Do You Ignore Your Software Security? Yes You Do!

The problem.

Of course, you also ignore the security of your software! In other words, unless you are one of the 0.1% of users who read the End User License Agreement (EULA, also known as Software License). Otherwise, well, then you sign contracts with blindfolded because this box full of legal mumbo jumbo when you install a program … yes, it’s a contract!

Software security would not be a problem if all software licenses were simple agreements setting reasonable terms of use. Unfortunately, most are long texts with legal jargon that leave those who read them overwhelmed and upset. Some contain terms that the ordinary user would object to if he recognized what he accepted. For example, in addition to protection against piracy, many software licenses now grant the software company the right to collect information from your computer and send it automatically to the software vendor. Some, especially software licenses for free software, contain clauses stating that you agree to the installation of additional software that you do not want, including unwanted spyware or adware. As a result, we can assume that the free software is to blame for all the bad things that have happened. However, is it not the end user who does not read the legal content, whose fault is it?

In any case, people do not read the EULA. When you download and install software, we are usually curious to know what the new software will bring. This EULA is just one more thing you need to waste time on, as it is usually not readable quickly, and therefore not read at all. But in fact, the next thought that arises is: what did you accept when you clicked, I agree?

Especially with free software, the problem can be even more serious. Freeware is not always free. Of course, it is not free reverse engineering, modification or redistribution of free software, but there is also the type of free software disguised as advertising software or even as spyware.

An example.

Remember about 5 years ago, when Gator sparked a storm of protest. The GAIN Publishing End User License Agreement stated that the user automatically agreed to the GAIN AdServer software installation upon acceptance of the EULA. For example, the software license gave the company permission to install software that collected certain identifiable information about web browsing and computer use. This software came immediately with the free software and was installed in the same process. In the end, this resulted in all types of ads being displayed on the user’s computer.

Next, the EULA mentioned that Gator had even banned the use of popular uninstall programs for its own tools, which countless people trusted to remove unwanted content from their machines. But also, users were prohibited from using devices such as Web-based or similar monitoring programs on GAIN AdServer and its messages, thereby eliminating any possible control. Obviously, these clauses are no longer related to software crack protection and are more than a bridge too far away for many users.

So, if everything is specified in the product software license, this is also what can help you decide what you want to install or not! In fact, in particular, the balancing of software at the borders of legal borders will try to correct what is not quite correct. And you guessed it: this is what is most often revealed in the EULA.