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News
8-19-00 1:30 AM - Ah, blast! (used in favor of more four letter words) It turns out that the rumors I heard regarding an older "friendlier" version of Aureate/Radiate's software appear to be false. I reached this conclusion after posting for help on privacy and freeware forums and researching through reams of privacy/anti-spyware websites. I am sorry - you are stuck with the present version which is on my site, which relies on the hosts file.
8-6-00 4:30 PM - IrRadiate updated with new readme - Now uses the same HTML file you are viewing now. The information is the same, just delivered in a slightly more colorful format :-)
I have just learned that Aureate/Radiate provides their own solution for removing their software. They claim it works whereas everyone else's may not (Of course!) I have been remiss in not pointing that out on my site, so I have provided a link to their removal solution. Please consider it, and decide one way or the other on whether to use it.
7-29-00 11:00 PM - I may have found a way to block the spying without blocking the ads. To do this, I would make a program that would replace the advert.dll used by Aureate/Radiate with an older version that does not spy on you. I am aware that the ad-blocking is a popular feature, however, it is an unintended side-effect. Any new versions of IrRadiate that I can get to work with this idea will not block ads.
If you have any information on whether or not this is possible, please tell me.
7-29-00 10:00 PM - Apologies for the lack of updates. I have tested a few other programs that use Aureate/Radiate software, and I have not found any new servers that it attempts to contact. Therefore the list of servers does not need to be updated, as best as I can tell. If you believe otherwise, feel free to e-mail me and tell me what program is contacting what server. I will not just block a server because it contains the name "Aureate", I need to actually know that it is being contacted for the purposes of relaying personal information on you.
NOTICE - I would like to ask any user downloading the utility to please ensure that their own use of IrRadiate does not violate the EULAs of any spyware-dependent program. Remember, it is your choice to use IrRadiate (or any other spyware-blocking program). It is up to you to make sure you comply with any license agreements you may be bound by.
You should also know that IrRadiate has a side-effect: In addition to blocking the spyware from sending information about you without your permission to Aureate/Radiate, it also blocks the ads that spyware-dependent programs would normally display. I do not condone ad-blocking programs, and it was not my intention to create one. However, I don't see a way to block the spying without also blocking the advertisements. Just using the hosts file, this would be impossible. Anyone with information on how to do this, please contact me! :-)
7-16-00 7:00 PM - It has come to my attention that there are more servers that can be added to IrRadiate. As far as I can tell, Aureate/Radiate's spyware uses none of these servers.
I developed this program by testing two Aureate/Radiate programs, Net Vampire and News Shark, and watched what servers advert.dll connected to. None of the new servers are even mentioned in Aureate/Radiate's registry keys, but I may add these just in case. I will be releasing a new version of IrRadiate shortly that will contain any new servers that could be used by the spyware. Thank you for the feedback!
A note of caution: There ARE other spyware programs out there. My program has the very limited aim of blocking Aureate/Radiate's program. Just because I can block one set of spyware, however, doesn't mean I have blocked them all. While Aureate/Radiate's spyware is by far the most popular and ubiquitous, there are other programs developed for the same purpose that do this without your authorization. When I learn more about them, I can release a new version of my program that will combat these too.
7-16-00 8:00 AM - Minor site and documentation changes, added hyperlinks to terms in FAQ. I've noticed that people are downloading IrRadiate, but I have yet to receive much feedback so I assume everything is working OK :-)
7-15-00 2:30 AM - IrRadiate moves to new home at aardvarko.com!
7-14-00 11:30 PM - IrRadiate updated to v1.02 - See version history
7-14-00 11:00 PM - IrRadiate updated to v1.01 - See version history
7-14-00 7:00 PM - IrRadiate v1.00 released
IrRadiate 1.02 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
(c) Joren Combs 2000
http://www.aardvarko.com/joren/irradiate
What is this program for?
IrRadiate is a batch file designed to prevent the Aureate/Radiate "spyware" from sending any personal data from your computer to any of their servers.
What is "spyware"?
Spyware is any software which utilizes and monitors a user's Internet connection in the background without their knowledge or explicit permission.
Who is Aureate/Radiate?
Radiate is a company that owns Aureate, which controls its steadily growing database of consumer information gathered by using its "spyware" program. The company is referred to as Aureate/Radiate because the spyware goes by the name Aureate.
What does Aureate/Radiate's program do?
Aureate/Radiate has created a program designed to transmit personal information (Anything from surfing habits to what programs you have installed to who knows what else...) to their servers from your machine over the Internet. This software typically operates in the background and sometimes fails to notify the user when it is installed or in use. There are different versions with varying degrees of intrusiveness. Earlier versions existed just to display ads, whereas now we have versions that send information to Aureate/Radiate without our permission.
Has Aureate/Radiate provided any means of removing their spyware?
Yes, albeit not through the Windows Installer. They expect you to go to their site (http://www.radiate.com/privacy/remover.html and download their removal utility. All programs that use Aureate/Radiate will no longer work - They should be uninstalled. This is the most ethically correct option for removing their spyware. By doing this, you are the least likely to violate any software agreements. Alternatively, you can use another method to remove the Aureate files if you do not trust Aureate to do it for you. (More on this at a future date)
What does IrRadiate require?
IrRadiate works on any PC running Microsoft Windows. IrRadiate is expected to work on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000 (aka NT 5), and Windows Millenium. IrRadiate has been actually tested on Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 98. Feel free to test it on other configurations such as WINE, and send feedback on your experience and suggestions.
Does IrRadiate cost anything?
IrRadiate is freeware, released under the terms and conditions of the GNU General Public License, which is available at http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html. Feel free to use and distribute this program however you like, within the GPL.
How does the program operate?
IrRadiate is a batch file that adds a few lines to a file called hosts that is supported on every machine running Windows 95, Windows NT or better.
What is hosts?
Hosts is a file included with every version of Windows since 95 and NT. This file serves to redirect "names" such as localhost to IP addresses such as 127.0.0.1. This feature was intended for networks that did not support NetBIOS, so that by typing a computer's name, one could access the IP address as though NetBIOS was installed. However, it is still fully functional even on recent networks that support NetBIOS.
Using hosts, you can redirect all requests to a certain name (such as aim1.adsoftware.com) to an IP (such as 127.0.0.1), overriding any actual servers out there by that name. This means that IrRadiate can effectively block any attempts to reach Aureate/Radiate's servers by redirecting them to your IP address instead.
Why use my IP address?
Because by using another IP address, this program would risk sending packets to some innocent computer undeserving of this. When a computer receives enough packets, it can be overwhelmed in what is called an "attack". The author of this program has no wish to do this, so IrRadiate instead sends the packets to your own computer, which can deal with the minuscule traffic that Aureate/Radiate's spyware would produce. Furthermore, since it sends to ports on your computer which don't exist, your computer shouldn't suffer any load at all.
Why not just delete the spyware?
There is a popular program called OptOut (https://grc.com/optout.htm) that does just that. While it is free at the time of release, the author has indicated that by the end of August 2000 he intends to make it a commercial product.
There is a downside to deleting the spyware: Any programs that use it will not run. They typically crash with an error explaining that it could not find "advert.dll". There are so many popular programs such as Net Vampire and News Shark that use the spyware that are rendered inoperable without its presence on the system. IrRadiate allows these programs to remain functioning and yet does not let them send any information to Aureate/Radiate.
So the spyware is still storing information about me?
Yes, it is believed that it keeps the information in a file on your hard drive. While this file is never sent (and never can be sent) to anyone across the Internet, it does exist. Users worried about this are advised to use a program that completely removes the spyware.
Will Aureate/Radiate ever be able to get around IrRadiate?
Yes, most likely they can. It would require them to create new servers and then issue a new release of their spyware. Then you would have to download a program that uses it. Most likely the new servers would be blockable in a future release of IrRadiate. Be sure to check the website every so often for updates (http://www.aardvarko.com/joren/irradiate)
What ports does Aureate/Radiate's spyware use?
I am not certain which of these ports the spyware actually uses, however by scanning Aureate/Radiate's servers I was able to determine that the TCP/IP ports 1875 and 1975 were accepting connections. Firewall users, take note: For extra security, these can be blocked.
What lines does IrRadiate add to my hosts file?
IrRadiate adds these lines:
127.0.0.1 aim.adsoftware.com
127.0.0.1 aim1.adsoftware.com
127.0.0.1 aim2.adsoftware.com
127.0.0.1 aim3.adsoftware.com
127.0.0.1 aim4.adsoftware.com
127.0.0.1 aim5.adsoftware.com
127.0.0.1 aim.aureate.com
127.0.0.1 aim1.aureate.com
127.0.0.1 aim2.aureate.com
127.0.0.1 aim3.aureate.com
127.0.0.1 aim4.aureate.com
127.0.0.1 aim5.aureate.com
All of these servers have been obtained either by looking at the Registry keys that Aureate/Radiate uses and by using various net tools to obtain alternate server addresses. This attempts to block all servers that any current or past version of Aureate/Radiate's spyware use. Future versions of the Aureate/Radiate spyware are certainly capable of adding new servers.
How do I tell if IrRadiate is working?
When you run the program, IrRadiate runs a test after modifying the hosts file to determine if it is working or not. This test is in the simple format of a "ping" request that can be analyzed to determine whether your computer is capable of sending information to Aureate/Radiate. If the IP address (four numbers separated by periods) that is displayed is anything other than 127.0.0.1, then IrRadiate is NOT working and you need to tell me so I can figure out why :-)
Are there any known issues or bugs with IrRadiate?
Yes. The first issue has to do with how IrRadiate locates and adds to the hosts file. If you are a novice user, you shouldn't need to worry about it. In any event, IrRadiate's test will reveal whether or not it is doing its job. However, if you are an advanced user and have had reason to delete the hosts file, you should read on:
This program searches for an already existing hosts file. If the program doesn't find it, then it creates one in %windir%, ie. c:\Windows. If your operating system is not Win9x, then this doesn't work. However, this should not affect the average user, as WinNT/2000 comes with a hosts file already. I may add a workaround later.
What should I do if IrRadiate or any programs using the spyware request an Internet connection?
On many Windows machines, the computer tries to dial the Internet to access a server, even if it doesn't have to. For example, if IrRadiate connects to the Internet, that means it is trying to run the test detailed above. It need not actually send any ping or other information to Aureate/Radiate or indeed anyone else on the Internet. It is just a fact that your computer may ignorantly believe that it must dial the Internet when it doesn't have to.
However, it is recommended that you run IrRadiate while connected to the Internet. While not strictly necessary, it will assure you that it is working properly when the test succeeds. This means that you can be extra sure that no information is being sent to Aureate/Radiate when you use programs that use their spyware.
Does IrRadiate have a version history?
Yes, albeit a short one. Most of these modifications were made on the day of release:
1.00 - 7-14-00 - Initial release
1.01 - 7-14-00 - Corrected host file location and name for Win9x machines.
1.02 - 7-14-00 - Added ping test and runtime documentation. Added FAQ.
Who made this program?
IrRadiate is the creation of Joren Combs. Joren may be reached at JorenCombs@hotmail.com. Please visit http://www.aardvarko.com/joren for more information. Feedback on IrRadiate is welcome and appreciated.
Is there anyone the author wishes to thank?
aardvarko, for the inspiration and the name.
All parental units concerned in this transaction.
Is there any legal information that needs to be cleared up?
Yes. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure that he/she does not violate any license agreements with his/her use of IrRadiate. The author takes no responsibility whatsoever and will not be held legally liable for any undesirable consequences or other damage arising from use of this program.
The terms Aureate and Radiate are copyright Radiate. Windows is copyright Microsoft. OptOut is copyright Gibson Research Corperation. All other terms, trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. IrRadiate is in no way associated with or has any connection to the company Radiate or any of the other companies mentioned in this document.
The GNU General Public License is available in a file called gpl.txt that was distributed with IrRadiate.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place - Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307, USA.
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Page updated on August 6, 2000