Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

[pauldoty]

I have a runtime that accesses the net
when I run it. Do Autoplay runtimes need
to access the net and if they do are we able
to stop it as it may make some people
uncomfortable who are playing my disk.

Thanks,

Paul

[eric_darling]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

I'd be curious to get an answer about this too. Zone Alarm Pro reports it every single time.

[Corey]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

Do Autoplay runtimes need
to access the net

No they don't.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[pauldoty]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

Corey,

When I make a simple text box with nothing else in the build it tries to access the net when I run it.

I am using Zone Alarm and it pops up a dialog box asking whether to give permission to the autorun.exe to access the net.

If a customer runs this on their machine they might think I'm trying to doing something on their machine that's invading their privacy.

I hope I'm wrong because people get nervous when programs are trying to phone home.

Thanks,

Paul

[ovm]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

OK, regarding to my earlier post: why does it want to??

Also the install (Setup factory) causes warnings about the willing to access the internet!!

[ovm]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

And my "spyware" watcher (pest patrol) interupts the setup with a warning!

[Corey]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

Like I said "No it doesn't". Not sure how many ways that can be interpreted. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[pauldoty]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

Corey,

Do you know what would cause Zone Alarm to say that the autorun is trying to access the net? I believe you that it doesn't but regardless, if a customer sees a popular firewall trying to access the net when it's run, they are going to think the autorun is possibly sending personal info somewhere.

Since mine is not the only one doing this, I don't think it's my system. I just want to be able to answer a potential customer who may be concerned.

Thanks,

Paul

[Worm]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

It seems that AMS is making a request for DNS on build. It has been mentioned that it is possible that this happens when AMS populates the runtime variables.

Heres what I've done to test this theory. I run a Linksys Wireless router with DHCP. If I let my machine pull the DNS info from the router, the AMS build will make a DNS request.

If I change the DNS Server to the IP address of my router, then AMS doesn't make a request to the internet. Of course I have my local subnet set as a trusted range.

Remember that Windows 2000 and XP use DNS to resolve machine names, so it wouldn't be suprising to see an app make a request to a DNS server. Once the DNS query times out, 2000 and XP will default back to Netbios.

[pauldoty]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

Worm,

I was just noticing that Zone Alarm showed the DNS reference. Bear with me a little bit here... In laymens terms (ignorant)...When a program references DNS...what does that actually mean? If a customer says to me..your app is calling out to the web....Is a DNS reference not really accessing the web the way most people think of it?

Thanks,

Paul

[pauldoty]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

Is it because WIN 2000/XP use DNS to reference other computers on the build so ZoneAlarm is inaccurately saying it's accessing the web when in fact it's accessing a computer when it runs? If you were running the runtime on a 98/ME system then it would not show because those OSs don't use DNS the same?

Thanks,

Paul

[Worm]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

It is my belief that that is the scenario. I don't have a Win9x box to test it on or I would. If someone is running a Win9x box and ZoneAlarm, it'd be interesting to here your results.

As for a machine checking DNS. Yes, it is an actual call to the internet IF your DNS server is not local. Most of the time, it (the DNS server) will not be local.

[Corey]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

I have no idea, I'm just repeating what I have seen the dev team post. I know less than nothing about networking.

Corey Milner
Creative Director, Indigo Rose Software

[pauldoty]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

My main question is are we able to find a way to stop the runtime in any way from referencing DNS? If you were not connected to the web it would just time out anyway. I wonder if there might be a way to trick it to not doing that or is it a shell kind of thing that anything we might put in would have no bearing on it?

I just think that most people would be wary of a program that at least had the appearance of phoning home....unless it's a Microsoft product (which they would expect)....although Flash MX accesses the net whenever it's started.....and alot of progs are starting to do it also.

[Worm]

Re: Do Autoplay runtimes access the net?

I don't know of any way around it.

Again, this is only speculation, I can't gaurantee any of this. It's merely my observation after coming across the same issue.