Posted on 05/06/2005 12:59:44 PM PDT by holymoly
New York (AHN)- Researchers at Symantec Corp. bought a brand new PC this year and connected it to the internet.
They browsed without installing any kind of protection software.
After one hour of surfing five or six children's sites and clicking around, they discovered the computer had been loaded with 359 different pieces of adware software.
With travel sites averaging 64 adware programs and sports sites 17, kid's sites clearly lead the pack in adware inundation. The ads offer free Ipods or "punch the president" type games, which kids find inticing.
Clicking on one of these banner ads is followed by the computer screen drowning in pop-up ads.
Kraig Lane of Symantec's Consumer Internet security products group did not specify which sites were surfed but confirmed they were typical, mainstream sites for children.
He said the easiest targets were kids searching for song lyrics, free games, or video game "cheats."
Industry groups are trying to fight back. America Online and Microsoft Corp. offer special anti-spyware tools. Microsoft's version has been downloaded 14 million times since its release.
BTTT
Yeah, I had to get spy sweeper. My first sweep caught...I can't even remember how many. A ton.
add to that list firefox and the adblock extension. most of the spyware click-ads like that can be blocked with it and no one will have the ability to click and get something they didnt want.
my record with an ad-aware scan was 1,748.
Lots of Porn?
Do it for the kids Symantec, do it for the kids.
I actually prefer Microsoft's free AntiSpyware app over AdAware:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
My Wife intalled a pop up/ ad blocker on this comp. Must say I seem too be spy ware free, even when downloading music from..... ooops, I mean,,,,,errrrr..... I never download music online.....
What else is new?
In all likelihood some of the spyware/adware was installed at the factory with the so-called "free" software that is often included with the "package."
Do you think for a minute that Symantec/Norton does NOT put spyware on your computer? If you think not then you are dreaming. They just like to point the finger at someone else/everyone else to take the heat off of themselves.
All software companies put spyware on systems during install and if you do not know how to stop it with a firewall or the "MSCONFIG"/Registry utility then you are doomed by the very companies who are crying about "other" companies putting spyware on peoples' computers. They just hide it better than other spyware/adware companies.
nope. 2 different user IDs. the lady just emailed her son in iraq, read the news. The husband liked to bet on the horses, online. the lady didnt know why her machine was so slow. he'd gotten stuff on there without her knowledge.
Yikes....
I was hoping they at least enjoyed getting the spyware...
;-)
he won some money on one of the races, I think. winning money would be enjoyable, to me anyway.
Me too, but not to this guy!
thats one thing I always wondered. does santa get paid for handing out all those toys every year? He looks so sullen in that picture.
lol!
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