Akamai NetSession Client

[ideasguy]

Got this message on startup this morning:



Go to Control Panel.
Is Akamai Netsession Interface Control listed?

If yes:
Click on Akamai Netsession Interface Control :-
There are four tabs.
Is anything listed under Applications?
Mine is blank.
Under Preferences tab- is it running on your computer?
Under the same tab, you'll find the location for the Download Cache Folder.
Open that folder. Mine is empty.
While there, you'll find another folder called logs.
This is the bit I DONT like
In there, I see a log being created every hour (of up time).
Started hourly on 28th Sept this year.
There are only two entries before that date:- 14th Dec 12 and 28th June 13.

Click Support tab.
Click the link:
Akamai Netsession Interface FAQ.
In that document you'll read this:

When is Akamai NetSession Interface installed?
The Akamai NetSession Interface is automatically installed when end users download content from software companies that wish to provide the best download performance to their clients. The NetSession Interface software greatly enhances the quality and speed of downloads and video streams from websites that utilize Akamai technology.

Why am I seeing a prompt to allow network access for "netsession_win.exe" and "netsession_mac"?
"netsession_win.exe" and "netsession_mac" are the executable file names for the Akamai NetSession Interface software. Akamai continually improves the NetSession Interface software in order to provide the greatest performance to our customers. In order for NetSession to enhance and accelerate Internet content downloads and streaming it needs certain local permissions such as network access. Depending on the settings of the Operating System and Antivirus software these auto-updates may require confirmation from the end user.

Why am I getting the Akamai NetSession Interface update?
Akamai continually improves the NetSession Interface software in order to provide the greatest performance to our customers. Auto-updates are a normal process for software updates.

Ive  stopped the "service" (by clicking Stop Under Preferences in Akamai Netsession Interface Control)

Does anyone allow this process?

Ive spent two hours of precious time investigating and writing this up.

[roiphil]

George have just looked on my pc and i cant find that in control panel, isn't symnatec norton antivirus

[NightHawk]

I've had Akamai NetSession Client running on my PC since November 2011, although I don't recall what program installed it initially.

I have Norton 360 and WinPatrol installed which monitors if any unauthorised changes are being made to system files by any other programs.  I've not had any issues with this occurring.

It will be interesting to see if George comes up with any info that casts concern over this program, and if it is really of any use anyway.  Also, disabling Akamai could interfere with the running of the program that installed it, so that is another issue to watch out for.

[Palustris]

This makes interesting reading.
http://www.werockyourweb.com/forums/what-is-akamai-netsession-client-netsession-win-exe
Personally I would get rid of it PDQ.

[Eric Hardy]

I have checked on my laptop (Windows 7) and on my i Mac and nowhere can I find anything called Akamai NetSession. For some reason it hasn't wormed it's way into my systems. When installing a programme in the future I had better be very vigilant and make certain I check or uncheck those little boxes as appropriate. It is only too easy to install a programme you don't want by not unchecking a box. It doesn't sound the sort of thing I need, George 

Eric H

[ideasguy]

Thank you Eric and Eric

Eric - Palustris. I had read over that article prior to posting the topic.
Thanks for posting. There were as many questions as answers

Heres another link:-
http://www.hanselman.com/blog/CSIMyComputerWhatIsNetsessionwinexeFromAkamaiAndHowDidItGetOnMySystem.aspx
As in the link Palustris  posted, scroll down and theres an abundance of For and Against comments and no surprise, there are very few FOR!

This bit is interesting 17/11/11 by :_

think this is the renamed Red Swoosh client. I used to work for that company -- it's a P2P data delivery system that helps speed up downloads by pulling some bits from other people who've already downloaded the file from its origin. Akamai bought Red Swoosh a few years back, and I think this is the renamed client software.

He could be correct! You'll see Red Swoosh mentioned in that screenshot I posted to initiate this topic.

and this (if you've got a few hours to spare!):

Here's another tool to view who netsession is talking to via IP.

If you go to Start -> Run -> type "resmon" (without quotations) you will bring up the Resource Monitor.

In the Resource Monitor, the first tab is called Overview.

The Overview page is divided in to two halves. The right side is a graphical viewer of running process, applications, net I/O, etc of your CPU, Disk, Network and Memory. The left side is a breakdown of what the processes are processing.

So the trick is to make sure all four fields are expanded fully via the "open/close" arrow on each header. The header you are concerned about is the Network header to view the I/O. In this field, you can select by 'Image' to view the processes in alphabetical order. Scroll down until you see netsession_win.exe. This will tell you exactly which IP netsession is communicating with. From there you can just use any free IP locator and input the address to see who owns it.

A very useful tool (resmon that is!!!!)

So far, I believe its safe, but using your bandwidth to help others doing downloads.
It can be installed by any one of quite a number of respectable software suppliers.
I suspect the software is more useful to them that to you or me
Its is safe to stop the service (Ive experienced no problems today).
Awaiting comments and advice from another IT colleague re uninstalling.

Footie begins on TV- end of torture for today.

PS: I'd like to hear from others who find this on their computers. I think it is quite common for anyone with Adobe products installed
Don't panic if you have it. Lets see what else we can learn about this.
To be continued...

PS again!
I'd like to assure our members that our Bank Genie and Ideas Genie software does not carry this Akamai present

[Eric Hardy]

I'd like to hear from others who find this on their computers. I think it is quite common for anyone with Adobe products installed

For ages I have been getting a message on my laptop when I open up that there is an update for Adobe Reader and I have never bothered to follow it up. I wonder whether by ignoring it I have been keeping out the potential "enemy within"   

Eric H

[ideasguy]

when I open up that there is an update for Adobe Reader

As I mentioned above, I think the Akamai Netsession stuff is widely distributed.
I guess it could arrive through updates.
 
I close any windows like that as well Eric.
I have learned from bitter experience that such pop-ups are not always what they appear to be, no matter how genuine they appear.
Beware also - DONT click the Cancel buttons on those popups.
I did once on the computer I used in my day job. Immediately, there were a flood of pop-ups on my screen!
The nasty programmers can (and did in my case) put script/code behind the Cancel button, which runs and infects your computer.
It took me a week to get rid of the viruses on that computer.
Instead of clicking the Cancel button, use the Close button. If not visible, right click in the Task bar (bottom of screen) and click Close.

[Palustris]

Our Adobe Reader has to be kept up to date as it is used by some of the Surveys the Boss does (which pay for the Internet).
I have a program called Search Everything which is very useful for finding things on the hard drive (usually pictures) I looked for Akamai and it does not seem to be on our machine.

[Palustris]

I can never find how to type in Run and so on at the Start. But if one goes to Task Manager and then the Performance tab, there is an entry there for Resource Manager. However nothing appears in the box when I do  it, it remains blank.

[ideasguy]

Here's how its done on Windows 7 Eric.

Click the Start Button.
In the Start dialog, You should see a Run option.

If you don't see it, click Start then right click somewhere in the dialog box OTHER than on any of the entries .
(Just ABOVE the Shut down button is OK)
Click Properties.
If you have right clicked in a "dead zone" or "white space" part of the dialog box a Dialog box with three tabs - Taskbar, Start Menu and Toolbars appears.
Click Start Menu.
Click Customise
In the list look for Run.
Check it to enable the option.
Click OK.

Note: Lots of other useful controls there to personalise your start menu, of course

[Palustris]

Done that, Run does not appear anywhere.

Ah, you left out  the Apply click!

[ideasguy]

Working now?

[Palustris]

Run 'resmon.exe' is what the help screen says to do. All I get then is an empty box with part of the present screen in it. There is no Tab with Overview in it.

[Eric Hardy]

The nasty programmers can (and did in my case) put script/code behind the Cancel button, which runs and infects your computer.
It took me a week to get rid of the viruses on that computer.

Who are these nasty programmers? I imagine they are sad teenagers locked away in their bedrooms with nothing better to do

Eric H

[ideasguy]

Sadly, they are very clever individuals or organisations - nobody seems to know and nobody seems to care, except the victims.
Worse still, its well known that some of the earlier hackers were recruited to work on internet security and fraud prevention! They knew more than the experts.

Eric (Palustris)
Try typing resmon only (excluding the exe bit)

[Palustris]

Done that, still the same thing, An empty box which just shows some of the screen  which I was looking at when I went to Start.

[barryl]

I checked and dont have it.

AFAIK it is installed as a download helper. I have seen several of these "innocently" being presented when making a download of something I need, often at the same time as offering other "useful" addons (for example things that change the way your browsers works).

I ALWAYS try to untick the box that says "download XXXX" and it pays to be vigilant.

I have several times experienced the browser problem and it is a nuisance to have to clean up the browser,

Thanks George for the warning.

[ideasguy]

Yes, quite correct Barry.

Having studied all the info I can find I have uninstalled Netsession from my computer.

As I understand it:
It is not harmful, but having it on your computer means you MAY be helping others to download files using your bandwidth.
When you download from certain sites who use this technology, others who have this installed may be supplying parts of the file you are downloading. e.g. large files such as Videos etc.
Easy to see who saves on bandwidth

Would it be useful to start a new topic called Know your Processes?
When you look at your task manager you will see numerous processes and services running.
Its a good ideas to know all the processes on your computer, in particular which are essential to normal system operation.
Sharing info and experience on the ones which are non-essential and can be stopped may be useful e.g. which ones do you allow/disallow.
I spent a good part of today exploring the ones on my W7 computer. A lot of surfing research involved.

[NightHawk]

Thanks for all your research into this subject George.  It's been very illuminating.

I too have uninstalled the Akamai NetSession Client software as a precaution.

If you start a new topic as you suggested, I think this would prove useful.  Anything security related is of great value to everyone.

[ideasguy]

The research indicated that it was "well behaved" and open, Laurie, even though it arrives unexpected - mostly because mention of it is probably buried deep in a Terms and Conditions agreement (which everyone reads in great depth of course )
Its probably not even mentioned by name, but as a 3rd Party item.
If you want the software, you don't have much choice other that to agree to the T&C's.

It was quite open about how to uninstall and that process appears to be clean.

The new Topic would be interesting but would need a very visible disclaimer!