RedSheriff

[Jeratain]

For a while now, this site has been including the RedSheriff cookie as a way of "gathering statistics." Frankly, I hate it. I know that it's not CFC, but Telefragged that includes it. I was wondering if it would be possible to ask that the cookie be removed from this site?

If it generates some sort of revenue for you, then I can understand the desire to keep it around. However I don't trust having spyware added to my computer, even if they claim it isn't. I would disable my Java, but then I wouldn't be able to use a lot of features.

For those who are unaware of what RedSheriff is:

Server-Side Spyware: Red Sheriff
Unlike most conventional spyware, imrworldwide.com's Red Sheriff is loaded as a Java applet embedded in a Web page you visit. Once loaded, it sends information about your Internet usage (how long the page took to load, how long you stayed, etc.) to the parent company, supposedly bypassing firewalls, cookie blockers and the like. A number of Internet Service Providers have begun including Red Sheriff on their start pages, which are programmed to load every time the user logs on to the Internet.

Currently, the Red Sheriff program is billed as a reporting tool to measure how visitors use a Web site, kind of like an access_log reader with some extra frills.

Previously, the Red Sheriff product page was more obscure about what kind of information was collected, suggesting access to surfing habits beyond the original Web site containing the Red Sheriff applet, and bragging of its ability to get past personal firewalls and cookie crunchers.

This applet, included with some ISP packages, causes severe slowdowns on some systems as reported in Gibson Research's grc.spyware newsgroup.

Solutions:
The most obvious (if not user-friendly) solution is to disable Java in your web browser.
[note from me: AdAware removes it, but you have to scan for it after accessing this site every time.]

 

[ainwood]

:thumbsup

I agree. can it.

 

[Strider]

Yeah... If it slows down the site some... (or atleast individual viewing) Get rid of it.

 

[Jeratain]

Originally posted by Strider
Yeah... If it slows down the site some... (or atleast individual viewing) Get rid of it.

I don't necessarily know if that is true for this site. It has slowed down other sites before, but whether or not it affects this site in that manner is unclear. I am just extremely paranoid about spyware and cookies.

 

[Padma]

Hmmm, that might be tied to the problems I have getting to the site from work ....

 

[Crazy Eddie]

Some useful links -
All about the HOSTS file

Big list of handy links

 

[Hygro]

I don't want any spyware on my computer. I keep deleting it, and obviously it keeps coming back, but telefragged is not helping the issue. I say the Telefragged dude talk about how it's justified and whatnot... well sure you can justify everything, but that doesn't make it good.

I want RedSheriff gone.

Edit: I already have to click through about 10 takeover ads a day. Sometimes I even be a good sport and click the link don't force this upon us.

 

[Chieftess]

I have a pop-up stopper though, so that's probably why I get fewer (or none) of them.

 

[Jeratain]

Originally posted by Chieftess
I have a pop-up stopper though, so that's probably why I get fewer (or none) of them.

I don't care at all about the popups or ads - it's the cookies I care about. And RedSheriff isn't easily stopped by conventional methods.

 

[TeleFragged]

Red Sheriff is a valuable tool that we use to develop statistics for use in Ad sales. We have to have those statistics and have yet to find a better service. It is not intrusive spyware, it does not slow down the site and we have to have it. Until something better comes along we will continue to use it.

-Paul

 

[Jeratain]

That really is a shame. I understand your need for its use, however I wish there was some alternative way of not having to accept the cookie every time we came onto the site.

Oh well, thanks for the reply.

 

[Tassadar]

I am pretty sure thats what cause my computer to crash ( illegal operation), while i am playing multiplayer game ( like TFC on Won).

If i run Ad-aware and remove it, then i have no problem. I realy find this marketing spying disgusting. that will keep me away from here for a while.

Sorry for your fail marketing technics, you loose a member ( temporary until i dont find any spyware when i log on CFC).

If everybody do that, they will stop using those crapy cookie.

This rant is directed to telefrag not CFC.

 

[Thunderfall]

Personally I don't think you guys need to worry too much about Red Sheriff, if it just collects info like how long the page took to load, how long you stayed at this site, etc.

The HitBox site stats counter we've been using for more than two years also collects those info. The important thing is it's annonymous and doesn't collect any personal info. I definitely don't see it as spyware, but just as a site stats tool. You can check out the stats here:

http://vwr1.hitbox.com/HitboxUI?acct=WQ500308JERA&p=1&rf=hc

If you still worry about your privacy, I recommend getting the Windows Trace Remover program. For one thing, it allows you to decide which cookies to keep and which to delete automatically after each browsing session.

(I will put a password back on the site stats soon. Check it out while you still can. )