Splitcam - Is something fishy about this software?

[sharky]

A few days ago a good friend of mine has started to do some research about Splitcam. I can not confirm if this is true or not but worth’s a research and I am waiting for other user opinion on this matter.
Anyway here is what I have heard: It seems that splitcam software sends a ID to the splitcam website. I did not understood quite well but it seems that using this ID string you can access a special page that presents you a user and password login box. I do not want to get paranoid but is somebody out there watching?
If you know how to deal with protocol analyzing software maybe you’re interested in finding out more about this software. Anyway I promise you that I will keep you posted as soon as we find out more about this. Also I promise to all of you a full report with all the details what we had discovered.

[Hony]

Sharky, it's pretty common these days for software to "phone home" so as to check for updates and/or to help the author measure the extent of piracy. If you find any more specifics, please do let us know.

Hony

[secret]

I checked this a few months ago because someone posted a message about splitcam containing spyware in alt.comp.periphs.webcam. The software is free but they are probably curious how many people use it. There is a small advertising space before you start your cam, but its not used.

The program does not open any backdoors to your webcam. When you first run the program it contacts their server and does nothing afterwards.

[sharky]

As I have promised I am back with some details. I have taken the matters in my own hand and done some research on my own. It is true that splitcam connects back to site each time you start the application.

Strange things:
- There is no need for piracy monitoring since this a free to use software
- It dose not work without a internet connection, because they say that splitcam can not check for latest updates.
- The website and the software dose not contain any Privacy Policy
Facts:
- Upon connection splitcam sends around 1.5 kb of data
- Around 600 kb seems to be useful data, the rest looks like some communication control garbage
- there is no evidence of splitcam acting as a server or listening for incoming connection

here is a printout of packets captured (special caracters were removed)

GET
http://www.splitcamera.com/setup/out.php HTTP/1.0
User-Agent: SplitCam
Host: www.splitcamera.com
Pragma: no-cache
Authorization: Basic c2V0dXA6ZnJlZQ==

http://www.splitcamera.com/setup/in.php?pv=0x03080000&dv=0x03000100 HTTP/1.0
User-Agent: SplitCam
Host: www.splitcamera.com
Pragma: no-cache

My theory:
All splitcam dose is to connect securely to his website and check for updates.
Dose it look suspicios what the hack they need to connect securely to the updates, from what I recall I do not know other program that dose those sort of things.
I promise to ask them about this, let`s just wait and see what they have to say about this. Till then take care.

PS: I tend to agree with SECRET that could be something about that advertising space that is not used. That could explain a lot.

[minniesoporno]

Sometimes I use it

to split my camera is a video cpature device driver in my desktop computer


and my dlink video capture device

the only bad thing about is sometimes when too many peopel enter my chat room it freezes the cam.