Does iTunes present a security risk?

Posted by: Rzme0 on 26 April 2005

Greetings

My network administrator is a tough chap.

I downloaded iTunes for my work desktop thinking a bit of music during thinking time would help to encourage the grey matter to move things along a bit.

NetMan is telling me I mustn't install it because iTunes downloads things to the desktop without any dialogue with the user and therefore "is a bad thing" to have on a machine dedicated to the business.

I have now taken a sulk and want to behave petulantly for a short while.

I did't intend to download any music - just have access to the online radio facility and attach my iPod.

Does iTunes present a security challenge to a small business network when no music downloading is taking place?

cheers

grumpy Ross
Posted on: 26 April 2005 by Two-Sheds
I'm not entirely sure it's a security risk, but it certainly does connect to the internet without asking. I use iTunes at home (and have never used it for downloading songs) and my firewall is telling me it keeps trying to connect.
Posted on: 26 April 2005 by garyi
itunes will only connect if in the orginal set up you allow it to connect to Gracenote.com to check your album tracks when inputting a CD.

So when on your download on the initial set up uncheck to box to connect to the web automatically.

Obviously though when you wish to use internet radio and the music store it has to connect but should ask you if you have unchecked that box.

I don't understand why this is any more of a security risk than an email client checking for email TBH.
Posted on: 26 April 2005 by Paul Hutchings
I doubt it is more of a "security risk" than any software is these days - arguably at least with an Apple music player you have an idea what you are getting versus many of the supposedly "free" players out there that put god knows what on your PC.

The flip side is very simple, and it might sound a touch rude, but it's "their computer, their rules" and ultimately it's their call.

Personally I disallow all streaming media at work, I'll lift the block if someone comes up with a work related reason but online radio is a no-no as that's not why we pay X thousand a year for a leased line.

Personally I've gotten used to, and quite like the iTunes on my home Mac but the Windows version (I've installed that on my work machine) seems like a bit of a bodge made so they can flog iPods with "works on Windows" on the box.

cheers,
Paul