A firmware update released by Cisco last week for two router models, the Linksys EA4500 and EA2700, automatically shifted owners to the Cisco Connect Cloud service which replaced the router’s internal administrative features with a cloud-based version. In order to have used this service however, users would have had to agree to some rather overboard terms and conditions, including agreeing to never view porn with your internet connection, which raised customer’s ire.
From the Terms of Service: “You agree not to use or permit the use of the Service: (i) to invade another’s privacy; (ii) for obscene, pornographic, or offensive purposes; (iii) to infringe another’s rights, including but not limited to any intellectual property rights; (iv) to upload, email or otherwise transmit or make available any unsolicited or unauthorized advertising, promotional materials, spam, junk mail or any other form of solicitation; (v) to transmit or otherwise make available any code or virus, or perform any activity, that could harm or interfere with any device, software, network or service (including this Service); or (vi) to violate, or encourage any conduct that would violate any applicable law or regulation or give rise to civil or criminal liability.”
According to a report from Extremetech Cisco has since deleted a portion of the Terms of Service which read:
When you use the Service, we may keep track of certain information related to your use of the Service, including but not limited to the status and health of your network and networked products; which apps relating to the Service you are using; which features you are using within the Service infrastructure; network traffic (e.g., megabytes per hour); internet history; how frequently you encounter errors on the Service system and other related information (“Other Information”).
This section had users worried that Cisco’s routers were monitoring and reporting internet usage. Cisco has now reverted away from defaulting users to the cloud-based administration service and gave an update via a blog post from the company.
In response to our customers’ concerns, we have simplified the process for opting-out of the Cisco Connect Cloud service and have changed the default setting back to traditional router set-up and management.
The Cisco Connect Cloud service has never monitored customers’ Internet usage, nor was it designed to do so, and we will clarify this in an update to the terms of service.
Cisco’s Linksys routers do not track or store any personal information regarding customers’ use of the Internet.
The firmware update will no longer happen automatically but is still available from Cisco’s download site. Users who wish to roll back have been given a step-by-step guide regarding how to do so and Cisco has issued an apology via the blog post as well.
Source: Ars Technica
