How to find "Brilliant" spyware/Storage-share on your computer !

Richard Cranium · April 5th, 2002, 11:08 PM

Kazaa file sharing software AND some others secretly install the "Brilliant" spyware or Hard Drive sharing exe's on your computer.

Here's how to check to see if it's on yours.

(Thanks GroundZero for bringing this up)

Under Add/Remove Programs one of the options will be "b3d Projector, remove it.

Search your computer for a "BDE" folder, which most likely will be found in the "WinNT" or "Windows" directory. In this folder will be a file called "bdeclean.exe". Run this to finish the first part of the process. Delete the BDE folder.

Caution: An unrelated piece of software called Borland Database Engine also creates a BDE directory. If you think you may have this software installed, or if there is any confusion whatsoever, do not delete this directory.

2. In the "Temp" directory (this will normally be found inside the "Windows" or "WinNT" directory) is a folder called "Brilliant." This contains many files. Delete the entire folder.

3. After performing steps 1 and 2, you will need to locate and remove some additional Brilliant Digital files that have been placed in critical system-level computer directories. CAUTION: Deleting the wrong files could interfere with the normal functioning of your computer. These files will most likely be in the "WindowsSystem" or "WinNTSystem32" folder:

bdedownloader.dll
bdedata2.dll
bdefdi.dll
bdeinsta2.dll
bdeinstall.exe
bdesecureinstall.cab
bdesecureinstall.exe
bdeverify.exe
bdeverify.dll

Delete these files.
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-11-875278.html

Don't let Brilliant hijack your PC
http://zdnet.com.com/2100-1107-874885.html

**GroundZero3** · April 11th, 2002, 01:42 AM

^ bump for good info

kakyoin · April 11th, 2002, 01:54 AM

Bad Kazaa!!
Quoted from ZDNET:

That's because buried in the fine print of the Kazaa user agreement is the following:

"You hereby grant (Brilliant) the right to access and use the unused computing power and storage space on your computer/s and/or Internet access or bandwidth for the aggregation of content and use in distributed computing. The user acknowledges and authorizes this use without the right of compensation."

You have to agree to those terms before you can use the Kazaa file-swapping service.

End Quote

Geez.....Now I have to really read every EULA carefully

VERT · April 11th, 2002, 02:06 AM

Fortunatly I dont use Kazza, but I do install a lot of other software - often just trying it out, so its always a good idea for me to be on the lookout for spyware. Thanks for the further info DR and GZ3

caddmannq · April 11th, 2002, 02:07 AM

Isn't this the same crap Juno and Phoenix were trying to pull?

Why isn't this illegal? Who else can legally trick you into using your property just because you're not using it at any given time?

Herb · April 11th, 2002, 02:20 AM

The latest Adaware from lavasoft.com takes care of it

BUMTY · April 15th, 2002, 06:29 PM

I found it on my compute, and deleted the lot no problems, (so far) - touch wood. Thanks for the tip. BUMTY

Epidemic · April 22nd, 2002, 08:24 AM

what does this bumb mean.

I keep seeing Bump Bumb what
Bump is a verb not a sentence

crystaldragon · April 22nd, 2002, 09:47 AM

Bump is a kind of "shorthand" A way to move a post back to the top in its area so that more people will get a chance to read it.

crystaldragon · April 22nd, 2002, 10:05 AM

Thanks for the heads up Doc.
Don't know where it came from but its gone now.

This might also explain some of the mystery hard drive activity people are noticing too.