wgatray.exe

Hi All
My Zone Alarm firewall recently started asking on occassions whether I would
let windows advantage notification access internet. I've had this pc for
over a year and I noticed that my Norton security automatically lets this
program have web access. I am a little concerned that I (and my Zone Alarm)
haven't picked this up before - what exactly does this program do?

george

george wrote:
> Hi All
> My Zone Alarm firewall recently started asking on occassions whether
> I would let windows advantage notification access internet. I've had
> this pc for over a year and I noticed that my Norton security
> automatically lets this program have web access. I am a little
> concerned that I (and my Zone Alarm) haven't picked this up before -
> what exactly does this program do?

It phones home and reports to Uncle Bill every day, although apparently
Microsoft intends to change it so that it only phones home every two
weeks:

http://www.informationweek.com/inter...leID=188703441

You can block it with your firewall, and you can disable or uninstall
it, although not with "Add and Remove Programs." But Windows Update will
try to install it again and again, unless you hide it. And if you hide
it, WU will tell you that your computer may be at risk. You can read all
the bitching, here:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?Q28151F3D

Microsoft spyware, plain and simple:

Information collected during validation
Q: What information is collected from my computer?
A: The genuine validation process will collect information about your
system to determine if your Microsoft software is genuine. This process
does not collect or send any information that can be used to identify
you or contact you. The only information collected in the validation
process is:

* Windows product key
* PC manufacturer
* Operating System version
* PID/SID
* BIOS information (make, version, date)
* BIOS MD5 Checksum
* User locale (language setting for displaying Windows)
* System locale (language version of the operating system)
* Office product key (if validating Office)
* Hard drive serial number
Q: How does Microsoft use this information?
A: The information serves three purposes:


* It provides Web page flow, tailoring the pages you see based on
your responses.
* It conveys demographics, which help Microsoft to understand
regional differences in Windows or Office usage.
* It confirms user input. User input is often compared


rl
--
Rhonda Lea Kirk

Insisting on perfect safety is for people
without the balls to live in the real world.
Mary Shafer Iliff

Rhonda Lea Kirk

Hmmm.... it looks for languages. Looking specifically for mideastern,
maybe? And if so, why would MS want this info? Maybe someone else
wants it.

And if MS is giving this info to "someone else", just maybe MS feels
compelled to give ALL info to this someone else.


We now know that this someone else wants all info on everyone.

Trust MS? Hell, hope BGs mountain collapses on him. He's under their
thumb!



On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 01:19:02 +0100, "george" <>
wrote:

>Hi All
>My Zone Alarm firewall recently started asking on occassions whether I would
>let windows advantage notification access internet. I've had this pc for
>over a year and I noticed that my Norton security automatically lets this
>program have web access. I am a little concerned that I (and my Zone Alarm)
>haven't picked this up before - what exactly does this program do?
>

..
Time for the truth?
www.goatstar.org

Bushlies Troopsdie

Bushlies Troopsdie wrote:
> Hmmm.... it looks for languages. Looking specifically for mideastern,
> maybe? And if so, why would MS want this info? Maybe someone else
> wants it.
>
> And if MS is giving this info to "someone else", just maybe MS feels
> compelled to give ALL info to this someone else.
>
>
> We now know that this someone else wants all info on everyone.
>
> Trust MS? Hell, hope BGs mountain collapses on him. He's under their
> thumb!
>
>
>
> On Mon, 12 Jun 2006 01:19:02 +0100, "george" <>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi All
>> My Zone Alarm firewall recently started asking on occassions whether I would
>> let windows advantage notification access internet. I've had this pc for
>> over a year and I noticed that my Norton security automatically lets this
>> program have web access. I am a little concerned that I (and my Zone Alarm)
>> haven't picked this up before - what exactly does this program do?
>>
>
> .
> Time for the truth?
> www.goatstar.org
It is not some conspiracy nor unknown. In 1999 M$ was deep in it with
the NSA. Still wondering at all?

nunya