Research

Technology has revolutionized the way we collect and process information. With the help of information technology it is possible to accumulate huge data quantities for later use. The fact that information (such as user interests) creates value to advertisers has given rise to a parasitic market, focusing on information theft. Software vendors take advantage of these achievements based on questionable commercial incentives when creating and distributing software such as spyware and adware. Throughout our research we group such software together under the term privacy-invasive software (PIS).

In previous papers we investigate and discuss the behaviours and characteristics of PIS, e.g. what threats they pose towards users, and what different types of countermeasures that exist against them. We also discuss various methods to use when locating and investigating such software on computer systems. In addition to this we also put forward preventive mechanisms that safeguard users' right to make informed decisions about what software that is allowed to enter their system.

We argue that users need to be presented with short, condensed, and comprehendible information about software behaviour and implication during the installation process. In addition, we put forward the use of collaborate reputation systems (similar to the one used by IMDb.com or eBay.com) that could be integrated into the software installation process in the OS. By collecting users' experiences from software they are using on their computer, it is possible to create a reputation system that propagates this knowledge to new (novice) users that are about to install that specific software. The fundamental idea is that users should be able to reach more sustainable trust decisions with the help of the reputation-history of the software they are about to install. Such a system would primarily inform users, but could also form a detering factor for any software vendor that plan to release illegitimate software.