MS apps track web users

A Web privacy organization has revealed that users who open documents created with Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint could be transmitting cookies with significant personal information to other computers. This "Web bug" technology works when a URL for an image is included within a document rather than the actual graphic file, prompting communication between computers. Web bugs, however, can be effectively hidden so any document, even without visible graphics, could transmit information about the user. Microsoft does not consider this a serious threat and a spokesman for the privacy group confirms that the vulnerability is not specific to Windows applications.

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