Bookmakers Using iesnare - should we be worried?

[JoeBeevers]

How worried should we be?

http://www.geegeez.co.uk/iesnare-how-bookmakers-are-spying-on-you-from-your-own-computer/

You have to question the legality of such behaviour.

I found it on my PC. A normal file search won't find it as it is a zero bytes file.

- go to start button
- type cmd in search box and hit enter
-  When the command box opens type the following assuming your operation system is on the C: drive if it is not change C to the appropriate letter:
C:
cd\
dir mp*.com /s

[Omm]

What about IPads Joe?

[Marky147]

Think it was Keith that started a thread about this a few years back, so they've been doing it a fair while.

I've got no idea, as I'm a bit of a fish regarding stuff like this... Yes, and lots of other stuff, Tikay

[AndrewT]

It's not a new thing - here's a post from 2008 about it.

http://www.thegamblingtimes.com/board/day-day-life/10018-iesnare-make-sure-youre-not-being-snooped.html

[Omm]

Ive just done mine now and it had been dowdloaded twice in the last year, followed the instructions and have now blocked it. Thanks very much for posting this, i must have missed the last thread. Assuming they cannot do it on ipads?

[Omm]

Just left a comment on the website, while reading others i noticed that a few have said that they authorized it by allowing the flashplayer. Flashplayer was what it had said on one of my downloads so they must be hiding it in there.

[tikay]

Think it was Keith that started a thread about this a few years back, so they've been doing it a fair while.

I've got no idea, as I'm a bit of a fish regarding stuff like this... Yes, and lots of other stuff, Tikay

In this stuff, I am King Ice Cream, don't you worry 'bout that.

Remind me where this "Start" button is, & what a C drive is please.                                                       

[SuperJez]

It's not a new thing - here's a post from 2008 about it.

http://www.thegamblingtimes.com/board/day-day-life/10018-iesnare-make-sure-youre-not-being-snooped.html

Yes (and that link is very good).  Before getting into questions about it you should disable its functionality, then block it completely then delete the last remnants.  Do that by

1) Editing your hosts file (be careful) so data meant for these pricks is looped to your computer instead http://mafiawars.wikia.com/wiki/Iesnare

2) Go into every browser you use and block cookies specifically from iesnare.com (its easy enough in most browsers if you google instructions)

3) Wipe the cookies you have currently from your browsers and make sure you delete the mpsnare folder on your pc as well.

That should kill any chance iesnare specifically has of working on your machine again however I have no idea if there are other similar programs doing the same job under a different name.  One would have to say that that is a likely possibility.

I have no idea about how it would work for mobile/ipad operating systems.  You would, however, be incredibly naïve to think you were safe on them.  I would bet a decent chunk they can see just as much if not more about you when you log on via a mobile/ipad.

Neil Channing said on that pod cast that was linked on here recently he believed bookmakers use this software to rate you as a gambler for limits etc.  Stuff like does the user have a betfair account or oddschecker open, how many betting accounts do they have etc.  I would be strongly inclined to agree on this.  I doubt there is much of a limit to what this software can gather on you and what you get up to on your device.  What is interesting is that there are some strong suggestions sites are sharing data on users via this software and the 3rd party of Iovation under the guise of "fraud prevention".  This would be borderline illegal in the UK if they are really using the data for other reasons.  If you perform a subject access request to a bookmaker they have to show you what data they have on you that you ask for.  They also have to tell you how they gathered it and who its been disclosed to etc (if you ask).  I think it would be interesting if this was pursued further.

If you were in any doubt btw as to how shady this software is the CEO and founder of Iovation who make this pos is Greg Pierson, ex chief and probable superuser of UB https://gregpiersoniovation.wordpress.com/cheating-overview/

[JoeBeevers]

Think it was Keith that started a thread about this a few years back, so they've been doing it a fair while.

I've got no idea, as I'm a bit of a fish regarding stuff like this... Yes, and lots of other stuff, Tikay

In this stuff, I am King Ice Cream, don't you worry 'bout that.

Remind me where this "Start" button is, & what a C drive is please.                                                       

Tony are you happy with your bookies knowing which train sites and tractor pictures you have been looking at though?
Are you happy about this level of intrusion?

iesnare, when installed on a computer, monitors that machine's behaviour, including:

- pages visited
- your computer's installation data
- information from your registry
- browser and operating system information

and a lot more besides.

Once it is on your machine, it feeds back data - lots of data, about lots of things - to iovation's central hub, and continues to monitor your machine's - and therefore your - activity in real time for the duration of its existence on the device.

[tikay]

Think it was Keith that started a thread about this a few years back, so they've been doing it a fair while.

I've got no idea, as I'm a bit of a fish regarding stuff like this... Yes, and lots of other stuff, Tikay

In this stuff, I am King Ice Cream, don't you worry 'bout that.

Remind me where this "Start" button is, & what a C drive is please.                                                        

Tony are you happy with your bookies knowing which train sites and tractor pictures you have been looking at though?
Are you happy about this level of intrusion?

iesnare, when installed on a computer, monitors that machine's behaviour, including:

- pages visited
- your computer's installation data
- information from your registry
- browser and operating system information

and a lot more besides.

Once it is on your machine, it feeds back data - lots of data, about lots of things - to iovation's central hub, and continues to monitor your machine's - and therefore your - activity in real time for the duration of its existence on the device.

I would not say I was "happy" about it Joe, but at my level of tech knowledge, there's nothing I can do about it.

I have 2 laptops, a Company one upon which I have no authority to mess under the bonnet, it simply won't let me without "Admin" approval, & a private laptop which is older than me & I've no idea how to work. I have an I-pad, too. So I'm buggered, really.

google & others do much the same, don't they? It's how the internet works, I guess.           

[Marky147]

I've always thought that someone has been able to see my holecards for the last few years...

[AlunB]

Isn't it just a cookie?

[tikay]

Isn't it just a cookie?

Pardon my ignorance, but when I open sites I often get a pop up thing that says "we use cookies, ok" or whatever.

What exactly is a cookie & what does it do?                           

[AlunB]

Just a small text file that stores details on your session on that site AFAIK. It's why some links show up as read etc.

[SuperJez]

Flash cookies have many times greater storage capacity than a normal cookie.  They also have complete access to your whole computer system no matter what browser installed them.  They do not ask for permission on install.  They do not expire and are not deleted when you delete cookies from your browser.

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/2653-An-Introduction-to-Flash-Cookies-How-to-Manage-Them