Possible unlicensed copy of vBulletin.

[Hooper]

http://www.gotz.org/forum/

At the least they removed all the vBulletin License info.


Hi,
Steve Machol-
Freddie-
Kevin "Tubeman"
Kier
and the bunch!!

[nuno]

hey Hooper
yes probably a pirated vBULL
you should send all piracy reports to [email protected] in the future

[Hooper]

Hi Nuno,

Hell with it. I just came in here to post on a site that doesn't look on the up and up and found that my licensed copy has a vBulletin Microscope, call home or whatever feature that I wasn't even notified existed. I won't be turning in anymore "possible" unlicensed sites until I get respect for being a member. Until they remove the vBulletin SpyWare.

[Jake Bunce]

would you like an oreo?

here, have one anyway.

*hands hooper and oreo*

[nuno]

oh i c
i cant understand why are you guys so about call home feature
i'm with Jelsoft 100%
its just a blank gif anyways

[Hooper]

Nunno,

Not to be smart or anything, but you have no clue what is going on in the world of computing. Privacy and protection on the web has been an ever increasing delima for a number of years. This is not only about an admin panel license ping. This is about the future of the web and rights to privacy on the web. When companies encrypt or employ technology that sends information of any kind from one machine to the next without prior consent or knowledge, the rights of the individual is being breached or violated at worst. These same companies view this as a grey area and tend to lean toward a strategy of benefiting and protecting themselves despite the concerns of the legitimate parties involved which are many. This is not a new topic. This is the politics of web security and annonymity. It is a real concern and a solid issue. With Micosoft's new WindowsXP anti piracy measures being put into effect, the overall consumption is that many companies will follow suit and protect intellectual property to the extent of violating consumer privacy and other rights they are entitled to. There is an overall fear around the web of because of the past experiences with personal privacy issues and non-existant/non-enforced laws that are supposed to protect the privacy of individuals or companies. This first real stride at anti-piracy measures creates more of a mess on the web than it does good when you take statistics under consideration. Fact is that 90 percent purchase the products they use, whether it be software or a pair of shoes. When companies take it apon themselves to crack down on piracy, they take measures that effect all. Not just the piracy in question. So in reality, 90 percent are having privacy and annonymity breaches or violations to account for the fraction of offenders.

There are a few sites that deal with the statistics of software piracy verses legally purchased licenses. Other misc, info.

With vBulletin not announcing the added anti-piracy code that they have now apparently incorporated, they are leaving and will leave a bad taste in the mouths of the fans and legitimate license holders of their software. There was no mention of this and no Privacy Policy Statement ammendment or publically displayed software Privacy Update made at the time of changes.

I have no problem with seeking a way to protect intellectual property rights. And all should pay for the fantastic vBulletin program as I have. I do however have a problem with the above stated scenario. This is a bigger issue than vBulletin and something they would be better off leaving alone until a standard becomes available for antipiracy law in regards to the web. Something that is more enforcable and proven to not affect the privacy, securtity, and well being of the majority.

[qasic]

Hooper,

vB had a call home feature ever since vB 2.0 came out (and I suspect vB 1.1x) had this feature as well. In fact, if you search the Suggestions forum, there was a thread that was locked because of this very issue (calling home).

qasic

[Hooper]

Well if that is the case, no better time to get this out in the open.
There was a security issue with Beta5 or one of the pre releases if I remember right. The culprit was never announced that I know of but immediate download of the updated version was asked for by vBulletin as soon as it was ready for download.

I want this "Call home admin panel ping removed."

Thanks Qasic.

[Martin]

Originally posted by Hooper
This is a bigger issue than vBulletin and something they would be better off leaving alone until a standard becomes available for antipiracy law in regards to the web. Something that is more enforcable and proven to not affect the privacy, securtity, and well being of the majority.

Please explain to me how something that sends no information about you, only information that is required by your license (the URL of your board and your license number) in any way invades your personal privacy?

[c-prompt]

Give me one example of how this affects you in anyway, BESIDES limiting the piracy so that the price of VB can stay low for you and other legit customers. IMO, anyone who has a problem with this is EXTREMELY pety, or has no concept of why it is there.

[Hooper]

Well for one, if anyone would happen to intercept this information about the software including the registration information of my license it in violation of my rights to privacy for starters. I have a right to protect the License number of the software I purchased and to not have it pinged each time I enter the controll panel.

Secondly, Personal information "IS" being transfered from my server to yours if indeed you are accepting my license number each time I access the admin panel. The number is tied to many pieces of my personal information that resides on your servers and I have every right in accordance to law to make sure that my information is kept confidential. The information that is tied to my license number includes banking credit card numbers, personal home address, phone number, email address, name and the list goes on. So..........

In regards to the vBulletin policies and disclosure of anti-piracy tactics. Simply put, unless this information is being sent through a SSL secure server connection the vBulletin policy statement should reflect the encryption that you incorporate into your product. Even at that your privacy statement should disclose this information.

Are all software vendors doing this? Well, no. Doesn't make it right. At least MS is telling everyone about their upcoming nightmare. I bet they will even change some of their first thoughts on how to proceed with this if they haven't already.

As I stated above. Individualls have the right to privacy on the web in accordance to a big grey area of law. If you incorporate any anti-piracy encrytion or "call home" technology within the software you sell, the law states that you have to disclose this information to the public so that they are informed that there is a possiblility of personal privacy breaches.

On a personal note, I am more annoyed with the fact that I wasn't informed with this information than I am that it exists. I have no knowledge of how this works and am cautious when I find this information out. I have had all sort of information stolen on the web including private credit card accounts and the like. I do alot of business on the web.

vBulletin is one of the finest pieces of software I have ever purchased or owned. This is not in question. What is in question is why all the sudden this information is now rising to the surface.
As I say, I came in today to report a site that I thought looked a little on the "warez" side and found from reading a thread that Kevin started that I have an outgoing signal with information being sent from my server to yours.

Now, Is DOUBLECLICK illegal or invading the privacy of individuals?

Hey do what you want but I want the call home feature removed from my license period. I want a version without it.

Here is a link with some other vBulletin fans that feel as I do. Not all do, some may not have had the experiences I have had with buisness on the web over the years though. I can understand this.

Another thread on the topic

[nuno]

like i told you b4
no vital info is transfered
only one blank gif stored at Jelsoft's servers

PS: its nuno not Nunno

[The Prohacker]

It just helps with fighting piracy, and bring this up in public just helps mess up the solution...

Since it wasn't stated that it was there, then I suppose you have all right to remove it if you wish, but, do not post how to remove that here, because I'm sure you'd be banned for doing so.

If you bought vBulletin, you were given the right to modify the source how ever you want as long as the copyright stays inplace, and since removing that code doesn't remove the copyright, your alright with removing it....

[Mike Sullivan]

I am closing this (and the other one) and will let John/James respond when they return from vacation very shortly.

(And please don't think of this as me trying to shut you guys up or anything; we'll just wait for the most official response)