Phoenix-based Dru Mundorff (aka CodeCompiler) owner of Mundorff & Co. has written a new code called ‘LilyJade’ which is classified as a botnet killer. Using the free service of Crossrider, Mundorff managed to develop a cross-browser extension through javascript which has reached over 30 million users in the first month. Spread on Facebook through an application, LilyJade is installed on user computers only after they agree to displayed Terms & Conditions. Sound familiar? These type of Facebook applications have become quite common nowadays, and for those that choose to download them, who even reads the Terms & Conditions anyways?!
Once the extension is successfully installed it immediately exchanges every ad on the user’s browser. Mundorff describes this process as an ‘ad-blocker-and-replacer’ service similar to that of a pop-up blocker. Mundorff continues to suggest that this type of feature is essential to have on your computer to protect personal identity – the inherent risk of being on social media networks. The purpose of LilyJade is to be a botnet killer – something he suggests is not being well managed by major websites such as Facebook, YouTube, Yahoo, Bing, Google, and MSN.
However, things begin to get a little more complicated. Now that LilyJade is publishing the new / filtered ads onto your browser (which most likely look very similar to all previous ads), it issues a different code and consequently directs all future revenues generated by the pay-per-click ads to Mundorff & Co. Hmmm, sounds shady.
Okay, but let’s talk numbers . . . how much is this guy really making? Well, within the first two weeks of launching LilyJade he raked in a solid $250,000! LilyJade is also available to the public on malware markets for a price tag of $1,000. Mundorff suggests to customers that LilyJade can expect to make around $0.50 / hour for every one hundred users that install the program.
That is some serious cash, so it has caused a serious response from the tech community. It has even caused push-back from Facebook themselves. They have issued a cease and desist order against LilyJade, and had this to say about the program,
“Plugins such as LilyJade are configured to modify our [site] to inject ads and / or send spam through Facebook to the victim’s friends via wall posts and chat message,” said Fred Wolens, public policy manager at Facebook. “These alterations materially change people’s Facebook experience and bypass Facebook’s quality and security controls. Additionally, programs like LilyJade can make Facebook slower, cause user confusion and can obfuscate authenticate user content by displaying banner ads.”
When describing how he responded to Facebook, Mundorff said,
“I pretty much told them to go f*** themselves cause we can’t post on anyones [sic] walls with out there [sic] permissions automated or not . . . So they can go to hell.”
It is apparent that the tech community views LilyJade as a cross-browser worm – certainly not an online security service that everyone needs! This now public debate has escalated quickly and it’s happening in our backyard. AZTechBeat will keep you in the know regarding any further breaking news on Dru Mundorff, the Phoenix CodeCompiler, and infamous developer of LilyJade.
This guy sounds like a piece of work. Is he related to Jason Hope by any chance? 🙂
Haha – The problem here is that he actually thinks he is doing a service to the online security community. Russia’s Kaspersky was all over him in the beginning, and most certainly classified LilyJade as a “worm”.
Blegh.
What are your thoughts Mike?
Love the post.. Sorta correct I mean everyone is the fastest to make articles and remarks and hate on things. But we have added filters to protect children. We are working on a botnet killer which will allow users to browse safely with out getting infected and much more.
These things take alot of server utility which is what people pay for we will open up for sales here shortly to allow the public to get a hold of everything. Nothing is illegal about what we do.Security protection to stop children from going to porn sites and so forth also included. These things have been done to help you all. In return we get ad revenue and the ability once a week to post a article. Apparently that’s to much for the safety of your computer your trying to say? Crossbrowser extensions are common and yet we have come into the lime light cause 31 people during a beta made 250k in 8 days.
Amazing to see how people can try to black label the system yet security experts state the system is and has been actually out over a year being tested and running and Kaspersky took that long.. Wonder how happy people would be to know it takes them a year to get a botnet off there computer. Were people can steal your information. So if you wanted your information to be correct get it from the horses mouth per say.
I have a question, considering the quote from FB attornies in this post:
Lets say my plugin is Changing/improving (depend who you ask :-)) FB experience, and ofcourse, bypassed FB Quality and Security control – but I’m not manipulating their Ads, nor replacing their content, nor adding ads of my own – Am I doing something wrong ??
I think most of the plugins are changing the “experience” of their target website. Take a look ar “Boomerang” and “Streak” for GMAIL, which have millions of users… they are changing the experience in a way. Are they illegal?
Basically, I want to understand better where the red line is drawn.
What I see here is a bunch of no talents coders upset that they do not have the intelligence to do what Dru did , if you want to hate, hate on yourselves for being to slow to come up with a good money maker and public service all in one.
Oh and the only real problem FB had with this is that it was going to put a dent in there already overloaded wallets.
oh and for the first post before everyone jumps all over it because its there only comeback that should have been “talent” not “talents” there we go now crawl back in your pud pulling caves and watch some more myplaything videos