I had a
few people email me with regards to
the Alexa Registry Key (Spyware) that
Chris B. submitted yesterday. RE:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\software\microsoft\internet
explorer\extensions\{c95fe080-8f5d-11d2-a20b-00aa003c157a}
Question: Is this registry key Spyware or not?
Answer:
There is much debate. Let me try to outline some of the issues:
1. It has been said that the "Spyware" part of the tool will only activate if you choose to
use the Alexa tool provided in Internet Explorer. Long story short:
you can't activate the Spyware component used in Alexa if you don't use the
Alexa tool.
You have the ability to change this (see below).
2. Spyware software is considered "Spyware" because reports of your
online (Internet) activity are sent to a central computer without you
knowing about it. The question is: did you know that Alexa was
actively requesting information about you when you used the Alexa component
which has been incorporated in Internet Explorer?
Most users will say, "No, I didn't know that was happening."
Therefore, some users feel that this would qualify the Alexa feature as
being Spyware.
The fact is that this feature has been well-documented, whether you know
about it or not.
3. There is confusion about the registry key when comparing it to
the Alexa Toolbar. These are, infact,
two
different items. This registry key is often simply called Alexa,
but that is wrong for two reasons:
- Simply calling the registry key "Alexa" would mix it up with the
Alexa Toolbar, and
- This registry key was not created by Alexa. It is a Microsoft Internet
Explorer key that points to a Microsoft DLL and a local Microsoft HTML
file. The later redirects to a online MS page, and only that page
redirects to the Alexa search engine.
Question: Is it safe to remove this key from the registry?
Answer: Yes, but there is a better way around that: just
change your Internet Explorer setting to use Google as the Related Links feature, instead of MSN search which points to Alexa. If you
use this method, Google will NOT point to Alexa (as MSN search does).
Capiche?
Instructions are directly below.
How to remove MSN Search + Alexa "related links" tool from Internet Explorer and replace
it with Google
This suggestion was sent in by Carl S., who pointed me to
imilly.com. Here is the
info (slightly modified):
As stated above a few paragraphs above, the existing Alexa / Show Related Links is
infact a
Windows Registry key, which creates
a menu item in Internet Explorer. This menu item points to a local web page
file on your system, which points
to an MSN search page, which uses the Alexa engine. It looks something
like this:
Windows Registry Key -> a HTML file on your computer -> MSN search ->
Alexa
If you change the Related Links feature to use Google, you are removing
the "link" to point to Alexa:
Windows Registry Key -> a HTML file on your computer -> Google
If you have used the Related Links feature at least once, the HTML file
will be created on your hard drive and will point to
http://related.msn.com/related.asp?url=. Assuming that this file is on your
computer:
- Open C:\Windows\Web\Related.htm in Notepad.
- Change:
RelatedServiceURL="ttp://related.msn.com/related.asp?url=";
To:
RelatedServiceURL="http://www.google.com/search?q=related:+";
- Save the file.
- If you attempt to modify this file and you can't save it, it is most
likely because the file is "write protected". You can reset the
"read-only" attribute to writable by double-clicking on My Computer, then
go to C:\Windows\Web, right click on Related.htm and select
Properties. Uncheck the "Read Only" flag, and Apply.
One last comment
Your settings
for the "Related Links" feature will be lost if you upgrade Internet Explorer at any time
(example: upgrade to Windows XP service pack 1). Keep that in mind
when you upgrade Windows using the
Windows Update web site.
