Facts about Free Software and Data Security Issues

Hi All,

We all are going behind the free softwares, but we don't know what is going on behind these softwares.. Just consider Fedora Linux , they are realing fedora before the Redhat enterpaise edition for checking or testing the working condition... (if u people noticed or not , when u r connecting to internet using fedora [i have tested 8, I am not sure about other release] , it will stream ur data over internet, check netstat).

Also lot of spywares and trojans will be bundled with those freeware softwares, antivirus softwares may not detect those spywares.. those spywares will collect your personal data (especially credit card no, netbanking credetials etc..) and send to the people who need it...

So beware of those applications.. try to use licenced softwares for the data safety..

I am expecting some comments on this....

With Warm Regards
Fazal C.A

Nothing in this world is free... So beware of the tricks behind those words...

The Linux community works very hard to keep their operating system and packaged software spyware free. You should not be finding any spyware in bundled linux distributions - if you do you should report it to that distro and to linux.org.

The spyware tends to come more from visiting malicious websites, applications that require you to install browser toolbars in order to run, certain free game sites or free calendar applications that require you to install activex components.

Also I must clarify for you - Fedora is Not Red Hat Enterprise. Fedora is a completely separately managed and coded Free distribution run by Red Hat. Red Hat used to release their distro under the name Red Hat and it was a general mainstream all purpose distribution. They decided it would be best to separate the server tasks from desktop tasks. Red Hat Enterprise is from the ground up coded as a server. Fedora from the ground up is coded as a mainstream desktop.

I use Fedora 10 on my PC, never find any such problem. It is safe to use Fedora or any other linux destro.

netstat may be showing the connection made by yum. I found few times, i makes too many connections.

I think it depends on the source, original distro may be clean but may be somebody recompiled it and included freebies (trojans) specially for you. :)

so be careful on friends.

I found this problem (data streaming) is on fedora 8. I think RedHat Enterprise distribution may be good ...

in fact I am linux lover and I am using unix for practicing my c programs etc .. but I dont like to stream my personal data over Internet..

So if anybody knows how to block those connection establishment .. please let me know.

Thanks in advance
Fazal C.A

1. look up what happens with wireshark
2. block with shorewall or iptables the ports you didn't want or just remove the belonging applications (if they aren't necessary)