NOD32 Privacy Risk

[jvincini25]

I decided to buy nod32.

I wondered why the product was not sold in stores with other antivirus
programs. I thought that strange for a mass market product.

I went to their web site and when I got to their payment options, I
discovered they took credit cards only, no payments by mail.

I started to write them a letter and discovered that they list no
names of company management on their web site.

It appears that you cannot buy the product without giving them a way
to know who you are and relate you by name and address to your copy of
the product.

Because of the access this product gets to my computer, that is an
unacceptable privacy risk for me.

 

[R. Dave Lambert]

I decided to buy nod32.

I went to their web site and when I got to their payment options, I
discovered they took credit cards only, no payments by mail.

<snip>
I have been using NOD32 for 3 years now - IMHO it is excellent.
However the most frustrating part of using it is the process of
renewing each year. I too do not like giving out my credit card
info all over the net. Would sure like Eset to accept Paypal!

R. Dave Lambert
(e-mail address removed)
(e-mail address removed)
49.1367° N 122.8777° W

 

[kurt wismer]

I decided to buy nod32.

I wondered why the product was not sold in stores with other antivirus
programs. I thought that strange for a mass market product.

there are dozens and dozens of anti-virus/anti-malware products out
there, but stores generally only carry the leading brands because
shelf-space is a precious commodity for them...

I went to their web site and when I got to their payment options, I
discovered they took credit cards only, no payments by mail.

I started to write them a letter and discovered that they list no
names of company management on their web site.

It appears that you cannot buy the product without giving them a way
to know who you are and relate you by name and address to your copy of
the product.

Because of the access this product gets to my computer, that is an
unacceptable privacy risk for me.

so let me get this straight - you want to do anonymous payment? which av
vendors support that?

 

[Wasted]

I decided to buy nod32.

I wondered why the product was not sold in stores with other antivirus
programs. I thought that strange for a mass market product.

I went to their web site and when I got to their payment options, I
discovered they took credit cards only, no payments by mail.

I started to write them a letter and discovered that they list no
names of company management on their web site.

It appears that you cannot buy the product without giving them a way
to know who you are and relate you by name and address to your copy of
the product.

Because of the access this product gets to my computer, that is an
unacceptable privacy risk for me.

Your loss, a tremendous product

 

[tom]

so let me get this straight - you want to do anonymous payment? which
av vendors support that?

The ones you purchase from at a brick&mortor store and pay cash for. But I
don't really understand the issue. I seldom know the people I purchase items
from whether it's on line or anywhere else. When you hand over a CC in a
restaurant and it disappears you have no idea who's viewing it. I'd rather
dispute a purchase through a CC than a cash transaction anyway.

 

[jvincini25]

Somebody wrote:

The ones you purchase from at a brick&mortor store and pay cash for. But I
don't really understand the issue. I seldom know the people I purchase items
from whether it's on line or anywhere else. When you hand over a CC in a
restaurant and it disappears you have no idea who's viewing it. I'd rather
dispute a purchase through a CC than a cash transaction anyway.

When you pay cash at a store and identify yourself to the AV vendor
only by email, the AV vendor has no easy way of knowing who you are.
It could trace your IP address through your ISP, but that is not an
easy way bureaucratically.

When the AV vendor has your credit card, it has a name and can get
your physical address.

It can link them to your system through the key that identifies the
download associated with that transaction when you update.

Through updates, AV vendors, like M$,can put anything and access
anything not password protected on your computer without your
knowledge.

If you are an executive with inside information on pending deals
worried about them getting out or negotiating them and subject to
extortion, or an opponent of a political regime, be it Bush or Burma,
you have to be concerned about what an AV product could do.

AV products create special risks in this regard because of their
frequency of update compare with other software you use.

While you can't make it impossible for someone to invade your system
who has economic or political reason to do so, you can at least make
them have to work to do it.

 

[Kerry Brown]

there are dozens and dozens of anti-virus/anti-malware products out there,
but stores generally only carry the leading brands because shelf-space is
a precious commodity for them...

With large chain stores you have to pay to get your product on their
shelves. It's all about who offers the most kickbacks and who gets the
kickbacks. It doesn't matter much about popularity or leading brands.

 

[Ed Hinckley]

I decided to buy nod32.

I wondered why the product was not sold in stores with other antivirus
programs. I thought that strange for a mass market product.

I went to their web site and when I got to their payment options, I
discovered they took credit cards only, no payments by mail.

I started to write them a letter and discovered that they list no
names of company management on their web site.

It appears that you cannot buy the product without giving them a way
to know who you are and relate you by name and address to your copy of
the product.

Because of the access this product gets to my computer, that is an
unacceptable privacy risk for me.

If you want a copy of nod32, you can now buy a retail box at MicroCenter. Or
find a local nod32 reseller and pay by check. However the reseller will be
required to enter client address, phone and e-mail in the database at ESET.
So your best bet is the retail box, given your requirements.

----
Disclaimer: I do resell nod32 to my clients in Colorado. I am not interested
in selling outside my own driving area, where I can provide personal
support.
Ed Hinckley
Hinckley's Hyperlinks

 

[Stephen D. Salmon]

If you want a copy of nod32, you can now buy a retail box at MicroCenter. Or
find a local nod32 reseller and pay by check. However the reseller will be
required to enter client address, phone and e-mail in the database at ESET.
So your best bet is the retail box, given your requirements.

----
Disclaimer: I do resell nod32 to my clients in Colorado. I am not interested
in selling outside my own driving area, where I can provide personal
support.
Ed Hinckley
Hinckley's Hyperlinks

After using ESET's NOD32 for about 6 years I was startled about 6
weeks ago to see it on the shelf at Micro Center in SW suburban
Chicago. A store clerk advised me they had heard so many customers
praise the product that Micro Center Corporate front office finally
appoached ESET and begged (and got!) permission to sell the product in
their stores. At least that's the story I got. Here's the link
proving they carry it.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0255176

Stever

 

[gmanukco]

I decided to buy nod32.

I wondered why the product was not sold in stores with other antivirus
programs. I thought that strange for a mass market product.

I went to their web site and when I got to their payment options, I
discovered they took credit cards only, no payments by mail.

I started to write them a letter and discovered that they list no
names of company management on their web site.

It appears that you cannot buy the product without giving them a way
to know who you are and relate you by name and address to your copy of
the product.

Because of the access this product gets to my computer, that is an
unacceptable privacy risk for me.

Many of their resellers take payments via mail - one comes to mind:

http://www.betterantivirus.com

and paypal - and google checkout.