SpectorSoft
Encyclopedia
SpectorSoft is a software manufacturer that develops and sells stealth computer surveillance
tools and spyware
.
Spector Pro for Mac – Nearly identical to Spector Pro fro Windows, except that it monitors and records activity on Macintosh systems.
eBlaster – Recording capabilities very similar to Spector Pro with the exception that it can email all activity to a remote location.
eBlaster for Mac – Recording capabilities very similar to Spector Pro with the exception that it can email all activity from a Mac to a remote location.
eBlaster Mobile for Android or BlackBerry – Monitors and Protects Children on Their Android or BlackBerry Phone
Spector CNE Investigator – Identical to Spector Pro, but includes network installation, configuration, deployment and reviewable recordings, aimed at corporate use.
Spector 360 – Includes the features of Spector Pro and Spector CNE Investigator, but can create graphs and statistics from the recorded data, using an SQL database.
In 2004, version 5.0 of Spector Pro was again given the editors choice award from a field four programs.
In 2008 Spector 360 SR3 won Editors' Choice by PC Magazine.
In 2004, SpectorSoft was listed for the first time as one of Inc. Magazine's Top 500 fastest-growing private companies in America. Position achieved was No. 224..
The company achieved a position on the list once again in 2005 at No. 497th.
.
In 2009 SpectorSoft made the list of Inc. 5000 Companies at number 3340
.
In 2010 and 2011 SpectorSoft again made the Inc. Magazine 500/5000 list.
Spectorsoft products have been mentioned in many well known media outlets, including ZDNET
, PC/Computing
, Time Magazine, CNN
, NBC
Nightly News, The New York Times
and The Wall Street Journal
.
hacker/cyber-crime tool.
In 2002, Spectorsoft advertised on the Netbus website "Netbus Users: Upgrade to Spector Professional Edition today".
This could help prevent online predator
s from targeting the children. This is legal since minors have no legal right to privacy from their parents. However Spectorsoft actively promote their software as "Spy Software" that will enable a review of the child's private communication while the monitored child itself will be unable to notice that it's communication is made subject to possible illegitimate third party acquisition. In opposition to other software products that rely only on non-secret monitoring or filtering this approach inherently breaches the child's possibilities of self-protection. This may be especially important as the vast majority of offenders in Child sexual abuse
cases were found to be from the victim's direct surroundings thus "online predators" are in the minority compared to offenders with possible physical access to the child's computer.
There are, however, still privacy concerns over things like personal email
Spectorsoft software contains an EULA which specifies installation must only be on machines owned by the licensee. The EULA also indicates that SpectorSoft will only cooperate with law enforcement when compelled to do so.
For example, a man from Michigan who installed eBlaster on a partner's personal computer was charged with four felony counts, facing up to five years in prison and $19,000 in fines.
.
Spectorsoft openly advertise that their tools will record all of a user's passwords.
There have been recorded cases of this happening.
The software products utilise rootkit
s to avoid detection by users, actively combat anti-spyware software by mutating and recreating file names and registry keys.
Most AV and anti-spyware vendors will not detect SpectorSoft products, since they are considered legitimately purchased software.
Computer surveillance
Computer surveillance is the act of performing surveillance of computer activity, and of data stored on a hard drive or being transferred over the Internet....
tools and spyware
Spyware
Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
.
Products
Spector Pro – Monitoring software that is capable of recording virtually all computer and Internet activity on the Windows PC on which it is installed.Spector Pro for Mac – Nearly identical to Spector Pro fro Windows, except that it monitors and records activity on Macintosh systems.
eBlaster – Recording capabilities very similar to Spector Pro with the exception that it can email all activity to a remote location.
eBlaster for Mac – Recording capabilities very similar to Spector Pro with the exception that it can email all activity from a Mac to a remote location.
eBlaster Mobile for Android or BlackBerry – Monitors and Protects Children on Their Android or BlackBerry Phone
Spector CNE Investigator – Identical to Spector Pro, but includes network installation, configuration, deployment and reviewable recordings, aimed at corporate use.
Spector 360 – Includes the features of Spector Pro and Spector CNE Investigator, but can create graphs and statistics from the recorded data, using an SQL database.
Awards/Distinctions
Spector Pro was given the editors choice award in a 2002 review of six computer activity monitoring tools.In 2004, version 5.0 of Spector Pro was again given the editors choice award from a field four programs.
In 2008 Spector 360 SR3 won Editors' Choice by PC Magazine.
In 2004, SpectorSoft was listed for the first time as one of Inc. Magazine's Top 500 fastest-growing private companies in America. Position achieved was No. 224..
The company achieved a position on the list once again in 2005 at No. 497th.
.
In 2009 SpectorSoft made the list of Inc. 5000 Companies at number 3340
.
In 2010 and 2011 SpectorSoft again made the Inc. Magazine 500/5000 list.
Spectorsoft products have been mentioned in many well known media outlets, including ZDNET
ZDNet
ZDNet is a business technology news website published by CBS Interactive, along with TechRepublic and SmartPlanet. The brand was founded on April 1, 1991 as a general interest technology portal from Ziff Davis and evolved into an enterprise IT-focused online publication owned by CNET...
, PC/Computing
PC/Computing
PC/Computing was a monthly Ziff Davis publication that for most of its run focused on publishing reviews of IBM-compatible hardware and software and tips and reference information for users of such software and hardware.Established under the guidance of founding publisher and columnist Michael...
, Time Magazine, CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
Nightly News, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal is an American English-language international daily newspaper. It is published in New York City by Dow Jones & Company, a division of News Corporation, along with the Asian and European editions of the Journal....
.
Netbus connection
Spectorsoft purchased the former website of the NetbusNetBus
NetBus or Netbus is a software program for remotely controlling a Microsoft Windows computer system over a network. It was created in 1998 and has been very controversial for its potential of being used as a backdoor....
hacker/cyber-crime tool.
In 2002, Spectorsoft advertised on the Netbus website "Netbus Users: Upgrade to Spector Professional Edition today".
Users
The target audiences for SpectorSoft products are parents who want to monitor the activity of their children on the home PC and employers who want to record daily activities their employees have on the company owned workstations.Parents
Parents use Spectorsoft's monitoring software to check their children's internet use.This could help prevent online predator
Online predator
An online predator is an adult Internet user who exploits vulnerable children or teens, usually for sexual or other abusive purposes.Online victimization of minors can include child grooming, requests to engage in sexual activities or discussions by an adult, unwanted exposure to sexual material ,...
s from targeting the children. This is legal since minors have no legal right to privacy from their parents. However Spectorsoft actively promote their software as "Spy Software" that will enable a review of the child's private communication while the monitored child itself will be unable to notice that it's communication is made subject to possible illegitimate third party acquisition. In opposition to other software products that rely only on non-secret monitoring or filtering this approach inherently breaches the child's possibilities of self-protection. This may be especially important as the vast majority of offenders in Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
cases were found to be from the victim's direct surroundings thus "online predators" are in the minority compared to offenders with possible physical access to the child's computer.
Employers
Employers may choose to monitor their employees using SpectorSoft software to prevent theft of intellectual property, and to ensure employees are using their computers only in appropriate ways.There are, however, still privacy concerns over things like personal email
Educators
Educators, School Administrators and School Districts are required to protect students from online predators (CIPA & FERPA). Most schools use Blocking and Filtering solutions which may block sites needed for research or not block new sites that have not yet been included in the filtering solution. Spector 360 works with Filters to provide an additional layer of protection. Spector 360 also helps keep students on-task by providing teachers and technology coordinators with reports and charts that show what web sites students visit and how long they spent on each. Keyword alerts let lab instructors or IT administrators see who may be violating a school's Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).Illegal
Some of Spectorsoft's tools, especially eBlaster can be used for criminal activities, and there have been several convictions for such misuse.Spectorsoft software contains an EULA which specifies installation must only be on machines owned by the licensee. The EULA also indicates that SpectorSoft will only cooperate with law enforcement when compelled to do so.
Spouses
Spectorsoft has marketed its spy software to people wanting to catch their spouses cheating. However, in the face of criminal charges and negative publicity, Spectorsoft no longer markets its products to spouses. There is however nothing to stop a spouse from using the products illegally.For example, a man from Michigan who installed eBlaster on a partner's personal computer was charged with four felony counts, facing up to five years in prison and $19,000 in fines.
.
Thieves
Since SpectorSoft software is specifically designed to be difficult to detect and remove, the tools (especially eBlaster) can be used by thieves who wish to steal credit card information, banking information, and passwords. Installation of the software can occur without the user's knowledge or permission.Spectorsoft openly advertise that their tools will record all of a user's passwords.
There have been recorded cases of this happening.
Spyware Classification
Spectorsoft have previously marketed their software as "Spyware", and it is listed as "critical" or "high risk" by several anti-virus/anti-spyware software vendorsThe software products utilise rootkit
Rootkit
A rootkit is software that enables continued privileged access to a computer while actively hiding its presence from administrators by subverting standard operating system functionality or other applications...
s to avoid detection by users, actively combat anti-spyware software by mutating and recreating file names and registry keys.
Most AV and anti-spyware vendors will not detect SpectorSoft products, since they are considered legitimately purchased software.
See also
- SpywareSpywareSpyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's...
- Employee monitoring softwareEmployee monitoring softwareEmployee monitoring software is a means of employee monitoring, and allows company administrators to monitor and supervise all their employee computers from a central location...
- Computer surveillanceComputer surveillanceComputer surveillance is the act of performing surveillance of computer activity, and of data stored on a hard drive or being transferred over the Internet....
- Keystroke loggingKeystroke loggingKeystroke logging is the action of tracking the keys struck on a keyboard, typically in a covert manner so that the person using the keyboard is unaware that their actions are being monitored...
- Online predatorOnline predatorAn online predator is an adult Internet user who exploits vulnerable children or teens, usually for sexual or other abusive purposes.Online victimization of minors can include child grooming, requests to engage in sexual activities or discussions by an adult, unwanted exposure to sexual material ,...