Program Phoning Home

[tential]

I want to use this program
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/639257/ptpstat/index.html
To collect data from websites I am a member of. However I can't figure out if it phones home login infos. It says that you open up a browser inside the program (ie based) that you then go to the websites you are a member of and login. Afterwards it's able to autocollect the info everytime if you like. A couple of people have used the program and say it works well. However the maker could simply just be waiting until it is extremely popular before hacking each person account. Is there anyway to check this?

Thanks!

Not a programming question. Moved to Software for Windows.

Markbnj
Programming Moderator

 

[Crusty]

Open up a packet sniffer like Wireshark on your computer as you browse to the sites and put in your info. You'll need to know a little bit about TCP/IP to decipher the output, but it will definitely tell you. You can also check the output of netstat to see if said program is connecting to servers other then the ones you are browsing to.

One thing to be weary of is if the program only sends the info back on a set interval(like every night at 11PM).

As a side note, I wouldn't trust any third party program with sensitive information unless I have the source code for the program and can verify myself that nothing harmful is being done with it.

 

[Alienwho]

Use a firewall that detects and prompts for outbound connections. If you never get a prompt, it's not phoning home. If you do get a prompt, deny it.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Originally posted by: Alienwho
Use a firewall that detects and prompts for outbound connections. If you never get a prompt, it's not phoning home. If you do get a prompt, deny it.

ZoneAlarm (Free) will do this for you.