Comments on: If You Have a Lexmark Printer, You May Also Have Lexmark Lx_CATS Spyware

By: JJ

JJ — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 18:27:34 +0000

I had Lx_cats spyware on my PC, and it was full of porn pictures, and pictures of me and my wife!!!!! AND she works for Lexmark!!!

By: Bob

Bob — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 05:44:04 +0000

I have Vista installed and just noticed that a second Desktop, Documents, and Favorites files. The only event that occurred was a download of lx_CATS at exactly the same time that my computer went crazy.

By: First Sony installs spyware, now Lexmark does. « Oink Ink Store’s Weblog

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 19:25:08 +0000

[…] you have a Lexmark printer? If so, you could also have Lexmark’s Lx_CATS spyware — which Lexmark euphemistically calls […]

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 06:44:33 +0000

Am I the only who likes this? It’s nice to have a program monitor my printer so I don’t have to. Plus, I can order the exact ink when mine is low, and I feel like I’m better prepared if I need technical service. It just makes things… more efficient. And unless if you have absolutely no spyware/malicious program/virus protection program(s), I doubt you are at ANY risk at all. I highly HIGHLY doubt that any of you are going to have your identity or passwords stolen because you installed a Lexmark printer. :P

By: Bandemax DOT net » Beware CATS That Take Up Residence

Bandemax DOT net » Beware CATS That Take Up Residence — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 20:36:49 +0000

[…] immediately tossed that URL in Google and found a number of hits regarding it. Here’s the top hit. Long story short, the nifty wireless printer I bought from Lexmark installs software along with it […]

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:28:57 +0000

Oh, by the way, I forgot to mention how I found these files. I ran fprot and it found the lxcgsr9x files. On deleting them my os became very unstable and the next time I restarted my computer it wouldn’t boot. On re-installing the printer (after a long re-install of the win 98se os) AVG picked up the attempt to install the lxcgsr9x files and killed the process. Interestingly your supposed to turn off any antivirus when installing software but I’m glad I didn’t because that’s how I found out it came from Lexmark itself. It seems that the printer software is designed only to work if those files are present. So you get the lx_cats, lxcgsr9x, whether or not you want them. In fact the printer doesn’t seem to work without them. In my personal opinion, that’s nothing short of an unfair business practice, its blackmail. I’d think twice before buying any product that behaves in this manner.

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 13:09:42 +0000

This problem goes farther than the cats file. Two files on my win98se computer, one called lxcgsr9x.exe and the other lxcgsr9x.ex_ are installed with the Lexmark X2330 printer. Both files are picked up by 20 out of 32 antivirus vendors as a Trojan. I’m on dialup, lxcgmon keeps getting picked up by ZoneAlarm as wanting to connect to the internet. Does Lexmark deserve any part of my 4.2kbs connection? NO. By the way, even if you opt out of lexmarks little program during the install, you still get the trojan, you still get the lx_cats, and you still get an attempt to connect to the internet by lxcgmon. There is no opting out of having your printer data collected. By the way, you can find lxcgsr9x.ex_ on the install cd itself, in the drivers folder.

By: christine

christine — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 20:25:02 +0000

It’s 2007 and this sort of thing is still happening - I’m cleaning up a computer at my university help desk where i work and it’s got the same darn thing on it.

It’s even sneakier because it doesn’t show up in the MSConfig menu where I disable startup programs - I only barely caught it by using CCleaner’s startup program utility. This sort of thing is reprehensible.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 15:26:10 +0000

Wtf man not cool but oh well u guys u got a fast comp right so why does it matter if they know how much ink we have it’s not like they are taking our passwords and posting it online right so fuck let it be if they want to just see how much we use then let them i am not going though all that troulble to get rid of it or buy a printer the lexmark all in one is great

By: David

David — Fri, 12 Jan 2007 15:40:38 +0000

In the UK using anothers computer without permission is a consideration of the Computer Misuse Act 1990. It may be able to be used against those suppliers who have failed to notify and receive consent of the computer owner.
Class actions are becoming popular as they give impacts to get big corps attention. Downside is you need consumer organisation and a financial motive for the required lawyers

An EULA may notify users during install but given the length and complexity of these things they may not be recognised as fair means of getting implied consent.
UK has the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Act which may aid arguments here.

However as we know to use any law you need energy. patience and legal support. (Some may have legal support services under your household insurance contracts)

Data Protection Act could even apply if the data captured can be shown to be ‘personal’. This could be true if the company collects registration data with owners details which could be matched with the log data from their corporate spyware.

Just a few top of head thoughts which may prompt others.

Is Lexmark still part of the IBM group?