BBC iPlayer

[Argee]

What were the "iffy entries"?

I've dumped the hosts file now, but this occurred whilst I still had peer-to-peer switched on. There were all sorts of teen sites, with a few porn sites thrown in, as I recall. Anyway, yards and yards of entries in the hosts file is never a good sign.

Which AV are you using, Ray? I'm using AVG and also iPlayer download on a PC laptop and it reported no errors.

I'm using AVG too, Roger, and this was on my standalone PC. My laptop is OK, maybe because I turned off peer-to-peer before I started using it on there? Try RootKit Reveal and see how you get on.

Ray.

 

[RogerS]

Squeaky clean

Must be all those other sites, Ray :wink:

 

[Argee]

Squeaky clean

Must be all those other sites, Ray :wink:

Joking aside, have a read of this. I'm not going to take any chances, paranoid or not, I can't be bothered with the possibility of future hassle. I thought my computer was sewn up tight as a tick, but after iPlayer, all that spurious stuff arrived. Definitely not co-incidence.

Ray.

 

[RogerS]

Interesting website and one I shall bookmark. Just had a quick peek under the hood and I have no spurious network activity nor is Kontiki running as far as I can see....or if it is then it's hardly using any CPU time. Maybe I'm benefiting from the comment made that the BBC closes down Kontiki (I think I read it correctly) when you stop using Download Manager.

Not aware that I have any peer-to-peer software running or capability enabled. Intriguing that your computer picked up stuff and yet mine is clean. Out of curiosity have you made much use of the BBC download service? I've only downloaded three programmes and so the BBC software is switched off most of the time.

 

[Argee]

Out of curiosity have you made much use of the BBC download service?

I downloaded one 30-minute programme onto the main PC, then the AV scan picked up the changed hosts file. I'd done nothing else that wasn't routine in the week prior, so I'm absolutely confident it wasn't any other site or application. I then switched off the peer-to-peer option in the iPlayer software - no trouble since, but also no downloads since. Today, I uninstalled it from the PC and ran "Kclean."

When I put it on the laptop, I downloaded one 30-minute programme and one hour-long programme with peer-to-peer turned off. No problems yet. I only mentioned it in the first place because a change to the hosts file is really unusual and always suspicious, in my book. I can live with having my laptop go wobbly, but not my main PC, hence the concern and subsequant action.

Ray.

 

[Matt_S]

What I find really ironic is the name i player when it doesnt work on macs! I guess it is internet player but they're obviously thought the i would sound cool like a ipod!

Can't use the download as I am a mac user, but watched ashes to ashes over net and paused literally every 30 secs....persevered as I had forgotten to video but won't be trying again!

I also find it funny with the DRM things that you "apparently" can't download onto macs yet itunes sell some BBC programmes now hmmmm :shock:

 

[RogerS]

Ashley Highfield (Head of BBC Interactive Services or whatever) used to hold a senior position with Microsoft. I'm sure that that has nothing at all to do with the lack of support for Macs. Although, allegedly, we should be getting the download service at the end of 2008.

 

[devonwoody]

Ray, would the BBC I player have any reason to attack at your PC?

 

[Argee]

Ray, would the BBC I player have any reason to attack at your PC?

Do you know something I don't? Maybe I nicked someone years ago and they recognised me from my (NAT-protected) IP address - I don't think so!

No, it's not the iPlayer, but the Kontiki system that it uses that seems to be causing my apparent problems.

Ray.

 

[mr]

Interesting website and one I shall bookmark. Just had a quick peek under the hood and I have no spurious network activity nor is Kontiki running as far as I can see...

Kontiki runs as an automatically started service under the name Kserver I believe. If you try to run kclean it will not be able to uninstall Kontiki nor will you be able to delete kontiki.exe or whatever it's called until you halt the service.

Cheers Mike

 

[devonwoody]

Would the above please explain to me what to do to find Kontiki and what action to take, I have looked at one I player program in the past. I run windows xp .

 

[mr]

DW
Kontiki lives in a folder called Kontiki in the c:\windows\program files directory.
You need an uninstaller for it called Kclean which you can get from here http://paul.damien.googlepages.com/KClean.exe

However if Kontiki is installed and running as a service as it will be kclean will not clean it out completely. You will need to locate the service which from memory is called Kservice - perhaps someone can confirm this - halt it and then delete it.

TO locate the service on XP open the control panel, click performance and maintenance and then services and have a look through the list of services running.

Cheers Mike

 

[devonwoody]

OK, had a look in programs (C drive) and I have a Kontiki folder, inside is I player etc.
What harm is it doing me?

 

[mr]

from my limited knowledge of it, it appears to be a peer to peer type application which allows other Kontiki "users" to connect to your machine and you to theirs in order to distribute bbc iPlayer content. In itself there is nothing wrong with that, it is a perfectly good way of distributing content IMHO. However the user, you and me, has no control over the application meaning that it continues to keep the connection open and continues distributing the content using up your bandwidth. If you have a restricted bandwidth package say 2 gb and are charged for overage you might find yourself running into extra charges quite quickily without realising why. In itself there is nothing harmful about the software and Verisign who own Kontiki are a reputable bunch, their business is in fact founded on reputation. The problem is the users lack of understanding basically which is caused by lack of explanation by the systems which install it - iPlayer, Sky online player etc.

Cheers Mike

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Mr. no problem for me at the moment, I am cable virgin and no download restrictions at present. If things change I will have to ditch it of course.

Thanks again.