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Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:03   #1
Toby Jugg
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Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

After finding my search option redirected to a VM search page, a little investigation found that VM had actually managed to inflict a change on my browsers settings. Note this effected a change to browser settings on my machine.
This view has been effectively confirmed as correct by VM support.
An opt-out option is on the page you end up on, but VM impose the change and expect you to find it and opt out.

This is the latest in the VM/phorm/data rape your customers saga.

http://www.virginmedia.com/myvirginm...r/feedback.php
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:08   #2
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

im not supprised, i was using opendns in my router (altho this has been turned off last month due to net speeds ) and well i have not had those pages appear yet.

so all those that hate it use open dns to save yourself the hassle, its also great thing that protects you and family you can config parental controls and restrictions. we use opendns at work also which filters out social networking sites etc...
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:10   #3
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

I saw this earlier and as a result checked out my registry and browser and nothing there mentioning a ryanvm (might have it wrong but had it correct when I checked) entry.

I also tried browsing to see if I got the adavanced DNS search thing and I did, still without any changes to registry or browser, so I went to the page you've linked to and opted out.

Is it a security weakness in certain browsers that's allowing it to be so easily compromised?
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:11   #4
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Not a change to your browsers settings. It's a change in how Virgin handle DNS lookups or rather DNS lookups that aren't successfull. As far as I can tell, and I haven't proved this. Use the opendns service you won't get this.
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:13   #5
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Over react much?
Ok, so VM have introduced this change, you can opt out via the link that you posted.
Reading through the info, it says that it only kicks in when you misstype a url, not on any sort of search (or browser settings) as it works via DNS.
So calm down & opt out.
Thanks for the link tho.
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:14   #6
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Does it really matter?
Doesn't OpenDNS do the same thing or something similar?
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:16   #7
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

It's just them sending you too a VM Page when a DNS Results aint found..
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:28   #8
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Quote:
Originally Posted by moaningmags View Post
Does it really matter?
Doesn't OpenDNS do the same thing or something similar?
instead of using virginmedias DNS tables it uses its own one, and you can customise it (block sites etc..) and also very good for the family (especially when you got the little ones) when you don't want them to go on any offensive websites. (bit like using a parental control program)
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:34   #9
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

iv opted out just because i never use the address bar i do my stuff on google lol
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Old 14-08-2009, 00:42   #10
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Can a mod change the title? It's a bit like being in Eastenders here sometimes!
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Old 14-08-2009, 01:00   #11
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

I opted out as I object to VM making even more money out of me. I already pay full price for my BB via my subscription.

In any case such "value added services" should be OPT IN not opt out.

Still no one expects slime ball companies who stealthily steal and no doubt sell our click stream data to play by the rules.
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Old 14-08-2009, 01:07   #12
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mick Fisher View Post
I opted out as I object to VM making even more money out of me. I already pay full price for my BB via my subscription.
And by Virgin making money out this, then its a way of keeping your subscription price down.

Quote:
Still no one expects slime ball companies who stealthily steal and no doubt sell our click stream data to play by the rules.
And what exactly do you mean by stealthily steal? As far as I can see Virgin have been quite upfront about this
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Old 14-08-2009, 01:09   #13
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Quote:
Still no one expects slime ball companies who stealthily steal and no doubt sell our click stream data to play by the rules.
Just what is the issue? It's not like, they installed a KeyLogger and are logging all of your strokes and taking screenshots and storing them on a remote server are they?

Jasus, talk about over acting. You need to seriously think about what your saying here chap..
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Old 14-08-2009, 01:11   #14
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

Just looked at the OpenDNS site and they frequently suggest that you will get faster DNS lookups. Can anyone confirm that, as it seems unlikely that a lookup from OpenDNS in San Francisco (if the geolocation was right) 10 hops away is going to be faster than the virgin server sitting 5 hops away (194.84.4.100) and significantly closer.

(I know this wasn't the original point of this thread, just wondering if anyone is getting faster)

As to the original point, I rarely get addresses wrong, otherwise I would be googling anyway.
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Old 14-08-2009, 01:15   #15
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Re: Virgin Media Hijack customers browser search options

I have google as my home page and as my default search engine and just about everytime I open my browser I either go to a site from my favourites or I google it.
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