Indeed! "atdmt.com" in both browsers.
Do you use Windows Live Mail?
I do use Windows Live Hotmail, which reads like this in the address line:
Logging into Hotmail will set this cookie, apparently no matter what your privacy settings are.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?threadID=348991
http://support.mozilla.com/si/forum/1/200342
SendOfJive,
Great job! It's a shame we can only give a kudo at each message... I would give you at least five for your persistent effort, if I could, and they would be well deserved.... 
Two great things: By giving a quick look at those links, I just found (I already suspected it...) that I have lots of good company in this little hell. And you just provided two more great links that I will read with much care and attention. I still hope that something must be effective at stopping "great monster" MS... 
Now it's getting a little late around here. I will come back tomorrow and report any findings.
Thanks and cheers!
SendOfJive,
I'm back... And have some news, but still no solution.
From the links you provided, I could learn a few interesting facts about this issue. Among them, I could find a number of alleged or proposed solutions, even though, to my best knowledge, none of them work. I tried a few of them, to be sure, and invariably ended up at ground zero.
From this exercise, here are a few observations of my own:
-- In my particular case, at least, neither IE nor Firefox nor Hotmail seem to have anything to do with the offender...
-- The real culprit is solely "Mister" Outlook 2007...
-- I made a number of logins to all of them and, invariably (no one single exception) the adtmt.com cookie never showed up, except immediately after logging in to Outlook. Every single time...
-- These logins were done randomly, not all in a row for each of those applications individually. The result was always the same.
Interestingly, I also found that the somehow generalized opinion that Microsoft was behind this shame proves to be true. In fact, MS fully acknowledges the fact but refuses (or at least has been resisting, while it can) to stop doing it or provide a mechanism for the end user to decide whether she wants to accept it or not.
Microsoft says: " InternetSetCookie will unconditionally create a cookie even if 'Block all cookies' is set in IE This behavior can be viewed as a breach of privacy..."
So why on earth doesn't MS cease and desist -- or have any rogue that may be acting on its behalf cease and desist -- from seeding garbage into everyone's computers without any recourse? For a moment, one gets a little confused, wondering if one, even without knowing it, has landed in China... Or worse!
One user of the Mozilla forums had something quite interesting to say about the issue and what EVERYONE affected must be doing in order to have everyone's rights protected. Please check his posting dated 3/10/2010 about the Tracking cookie atdmt.com:
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?threadID=348991&start=15&tag=forum-w;forums06
I don't want to be a pest but, as always, your comments will be very welcome.
Cheers
Lin Yu
Thank you LinYu2 and SendOfJive
Very interesting and informative dialog
I'm wondering if SpwareBlaster would prevent atdmt ?
The cnet link provided by SendOfJive points to SpwareBlaster as a preventative
When I ran IE as my primary browser...SpywareBlaster was a great adjunct app.
When I migrated to Firefox...I dropped SB thinking the app was only for IE
Your dialog has prompted me to re-think SpywareBlaster
Thanks !
bjm_
It would be great if you could try and determine exactly which app(s) trigger the appearance of atdmt.com in your system. In my case, I still did not find any other instance that "seeds" atdmt.com into mine, other than when I launch Outlook 2007. And this is immediate. It suffices that you just login and logout right after -- go look, it will be there!
Your situation may be different, but if you decide to take the effort, please make sure that you keep as few as possible applications open, to make the process simpler.
Meanwhile, by all means, if you can be sure MS is behind it, as I believe it is, hey, bug the FTC, bug your representative, bug your senator, bug everyone who may have the power to do something about it! Do NOT circumvent exercising your rights as a consumer and a citizen, by going around and swallow the bullet, looking for apps that "might" counter it, while MS laughs at you, tells you that "it will unconditionally create a cookie" and that this "may be viewed as a breach of privacy" and still refuses to do what would be so simple for them to do...
How much is enough?
Cheers
Hi LinYu2
By my interest in your issue I may have given the impression that I also have the issue...
Sorry, if my posts presented that impression. AFAIK I do not recall the appearance of atdmt.com on my system.
I only run web based email clients...so, cannot test user based email client ie: Outlook
My interest was peaked as you run FF as primary browser. I assumed the absence of atdmt on my Sys was due to my FF & IE browser setup/add-ons. So, I tried to post help before fully comprehending atdmt. Your posts and SendOfJive enlightened me re atdmt
The use of Outlook as you offer is credible as I do not run Outlook and you have browsers setup per SendOfJive.
If my posts were an intrusion...please excuse
Cheers
SendOfJive wrote: Logging into Hotmail will set this cookie, apparently no matter what your privacy settings are.
I log into free Hotmail account daily via FF and do not find atdmt. IDK
Update to LinYu2
Hi LinYu2
FWIW
I installed SywareBlaster SpwareBlaster ....I now find in FF Cookie Exceptions a long list of new Sites with Block.... included in this listing is atdmt.com.
I do not recall the appearance of atdmt.com on my system.
IDK if this will prevent atdmt.com with Outlook...as M$ may use live.com or ? as a way to seed your system.
IE with SpywareBlaster also presents a long list of new sites...included in this listing is atdmt.com with Always Block.
IDK if this will prevent atdmt.com with Outlook...as M$ may use live.com or ? as a way to seed your system.
$.02
SendOfJive wrote:Logging into Hotmail will set this cookie, apparently no matter what your privacy settings are.
http://forums.cnet.com/5208-6132_102-0.html?threadID=348991
http://support.mozilla.com/si/forum/1/200342
SendOfJive,
Just a few more words as a wrap up to this subject...
To summarize:
First, let me confirm, as I already stated before in my posting about the latest steps I took, that all my observations and conclusions remain unchanged to this moment. I only get the atdmt cookie when I click to open Outlook 2007, and I always get it when I do it, no exception. On the other hand, I still did not encounter one single instance where this cookie would show up without opening Outlook.
It seems we have hit a dead-end, so to speak, since I kind of came to the conclusion that, in fact, there is no solution for my troubles regarding atdmt.com, before getting Microsoft to do something about this. And, all things being equal, this would be just short of a miracle!
Anyway, I wish you could still come here one more time with your final take on this weird situation... And I call it weird on the basis of the conclusion that MS is actually the one to be faulted for this, which may prove to be wrong.
Can you please give us your final thoughts on this?
In any case, I also want to reiterate my sincere thanks for all the help you kindly provided in this matter.
Cheers
Lin Yu
Hi LinYu2,
Atlas Solutions is a part of Microsoft Advertising so it is small wonder that this cookie gets placed by so many programs associated with Microsoft. Do you use the Microsoft Office Outlook Hotmail Connector? That is one way this cookie may be installing via Outlook but there are likely many other ways this may be happening, as well. Did you use the link provided by mdturner to opt out of this cookie? If so you will not be tracked but you will still show an atdmt cookie. This "Opt-out cookie" prevents your user id from being used and also keeps Atlas from installing any more cookies that would track you. So this may be the cookie you are seeing and, if so, you need to keep it because deleting it will once again allow Atlas to set tracking cookies. Please see the explanation of this "Opt-out cookie" on this Atlas Privacy Policy page:
http://www.atlassolutions.com/optout.aspx
One final thought about tracking cookies (and I bring this up because many people are unfamiliar with what tracking cookies actually do): Tracking cookies do not follow you everywhere you go and log every site that you visit. Instead they simply let the company know when you visit a site that is affiliated with them. For example, if you go to two separate sites that host Atlas ads, Atlas will know that you did so. If one site happens to be a car shopping site and the next site is about Germany, there may be an ad for a German automobile in your future, thanks to Atlas. If you go to a third site that does not have an affiliation with Atlas, maybe a site about Chevrolets let's say, Atlas will never know and you will not be targeted with Chevy ads. So, while there is certainly a lot that a company can learn about you by connecting the dots that a tracking cookie provides, and this can be a serious privacy concern, a tracking cookie does not watch everything you do on the internet. The reason for most tracking cookies is to facilitate ad targeting and to gather statistical data about ad viewership and to establish correlations among various ads and websites.
SendOfJive,
Thanks for your detailed and objective explanation about the tracking cookies. I had the same general idea and, to be honest, my concern has not much to do with having some cookie passing information to others on which sites I visit. For me, personally, this does not come out as a big breach of my privacy, as I am not even an occasional visitor, let alone a client, of any shady or dubious site. And knowing the source of this particular cookie, I tend to feel even more relaxed, in the sense that I don't feel inclined to admit the information might be used for illegal purposes.
The main thing is, however, the principle. I hardly will ever accept that someone -- anyone -- could do something, using my own computer, against my will and with no easy recourse from my side. And this is it.
Once again, thank you very much for the splendid job you did on this matter.
Take care.
Lin Yu
LinYu2,
If it's a Flash Cookie, The Macromedia site has a Settings_Manager that will help you deal with it. Google "Flash Cookie" to find out how to manage those cookies. It is said they can regenerate normal cookies.
Hello SendOfJive
Just for general info > http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/atlassolutions.com
So, the atdmt.com that SpywareBlaster has populated to my cookies Exceptions list with Block (IE&FF) is just a Block for cookies from website atdmt.com. The *.atdmt.com LinYu2 is seeing may be the very cookie LinYu2 needs to retain for the Atlas optout preference and to prevent Atlas from generating another atdmt cookie? Norton would still identify "it" as a Tracking Cookie ? Or, once optout occurs...no more atdmt.com Tracking cookies. Interesting though when I optout of Atlas...I do not find any atdmt.com cookie and wouldn't it be from Atlas and wouldn't in be a long term cookie ? Maybe I have to optout from IE? IDK If Norton ever finds an atdmt or atlas Tracking cookie... I'll have to try and find it. ?
re > Logging into Hotmail will set this cookie, apparently no matter what your privacy settings are. I log in to Hotmail webmail daily and as yet Norton has not found an atdmt Tracking Cookie. Maybe as you suggest the Outlook Hotmail connecter is the trigger.
edit update: "Optout" populates two atlassolutions.com cookies and both are only session cookies. ?
Thanks for the details.
corrections edit
The two atlassolutions.com session cookies are from the atlassolutions.com optout page url offered by SendOfJive.
The atlas solutions atdmt.com optout url offered by mdturner does render one atdmt.com long term cookie and one session cookie. The same for the optout utility link offered at SendOfJive url.
So, I presume LinYu2 and I will retain this long term atdmt.com cookie. Very interesting 
quote:
COPYRIGHT 2009 MICROSOFT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Please note that this opt-out process will erase the cookie ID but not the cookie. It's necessary for us to store this "Keep Out" cookie on your computer in order to recognize you as an opt-out user.
and nothing prohibits M$ / Atlassolutions from changing their policy...
Thanks all...guess it's called wild wide west for a reason. Now, I'll have to see if Norton finds a Tracking cookie.
I wrote:Have you tried https://onlinefamily.norton.com/familysafety/loginStart.fs ?
I see that there is a free add-on for Norton internet Security and Norton 360 that does something similar to the above.
http://www.symantec.com/norton/products/parental-controls/index.jsp
bq1
From my part, thank you for your contribution towards clarification of this issue that I have called a nuisance. But in my particular case, as I have stated before, I am sure I clearly identified the source of the problem. Granted, it can be different for other people with different system layouts, But for this "innocent victim" of the atdmt attacks... The source is well identified -- it's called Outlook 2007! As long a s I leave it alone, I have had no infections.
Someone has mentioned that this is likely to originate in the Outlook Contact Manager. It may be, but I still did not decide whether I will try to get rid of this module of Outlook, get rid of Outlook altogether or just keep my current stance of largely ignoring it and live with the sporadic need to use it and, in this case, watch Norton kill it the next time I run a scan...
Life is not perfect, after all!
Cheers.
Or, you can use Optout and retain long term cookie.
Norton scan finds Optout tracking cookie > with Fix - Ignor and retaining of Optout "Keep Out" cookie.... should be solution for Outlook 2007... as per
quote:
COPYRIGHT 2009 MICROSOFT ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Please note that this opt-out process will erase the cookie ID but not the cookie. It's necessary for us to store this "Keep Out" cookie on your computer in order to recognize you as an opt-out user.
$.02
I'm running Windows XP with IE8 but some variation of this solution should work for you. Set your internet options to store saved web pages for 0 days, empty temp folder upon exit, and add atdmt.com to your restricted web sites. When you open both your home page and E-mail page systematically block all cookies except those that give the pages functionality. If you don't already know how to access your modem settings contact your ISP to show you how and add atdmt.com to your modem's firewall block list "be sure your modem's firewall is activated". After doing all that, start your operating system in the Safe Mode and run a full system scan. This procedure should permanently remove and prevent the cookie from installing on your computer.