# Is Kazaa STILL full of Spyware? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465 "2002-04-30T13:24:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/1 "2002-04-30T13:24:20Z")
I used Morpheus, which was great. Then dubious things happened and now it’s GNU, but not so good. Kazaa was full of spyware (ugh). Is that still true? I don’t want to spend time (hours, probably) cleaning out all the little programs Kazaa installs without asking but I want the functionality of the old Morpheus… Help! ---
**Author:** ![Why\_A\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/13edae/32.png) [@Why\_A\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_A_Duck)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/2 "2002-04-30T13:35:54Z")
From what I’ve heard, it’s not only still chock full of spyware, but now will recognize certain “workarounds” designed to disable the spyware and still allow KaZaa to run. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/3 "2002-04-30T14:17:31Z")
It’s getting worse: KaZaa plans to sell the use of your computer to anyone willing to pay them. (They can run software in the background while you’re doing something else.) I’m willing to bet that someone will hack into this and use your computer to set up attacks on websites and other mischief. ---
**Author:** ![OneChance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/74df32/32.png) [@OneChance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneChance)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/4 "2002-04-30T15:39:39Z")
Get [Kazaa Lite](http://www.kazaalite.com/lite/). It’s spyware-free. ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/5 "2002-04-30T16:24:16Z")
Hmm, I’ll look into it. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/6 "2002-04-30T16:29:33Z")
There’s a program called Ad Aware ([http://www.majorgeek.com/index2.html](http://www.majorgeek.com/index2.html)) which detects and disables spyware on your system. Unfortunately, I believe Kazaa won’t run if all its spyware is removed. ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/7 "2002-04-30T17:27:28Z")
[This site](http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/5077/new/cleankazaa.html) gives instructions on how to remove all of the adware/spyware/scumware from Kazaa _and_ allows it to keep working. Just be sure to download the correct version of the cd\_clint.dll ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/8 "2002-05-08T09:41:47Z")
A relevant [link](http://www.cnn.com/2002/TECH/internet/05/07/kazaa.software.idg/index.html). ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/9 "2002-05-08T10:44:01Z")
Kazaa Lite has none of the lurking software - I believe it is safe, what do you think? ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 11:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/10 "2002-05-08T11:06:56Z")
I cannot say as I have no first hand experience. I stay away from anything about which I have the least suspicion. ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/11 "2002-05-08T11:14:23Z")
IDG net has this article: [http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=680718](http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=680718) I haven’t posted a link to this board before; I hope it works. If not, the headline is: "Kazaa Sneakware Stirs Inside PCs AltNet’s dormant programs will awaken some time in May to ask for your cash, storage space, and system cycles." Ain’t no such thing as a free lunch… Amazing, the link I post here is almost word-for-word identical to Sailor’s post… ---
**Author:** ![bhb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@bhb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bhb)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/12 "2002-05-08T12:00:41Z")
wow, i didn’t know kazaa was so shadey, i downloaded it about 6 months ago and haven’t really noticed any background “spyware” (although i am using ME so it locks up and seems like something is always running in the background.) I can’t say i’ve seen an uninstaller for kazaa, so how do i get rid of it all (i’m also using winmx and audio galaxy, both i like more than kazaa.) Although recently as i’ve been playing video games on the net there were about 10 people in the room all with around 60 pings, then my ping spiked to about 700-1200 then about 3 minutes later it would drop back, which is very unusual. I dunno if i can attribute that to spyware but… ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/13 "2002-05-08T12:09:59Z")
I think audiogalaxy has spyware also, go to [www.spychecker.com](http://www.spychecker.com) and type in part of its name. I’ve read a bit about KazzaLite since the post above, trialled it on a machine on our network - it seems to do what it says on the box - no Spyware, though I’m not sure what will happen to the dormant software issue. I need to find out. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/14 "2002-05-08T16:02:39Z")
- - - A recent story on Slashdot said that KaZaA Lite is a hacked version with all the spyware removed. News stories say the real KaZaA is pretty damned p!$$ed about it; it is being traded on their own network. - DougC ---
**Author:** ![flapcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@flapcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flapcats)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/15 "2002-05-08T16:15:06Z")
Kazaa Lite seems to be what Morpheus was - spyware free and identical to Kazaa in protocol and method. I think spyware-aware users will jump at the chance to get a Morpheus-like application again and so Kazaa Lite’s lifespan will be short. Sharman (or whoever it is this week) is bound to do that ‘software needs updating’ trick and release a version that has Kazaa totally dependent on built-in spyware apps and Kazaa Lite users will then be out of the loop. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kazaa-still-full-of-spyware/106465/16 "2002-05-08T16:55:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JCHeckler \* > \*\*IDG net has this article: > [http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=680718](http://www.idg.net/go.cgi?id=680718) > > \ > > Amazing, the link I post here is almost word-for-word identical to Sailor’s post… \*\* CNN uses [IDG.net](http://IDG.net) for a lot of its tech reporting. **sailor** ’s article even has the PCWorld/IDG.net icon on it.