Technology

I don't remember the superfish scandal, had never heard of it actually. Thank you telling me about it though, I was a child when this was a thing. Looks like it came out in 2015 and settled in 2017. That's not recent. Thank you again, I'm glad to know this, and won't think of Lenovo when suggesting laptops again.

I can understand the aggression you're giving me seeing as how you're being downvoted for something which may be a legitimate concern. I'm sorry for that, and would like to confirm I've not been participating. (Edit: sorry, you're not bigfig. This apology was to them) My thanks was honest. Though, I cannot see the link to it being a "chinease spyware" situation. Would you be able to provide links for that one? I see superfish is and was headquartered in california. What makes it chinease?

Edit: @Brunbrun6766@lemmy.world would you be able to advise? (BigFig)

For the lazy, here's some excerpts from a PCWORLD article:

According to the FTC, the software allowed VisualDiscovery to see all of a consumer’s sensitive personal information transmitted over the Internet, including log-in information, Social Security numbers, and more

In 2015, Lenovo CTO Peter Hortensius called the decision to use Superfish a “significant mistake.”

(Big whoopsy daisy, we sent all your personal information to an add company, we really ballsed this one up)

For 20 years, Lenovo will be required to put in place a “comprehensive software security program for most consumer software preloaded on its laptop,” subject to external audits, the FTC said. If Lenovo does put adware onto its laptops, it must “get consumers’ affirmative consent,” it added.

Wow, maybe that one shouldn't be limited to 20 years. Maybe that one shouldn't be limited to lenovo, huh

According to McSweeny, VisualDiscovery and its Superfish software “would alter the very Internet experience for which most consumers buy a computer,” she wrote.

I assume for the better right guys? right?

According to McSweeny, the Superfish software slowed Internet browsing, specifically downstream traffic by 25 percent and uploads by as much as 125 percent. In addition to simply slowing browser speeds, VisualDiscovery also used an insecure method to replace digital certificates, exposing users to risk and preventing their browsers from warning them that the website they were visiting could have been spoofed. And on every e-commerce site, VisualDiscovery’s software would display ads.

That ones fun

Here's the original article for the curious: https://www.pcworld.com/article/407332/lenovos-superfish-bloatware-scandal-reveals-a-sneaky-tactic-we-thought-microsoft-had-started.html