 Macafee Site Advisor, Why does it need to call home? |
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 Aug 13 2007, 10:56 AM
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Member  Group: Members Posts: 144 Joined: 26-May 07 Member No.: 132,980  |
-------------------- Windows XP Home SP2; AVG 7.5 Internet Security Suite (AV/AS r.t.p, and firewall); Windows Defender (r.t.p on); SuperAntispyware Free; a-squared Free 3.5.0.15; Spybot 1.4 (Immunised, but no Tea-timer); AdAware SE Free; AVG Anti-Rootkit Free; Spywareblaster; MVPS Hosts file (with HostsMan); McAfee Site Advisor.
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Aug 13 2007, 11:02 AM
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 Bleepin' Janitor Group: Global Moderator Posts: 13,506 Joined: 9-July 05 From: Virginia, USA Member No.: 26,513 |
-------------------- "THE BAD GUYS DON'T NEED A SEARCH WARRANT. ARE YOU PROTECTED?"
Microsoft MVP - Windows Security 2007-2008  |
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Aug 13 2007, 11:19 AM
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Forum Addict Group: Members Posts: 3,335 Joined: 14-April 06 Member No.: 64,042 |
On my computer, Site Advisor tried to call home every few seconds after I blocked it in my firewall. That stopped after I uninstalled it from IE (I don't do searches from IE anyway). I have Site Advisor installed in Firefox and it doesn't call home. Updating is handled differently in Firefox. Firefox will alert you when an extension/addon has an update available.
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Aug 13 2007, 01:18 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 144 Joined: 26-May 07 Member No.: 132,980 |
QUOTE(quietman7 @ Aug 13 2007, 05:02 PM)  Thanks for this. The following seems to be the most likely candidate for the 'call home' message: Our software periodically sends us a unique, anonymous number so that we know that our software is working properly for you. This helps us know how many people are using SiteAdvisor and helps us plan the resources necessary to continue to provide you the great SiteAdvisor service. But is that, in fact, what it's doing? -------------------- Windows XP Home SP2; AVG 7.5 Internet Security Suite (AV/AS r.t.p, and firewall); Windows Defender (r.t.p on); SuperAntispyware Free; a-squared Free 3.5.0.15; Spybot 1.4 (Immunised, but no Tea-timer); AdAware SE Free; AVG Anti-Rootkit Free; Spywareblaster; MVPS Hosts file (with HostsMan); McAfee Site Advisor.
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Aug 13 2007, 01:21 PM
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Member Group: Members Posts: 144 Joined: 26-May 07 Member No.: 132,980 |
QUOTE(buddy215 @ Aug 13 2007, 05:19 PM) On my computer, Site Advisor tried to call home every few seconds after I blocked it in my firewall. I suppose the question I'm asking is: why block it? I trust my AVG Security suite to have free access to the internet without keeping track of the details. Can't I trust MacAfee Site Advisor in the same way? -------------------- Windows XP Home SP2; AVG 7.5 Internet Security Suite (AV/AS r.t.p, and firewall); Windows Defender (r.t.p on); SuperAntispyware Free; a-squared Free 3.5.0.15; Spybot 1.4 (Immunised, but no Tea-timer); AdAware SE Free; AVG Anti-Rootkit Free; Spywareblaster; MVPS Hosts file (with HostsMan); McAfee Site Advisor.
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Aug 13 2007, 06:52 PM
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Distinguished Member Group: Members Posts: 968 Joined: 21-October 04 Member No.: 3,911 |
Let it call home, we got bigger fish to fry. There should be a way to tell the firewall to disallow this specific IP, but I haven't done that.
That said, every once in a while I switch to LinkScanner Lite because I don't have to deal with the nag screen of Site Advisor to buy this or that. I wish McA never bought them. They used to be good,superb in my opinion, but I worry they'll get ruined. But xpl is slower which annoys me as well. So I keep going back and forth 
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