Gourt Home::Gourt :: Comet Cursor
Comet Cursor was a software program manufactured by Comet Systems. It ostensibly allowed users to change the look and feel of their mouse's cursor and to allow websites to use customized cursors for visitors. However, behind the scenes it performed a number of suspect activities. It could install itself automatically on a user's computer through an ActiveX control without asking permission, and was sometimes bundled with other invasive software, such as RealPlayer.
Often the Comet Cursor software would install a toolbar with "affiliate sites", fill the registry with useless entries, and collect personally identifiable information stored on the users computer and transmit it secretly. It would add "shortcuts" to partner sites without permission, update itself without asking, and was notoriously difficult to uninstall.
It was known to collect personally identifiable information stored on the users computer and was flagged as spyware by many anti-spyware programs. Comet Cursor was labeled one of The 25 Worst Software Products of All Time by PC World, who wrote: "Thank Comet Cursor for introducing spyware to an ungrateful nation...it assigned your computer a unique ID and phoned home whenever you visited a Comet-friendly website. When you visited certain sites, it could install itself into Internet Explorer without your knowledge or explicit consent. Some versions would hijack IE's search assistant or cause the browser to crash."
Comet Systems went out of business in April 2006 and Comet Cursor is no longer available.
External links
"Comet Cursor"