Altova xmlSPY is SPYware and can screw your network setup.

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The following info could be useful for anyone getting weird behaviour after
installing Altova xmlSPY (so aptly named!)

I've just wasted 3 days of my life trying to find out why I've lost network
browsing capabilty (network neighborhood) on my xp home network. Recently
installed XMLSPY was to blame.

Without my permission (other than a vague meaningless sentence in the EULA),
Altova's install program opened ports on my firewall and wrote values to my
registry preventing my machine being able to act as a master browser (thus
screwing my network).

These are the new keys it adds to the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACH INE\SYSTEM\Curr entControlSet\S ervices\SharedA ccess\Parameter s\FirewallPolic y\StandardProfi le\GloballyOpen Ports\List\

Value : 2799:UDP
Data : 2799:UDP:*:Enab led:Altova License Metering Port (UDP)

Value : 2799:TCP
Data : 2799:TCP:*:Enab led:Altova License Metering Port (TCP)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACH INE\SYSTEM\Curr entControlSet\S ervices\SharedA ccess\Parameter s\FirewallPolic y\StandardProfi le\

Value: DisableUnicastR esponsesToMulti castBroadcast
Data : 1

If you uninstall the software, these keys are not removed (a sure sign of
crap software). Even if you cancel the install before it's completed, these
keys are still written to your registry and not removed. So you don't even
have to install their software - you just have to think about doing it!

Note to Altova: You do not own my PC nor have any right to compromise my
security by opening ports in my firewall and otherwise altering the setup of
my network protocols without my authority. Needless to say I'll not be using
any of your software ever again. In fact I intend to inform as many people
as possible about your underhand practices.

If you need to check with their support team call [phone]-1602

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