There is no relationship between the Windows-registration process and identifying numbers contained in the property stream of Office 97 documents. Upon further questioning, Microsoft conceded that plans were under way to reengineer its Web sites and data-collection process to address privacy concerns. Purcell later confirmed the conversation in an email to Wired News. The news follows reports earlier this week that Massachusetts programmer Richard Smith learned that Microsoft Office software inserts IDs into each document a user creates. The company collects the number when Windows 98 users register the software.
Registration typically collects a user's name, address, phone number, and so forth.
Microsoft acknowledged the behavior and said it would take steps to address the issue. Privacy advocates said the company's response didn't go far enough to reduce the risk of matching the numbers with the identity of a PC user. Smith, who tested and verified c't 's discovery, said the company could be collecting the ID number but still not using it for tracking purposes. The advantage to Microsoft, he said, is that the cookie would be used to synchronize the computer with the company's servers during Windows update routines. Smith also noted the inclusion of the GUID in the Microsoft cookie was inconsistent when tested on different machines.