"phone home"

[peropata]

Hi,

Some software use "phone home" technology, that reports every start of software and keeps track of usage in online database. They use this technology to track illegale copies of software. Any ideas how this actualy works and how to prevent this actions ?

[LabVIEWguru]

Depending on the software you are using, the easiest method is to go to:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

Look for the file "hosts"
A wise person would now make a copy of the "hosts" file.

open it with a text editor, and it will look like this:

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
#      102.54.94.97     rhino.acme.com          # source server
#       38.25.63.10     x.acme.com              # x client host

127.0.0.1       localhost



Ok - the 127.0.0.1 is the IP address of the "server" inside your computer.

Now, if you are running bootleg software, or someone is accessing porn with your computer the way to defeat it is, let's say your software is calling home to abcsoftware.com and porn.com. You would add the following lines:

127.0.0.1       abcsoftware.com
127.0.0.1       porn.com


Now when your computer tries to go to these sites, it will show nothing (and go nowhere) because it thinks the IP address of these sites is the "server" internal to your computer.

This can be also used against you. If you use paypal or a bank, I would make a site that looks just like paypal or some bank and get you to execute a script that modifies the "hosts" file. Next time you go to paypal, your "hosts" file redirects you to the bogus site that allows you to enter your login and password, records it, tells you you must have mistyped it and redirects you to the real paypal or bank site. Then, before you know what happened, they've cleaned out your account.

If you don't feel competent to edit your "hosts" file, get Zone Alarm Pro. It alerts you to everything coming in or leaving your computer and lets you OK it before it makes the connection. Good luck.

[sphinx]

this might work for most software but i have had some problems with this with ultraedit since there might be others that i am not aware of. this software checks in some ways for internet and doesnt let manual activation appear to block some specific sites in hosts file doesnt help. a total block with a firewall some other than windows firewall since it doesnt block it even though it on list not to allow traffic. ultraedit uses some other ways to connect to net and this way might also be used by others as well. so the easiest is to get a firewall and block all traffic for specific softwares.

best reagards

[pickit2]

this might work for most software but i have had some problems with this with ultraedit.
ultraedit uses some other ways to connect to net and this way might also be used by others as well. so the easiest is to get a firewall and block all traffic for specific softwares.

best reagards

for ultraedit use:
127.0.0.1 tonec.com
127.0.0.1 www.tonec.com
127.0.0.1 registeridm.com
127.0.0.1 www.registeridm.com
127.0.0.1 secure.registeridm.com