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[General] Is SBC's cfd.exe Spyware or Adware? SBC says, "No."

Several sources on the net have reported that cfd.exe is spyware or adware. The "BroadJump Client Foundation" software is automatically installed with SBC's DSL kit. I, myself, have wondered about this and was on the edge of uninstalling it when I decided to chat online with SBC support. The SBC support professional has certified to me that cfd.exe is only being used for network management purposes.

For the benefit of others, and to put that answer "on the record," the following is a transcript of that chat session. Please note that I have only replaced my SBC email address with "Customer." "Filbert" is the name of the responding SBC representative.

How can we assist you today?

Filbert: Hello Customer, we have received the following information from you, upon entering this session:
Operating System: Win ME
Email Client: Yahoo Mail
Computer Type:Acer Aspire
Processor Speed: 333Mhz - 450Mhz
Ram:64MB - 128MB
Modem Type:SpeedStream
Modem Speed:DSL
Browser:Netscape 6.x

Customer: Hello! I am trying to clean all spyware and adware from my machine. One item that shows up on the Internet as spyware is the BroadJump Client Foundation software (cfd.exe). This was automatically installed with SBC DSL. Can I safely remove cfd without impairing my SBC DSL service?

Filbert: I understand that you want to uninstall cfd from SBC DSL services, is that correct?

Customer: Yes. BTW, BroadJump.com is now Motive.com

Filbert: I apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced and will try my best to assist you.

Customer: AFAIK, I just need to shut down cfd.exe in TaskManager and then uninstall it from Add/Remove Programs. What I want to know is will that impair my DSL service in any way.

Filbert: Please know that CFD is not a spyware, it is internal file in DSL connection manager.

Filbert: It is used to check your system settings and also network settings associated with your computer.

Customer: Other sources say that it is transmitting information from my computer that can be used to target advertisements.

Customer: If the information it transmits is not being in any way used to drive advertising to my computer, I do not have any problem with that. Can you certify that it is only being used for network menagement purposes?

Filbert: To remove that file, you need to uninstall DSL connection manager from your system.

Customer: My message timed out. I repeat it here:

Filbert: Sure.

Customer: If the information it transmits is not being in any way used to drive advertising to my computer, I do not have any problem with that. Can you certify that it is only being used for network management purposes?

Filbert: Please know that file is not used for advertising purpose, it is only used by connection manager for network check and your system settings.

Customer: In that case, I will leave it be.

8 Comments

  • Just don't use any of the software supplied by your ISP, especially if it's not a real ISP (generally phone and cable companies have no clue what it takes to be an ISP).



    There are two types of broadband connections used: 1. DHCP and 2. PPPoE. In case your ISP uses DHCP just set your box to pull its setup over DHCP, if it uses PPPoE download a PPPoE dialer, for Windows use RASPPPoE (www.raspppoe.com).



    I've also seen ISPs NATing their users but that seems to be limited to Eastern Europe, and even their they use DHCP…

  • The best way to do a broadband connection is not to even hook your computer directly to the cable/dsl modem. Buy a firewall/router that is built for broadband connections and connect that firewall/router to the modem, then connect your computer the firewall/router.



    I used to have SBC DSL and this is how I did it - it worked great, because the NetGear FS318 firewall/router that I got supports the PPPoE that SBC uses. It also supports the DHCP that my now Time Warner (Roadrunner) Cable modem uses.



    I never have to worry about installing any drivers for any ISP or broadband connection, because it always runs through my router.

  • The point of this post is to advise other SBC DSL customers who may be concerned about spyware/adware on their machines that SBC says they use cfd.exe for network management only and that it *not* being used for advertising purposes.

  • Except I found it on a computer with a cable modem from Comcast. No DSL in sight. I think that it might, for sure, be spyware.

  • Boyd, it may be used for the same purposes as with SBC. Cable modem must also negotiate network protocols and network contacts. From what I understand, not just SBC but a number of other DSL and cable modem vendors use or used cfd.exe to manage such network negotiations. This probably has more to do with TCP/IP communications among the various machines involved in the vendor's service network than anything else. When using these services, you usually do not have a static IP address and most of your communications settings must be retrieved from the server and configured on your local machine. I think cfd.exe is used to facilitate this process.

  • it has the same uses/purposes as with SBC. Cable modem must also negotiate network protocols and network contacts. as was mentioned, with TCP/IP communications among the various machines involved in the vendor's service network than anything else. When using these services, you usually do not have a static IP address and most of your communications settings must be retrieved from the server and configured on your local machine.

  • Just got a Malware Rootkit attack on the CFD.exe file used by ATT. Called customer support. They wanted me to Pay $$$ to get it removed. It is THEIR software that THEY put on my computer for THEIR convenience and THEY want me to pay THEM.

  • it's not spam, but it is completely unnecessary

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