InterMute - AdSubtract Remedies Microsoft Hotmail Privacy Glitch by Blocking Ad Banners

Press Contacts:

Michael Sweeny
Public Relations Director michael_sweeny@trendmicro.com Tel: +1 (408) 863-6384
Fax: +1 (408) 863-6525

Davida Dinerman/Laura Ackerman
Schwartz Communications
(781) 684-0770

AdSubtract Remedies Microsoft Hotmail Privacy Glitch
by Blocking Ad Banners

67 Million Hotmail Users can Immediately Plug Data Leak that Sends their E-mail Address to Ad-servers

BRAINTREE, MA. July 19, 2000 -InterMute, Inc., developer of AdSubtract brand Internet privacy software, today announced that by using free AdSubtract ad-blocking software, Hotmail’s 67 Million users can halt the data leakage of their email address when receiving Hotmail HTML newsletters. Simply by reading these newsletters, a user’s email address is inadvertently being revealed to third party ad-servers supplying banner ads for the newsletters. In a recent news article, Microsoft acknowledged that the problem is with core Hotmail technology and they plan to have a fix by August. However, Hotmail users can install free AdSubtract software from www.adsubtract.com, and put a stop to the leak immediately.

InterMute’s AdSubtract software is a simple tool that helps web users’ protect their privacy while on the Internet, while simultaneously speeding up their web surfing, by eliminating banner ads and other undesirable web-junk. AdSubtract software also selectively blocks unwanted Internet cookies and web bugs, which are often used to create online profiles of users web habits. Consumers and businesses worldwide use the award-winning line of AdSubtract products to surf faster, view a less cluttered web, and protect personal information that can otherwise be gathered and used without the individual’s knowledge or permission.

While headlines announcing data spills have increased lately, data spills have been going on for quite a long time. Web users have just recently started to become aware of how easily their privacy is being compromised on the web. “People who are passive about their privacy will have none, said Ed English, president of InterMute. Often users of AdSubtract software say they wish they had known sooner how easy it is to stop online profilers before they get a chance to plant a cookie on their computers. We are seeing dramatic increases in the number of people using AdSubtract software. People realize their privacy is very much in jeopardy on the web - and certainly no silver bullet to protect privacy is forthcoming from government legislation anytime in the near future.

About InterMute, Inc.
InterMute, Inc. develops and distributes Internet software to make the web more productive, pleasant, and private. Based in Braintree, Massachusetts, InterMute's software 'Subtracts the Ads' and protects online privacy. For further information, visit the InterMute web site at www.intermute.com.