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"Hewlett-Packard Co. admitted several years ago to using Web bugs to spy on reporters during an internal investigation of news media leaks by board members."
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IN THIS ISSUE:
> Word of the Day: Web bug
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TODAY'S WORD
Web bug
A Web bug, also known as a Web beacon, is a file object that is placed on a Web page or in an e-mail message to monitor user behavior. Unlike a cookie, which can be accepted or declined by a browser user, a Web bug arrives as just another GIF or other file object. It can usually only be detected if the user looks at the source version of the page to find a tag that loads from a different Web server than the rest of the page. Although proponents of Internet privacy object to the use of Web bugs in general, most concede that Web bugs can be put to positive use, for example to track copyright violations on the Web. According to Richard M. Smith, a Web bug can gather the following statistics: - The IP address of the computer that fetched the Web bug.
- The URL of the page that the Web bug is located on.
- The URL of the Web bug image.
- The time the Web bug was viewed.
- The type of browser that fetched the Web bug image.
- A previously set cookie value.
Web bugs are often used by spammers to validate e-mail addresses. When a recipient opens an email message that includes a Web bug, information returned to the sender indicates that the message has been opened, which confirms that the email address is valid.
MORE INFO:
> Knowprivacy.org is dedicated to informing consumers about online threats to privacy.
> Wikipedia has an entry about Web bugs.
> President Obama's new White House website has been criticized for using a WebTrends web bug without notifying visitors.
LEARNING CENTER
Tech Trivia
Why is image-based spam worse than text-based spam?
Answer
Writing for Business
According to some privacy experts, Google's use of Web bugs violates the company's __________ injunction against "being evil."
a. long standing
b. long-standing
Which is correct?
Secret Word of the Day
Web bugs in email messages are ineffective if you only allow mail to display in this format. What's the secret word?
Answer
Acronym Challenge
Web bugs are often implemented as GIFs. What does GIF stand for?
a. General Image Format
b. Graphics Interchange Format
Answer
RECENT ADDITIONS AND UPDATES
Sister CISA CISSP: Web bugs
The Sister CISA CISSP blog covers Web bugs and other security risks.
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