LabVIEW executable unnecessarily accesses internet on launch

[Cepera]

I built a simple LabVIEW executable (e.g. doing a+b=c, or even just empty), using all default options in the Application Builder (VI Server disabled - both TCP/IP and ActiveX; Web Server disabled). Target platform - Windows 2000. LabVIEW version 7.1 (the same behavior on 7.0, but not on 6.1).

When I launch my executable, the firewall (ZoneAlarm Pro) reports the application trying to access the internet (in my case, 63.240.76.19:DNS - probably the DNS server of my ISP). I tell the firewall to deny service; after that the application launches and works fine.

Why does it do it? How can I disable this attempt to access the internet?

[Hitman]

I know, you have to disable the NI License Manager in the services windows under Control Panel --> Administrative Tools. That'll do it.

[JeanPierre]

Try to put the line

DNSLookupEnabled= FALSE

in the application ini file. That prevents LabVIEW from performing reverse DNS lookup.

See http://messages.info-labview.org/2003/02/10/08.html

[Cepera]

Dear Jean-Pierre:

I tried your suggestion, and it did not help! My app is called Add.exe. I have an INI file called Add.ini. I put the line DNSLookupEnabled=FALSE in the section [Add], saved and restarted the app. The same behavior.

Should it be located in another section by any chance?

TIA, -- Sergey Liberman

[Cepera]

Dear Hitman,

I don't think this is the case. In my original posting I forgot to add that I also installed this application on another computer that knows nothing about LabVIEW (and thus does not have nilm installed). The same behavior.

On my machine, I have nilm disabled. I also stopped all services that start with ni* - still the same behavior.

Any ideas?

Thanks, -- Sergey Liberman

[rolfk]

Cepera wrote:

> I built a simple LabVIEW executable (e.g. doing a+b=c, or even just
> empty), using all default options in the Application Builder (VI
> Server disabled - both TCP/IP and ActiveX; Web Server disabled).
> Target platform - Windows 2000. LabVIEW version 7.1 (the same behavior
> on 7.0, but not on 6.1).
>
> When I launch my executable, the firewall (ZoneAlarm Pro) reports the
> application trying to access the internet (in my case,
> 63.240.76.19:DNS - probably the DNS server of my ISP). I tell the
> firewall to deny service; after that the application launches and
> works fine.

I just tried to watch the network traffic with Ethereal while starting
up LabVIEW 7.0 PDS and I can not detect any LabVIEW related
communication whatsoever. DNS lookups are
not filtered by Ethereal, but
if that is the only thing happening, there are no risicos with it.

It could be that LabVIEW initializes the Winsock library on startup and
causes a reverse DNS for its own IP address and depending on your
network setup this could result in a remote DNS request. Maybe something
to detect multi network PCs or whatsoever, or the library for Infrared
tries to do something on initialization of the Winsock. But unless
someone can tell me what address it tries to resolve and show that it
then tries to actually communicate with a higher level protocol with
anything else, I do not consider it an attempt to call home, at least on
my computer. However it would be nice if someone from NI could shed some
light on the reasons for this just to make sure.

Rolf Kalbermatter

[Cepera]

Rolf, thanks for your comment. It would be pretty invasive if LabVIEW executables were writing home to NI every time someone launches them, but I am not worrying about it too much.

In this particular case though, it's an executable that I send to multiple clients of mine, and I don't want them to call me all the time asking why this application tries to access the internet, does it have a virus, did I bundle some spyware into it etc....

-- Sergey Liberman