Samsung caught in spyware drama
Samsung has been accused of secretly putting spyware on its computers that can monitor and record user activity without their consent, it has been reported.
The software was reportedly detected by the founder of NetSec Consulting Corp, Mohamed Hassan, after he bought a Samsung laptop in February.
The software records a person's computer usage, and can even track keystrokes.
Mr Hassan discovered the software after running a scan on his newly-bought computer before installing any of his own programs on it, technology website Network World reported.
He discovered a program called "Starlogger" which, according to its creators de Willebois Consulting, can log users' actions without them knowing.
According to the creator's website, the program "is completely undetectable and starts up whenever your computer starts up. See everything being typed: emails, messages, documents, web pages, usernames, passwords, and more."
Mr Hassan uninstalled the software from his laptop, but, after some issues with video, he returned the computer and bought a different model Samsung from a different store.
After performing the scan again on his second new computer, he became alarmed when he found the same software installed on it.
He called Samsung about it only to have the representative tell him: "we just put them there to find out how the computer is being used," Network World said.
PC World reported Samsung had been given a week to respond to the claims, but had not done so at that point.
It has since been reported that Samsung had launched an investigation with the help of Mr Hassan.
A Samsung spokesperson reportedly said that the company was looking into the claims.
"We take these claims very, very seriously," the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson had never heard of de Willebois Consulting, or the spyware problem.
"We have no understanding of a relationship with this company and we have no prior knowledge of this software being on our laptops," he said.
Mr Hassan expressed his surprise at finding the software.
"These were new systems. They weren't used for anything," he said.
"I could give them the benefit of the doubt on the first one. But then when I got a second model, a different model from a different store, that tells me that Samsung is aware of the problem."
