False alarm as Samsung laptop key-logging claims are debunked

Samsung has not been shipping laptops with key-logging software preinstalled.

It emerged that the Vipre AV product used to scan the laptops had in fact mistaken a folder created by the Microsoft Live application suite on the hard drive for the StarLogger software.

The accusations were originally leveled by Mohamed Hassan, founder of NetSec Consulting, who said he found the key-logger on two separate newly bought Samsung laptops.

However, in a statement released today, Samsung explained that the claims made about the R525 and R540 models are false.

"Our findings indicate that the person mentioned in the article used a security program called Vipre that mistook a folder created by Microsoft's Live Application for a key-logging software during a virus scan," the statement noted.

"The confusion arose because Vipre mistook Microsoft's Live application multi-language support folder, ‘SL' folder, as StarLogger."

The 'SL' folder refers to the Slovakian language version of the app.

The revelation will be an embarrassment to Hassan, who explained to V3.co.uk that a Samsung technical support supervisor had told him that all computer manufacturers put such key-logging software on their systems to monitor user behaviour.

The security industry was quick to respond to news of the false alarm.

"Unfortunately Mohamed Hassan (CISSP) who did the original analysis did not double check his findings and blamed Samsung instead," wrote F-Secure chief research officer Mikko Hypponen in a blog post.

"Apparently he did not look at the contents of the ‘SL' folder at all."