to criticism because uninstalling or removing permissions of any part of the application can result in one of the remaining modules to ask for re-installation or elevated privileges. It also silently installs plug-ins to [[Firefox]] browser, which are more persistent than the similar but more simply removed extensions. |
The program runs silently in the background and never shows any visible signs of its presence except for system resource usage, which has also been found by some users to at times be notably high. Again, with older versions of the program the persistence of the application pack also lends itself to criticism because uninstalling or removing [[Filesystem permissions|permissions]] of any part of the application can result in one of the remaining modules to ask for re-installation or elevated privileges. It also silently installs plug-ins to [[Firefox]] browser, which are more persistent than the similar but more simply removed extensions. |
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The criticisms might have had an effect on the developer because many of the worst characteristics of the program have been removed from newer versions of the program (March 2012). New versions do not require elevated privileges, uninstall properly, and the program is visible via a desktop shortcut. |
The criticisms might have had an effect on the developer because many of the worst characteristics of the program have been removed from newer versions of the program (March 2012). New versions do not require elevated privileges, uninstall properly, and the program is visible via a desktop shortcut. |
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However, the purpose and operation of the program remain obscure. None of the above features are clearly explained to the user in the installation process. This initial analysis has been deemed Starfield's Workspace "a nasty and abusive application that performs remote activities and installation of unwanted plug-ins and application without user consent. It is a bloatware and a backdoor." <ref>{{cite web |url=http://ithreats.net/2011/01/14/analysis-of-osx-starfield/ |title=Analysis of OSX Starfield |last=Methusela |first=Ferrer |date=14 January 2011 |work=ithreats.net |accessdate=24 August 2011}}</ref> |
However, the purpose and operation of the program remain obscure. None of the above features are clearly explained to the user in the installation process. This initial analysis has been deemed Starfield's Workspace "a nasty and abusive application that performs remote activities and installation of unwanted plug-ins and application without user consent. It is a [[bloatware]] and a [[Backdoor (computing)|backdoor.]]" <ref>{{cite web |url=http://ithreats.net/2011/01/14/analysis-of-osx-starfield/ |title=Analysis of OSX Starfield |last=Methusela |first=Ferrer |date=14 January 2011 |work=ithreats.net |accessdate=24 August 2011}}</ref> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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Revision as of 05:22, 11 August 2013
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Starfield Technologies is a business entity related to Go Daddy, the American internet domain registrar and Web hosting company that also sells e-business related software and services. Starfield handles research and design for GoDaddy's web based services.
Starfield History
Relationship with Go Daddy
Starfield maintains a website at starfieldtech.com and states that it was founded in 2003 and:
Founded in 2003 as the technology and research branch of Go Daddy Group, Inc., Starfield mainly provides Internet foundation services, including the sale of software and Internet solutions for the building of an online presence. Starfield Technologies is a reletivly new company, but it shares similar business practices to GoDaddy.[1]
Criticism
There are a growing number of concerned users of Starfield's software, due to the subtlety, invasiveness, and potential privacy-breaching nature of their 'Workspace Installer' tool. Once installed the program creates a shortcut on the desktop called 'Workspace Desktop'. The tool promotes its use as an extension of the GoDaddy web interface, allowing users added functionality, such as drag-and-dropping media files into their GoDaddy web based email client, desktop notification, and others.
On Mac devices it requires root privileges, the same is also true for older versions of the installer for Windows in that it requires administrator privileges to install. Newer Windows versions install using normal user privileges and only in the user account that invokes the installer. Once installed it becomes apparent that the application has been developed in a suspicious way as its location in the file system is not easily found, no documentation is installed and the Starfield web site offers no explanation of the program or its purpose. Older versions of the tool on Windows hides itself because the uninstall application is not found within Windows' native program removal interface. Newer versions on Windows appear in the Program and Features listing under the Control Panel and is readily uninstalled.
The program runs silently in the background and never shows any visible signs of its presence except for system resource usage, which has also been found by some users to at times be notably high. Again, with older versions of the program the persistence of the application pack also lends itself to criticism because uninstalling or removing permissions of any part of the application can result in one of the remaining modules to ask for re-installation or elevated privileges. It also silently installs plug-ins to Firefox browser, which are more persistent than the similar but more simply removed extensions.
The criticisms might have had an effect on the developer because many of the worst characteristics of the program have been removed from newer versions of the program (March 2012). New versions do not require elevated privileges, uninstall properly, and the program is visible via a desktop shortcut.
However, the purpose and operation of the program remain obscure. None of the above features are clearly explained to the user in the installation process. This initial analysis has been deemed Starfield's Workspace "a nasty and abusive application that performs remote activities and installation of unwanted plug-ins and application without user consent. It is a bloatware and a backdoor." [2]
References
- ^ Starfield Technologies, Inc. - Company Information
- ^ Methusela, Ferrer (14 January 2011). "Analysis of OSX Starfield". ithreats.net. Retrieved 24 August 2011.
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