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Spyware Tools
Posted on 05/31/2005 6:41:03 PM PDT by El Conservador
The next time you run a scan with your anti-spyware tool, it might miss some programs. Several anti-spyware firms, including Aluria, Lavasoft, and PestPatrol, have quietly stopped detecting adware from companies like Claria and WhenU--a process called delisting. Those adware companies have been petitioning anti-spyware firms to delist their software; other companies have resorted to sending cease-and-desist letters that threaten legal action.
In most cases it's difficult for customers to determine whether their anti-spyware tool has delisted anything and, if so, which adware it skips.
"When a spyware program gets delisted, users won't be aware of its presence," says Harvard law student and spyware researcher Ben Edelman. The practice, he says, "offers spyware makers a new lease on life, letting them keep users who otherwise would have removed their software."
Degrees of Spyware
Of course, some spyware apps are worse than others. One spyware program may make severe changes to your computer's settings, while another merely displays ads.
Claria and WhenU are making the case that their adware programs don't resort to illegal tactics, such as exploiting security holes, to install themselves. And though this software can be annoying, adware developers argue that merely being listed in an anti-spyware scanner's database tarnishes a company's reputation by linking its relatively benign adware application with far more harmful and intrusive spyware programs.
According to Avi Naider of WhenU, though some other adware companies will track your Web meanderings and sell that data, WhenU's privacy policy doesn't permit it to track the search queries that users type or the Web pages that they browse.
Each anti-spyware firm uses its own set of criteria to decide whether to remove or detect a file or Registry key related to spyware. Usually even a few bad behaviors suffice to red-tag a file as spyware or adware.
Peter Mackow of PCTools, maker of the Spyware Doctor anti-spyware program, says that his company won't publish the entire list of its criteria for fear that spyware companies will use the information to design a spyware application that skirts every rule. That is a position shared by many others who fight spyware.
"The spyware guys want a really rigid set of rules defining spyware so they can then make an end run around [all of them]," says Eric L. Howes, who tracks the spyware business for Spywarewarrior.com and consults for anti-spyware software companies.
Experts recommend that you employ two--or even three--anti-spyware tools. The more you use, the likelier they are to counter the individual biases of each anti-spyware company.
To Delist or Not
It's unfair to permanently blacklist a company based on its past behavior, so some delisting is inevitable. But delisting an adware application is a dangerous proposition for anti-spyware developers. In the past, some spyware and adware makers have changed their software enough to get delisted only to resume the activity that got them flagged in the first place.
As a result, the anti-spyware industry has developed a thick skin. Delisting is rare because, Edelman says, anti-spyware firms "stand up to strongly worded demand letters."
Adware companies also decry the word spyware itself as inherently negative, so some anti-spyware firms have tried to create terms that mean essentially the same thing, using more-neutral language: grayware, potentially unwanted programs, or potentially unwanted software. But Webroot's CEO David Moll argues that matters could get more confusing if the anti-spyware companies try to refer to spyware by other names, just when many people are beginning to understand what spyware can do.
I have had zero trouble with Windows Media Player.
You truly do get what you pay for. To me, Spy Sweeper is worth every penny.
When I run the Yahoo anti-spy scan, it only gives me results of tracking cookies and offers no recommendation. They never report any threats that I should get rid of.
Apparently you haven't spent a lot of money on software for the Wintel platform (games, utilities, applications) or you wouldn't have so blithely marched into the Mac camp. Many of us have substantial investments in software that we aren't willing to give up just for the honor of spending too much on a computer that doesn't require you to think too much.
Personally, I use Windows for games and applications then switch over to my Linux install when I want to edit sound or video or surf the 'net or open up any other kind of hole in my shields.
I've had it for years too. My son, who is a software engineer for a high profile company really ragged on me about it. Serious ragging.
I refused to take it off because I couldn't find anything as good.
Last week he sent me a link to the Weatherchannel software.
After evaluating things for a week, just this AM I took Weatherbug off my computers. Not only is the Weatherchannel software much better, my son is happy that I don't have what he called the Invaders on my computers anymore.
Here's a link. Give it a try, as I did. It's a bit of a hassle to load then you have to load the latest releases, but I think you'll like it. Freepmail me if you can't get the link to work.
http://www.weather.com/services/desktop/MSNBC_desktop.html?refer=PFPtextMSNBC&from=PFPtextMSNBC&par=msnbcDT&site=msnbcPFP&promo=0
For starters, see:
http://axe-s.com/weatherbug/
I guess it's a question of whether or not you want surreptitious communications (beyond updating temps/forecasts) going on and/or yet more advertisements from an already saturated medium/marketplace.
Not to mention the fact that there are better programs, many of them free, that do not contain the ad/spy components.
It is an alternative to Real Player (which is spyware) that plays all RealOne or Real Player video or audio content. It's a gem. Small and potent.
I agree. I also use HijackThis and Avast Anti-Virus (which also protects against spyware and malware). I have had a fair share of times where I had to do it through registry editing (risky but sometimes that is what it takes)
I don't see where that says it ~does~ that. I do get one ad, and only when I check the forecast. I get no other ads or bother from it, and it works.
I don't feel overmarketed to, really, but then I don't visit a lot of sites that have ads... and I do use Google toolbar adblocker that catches most stuff.
I don't have any crap.
The warnings about difficulty taking it off are noted...
I reinstalled my Windows 98 once. It wasn't too difficult.
Also, when I get a message about a corrupted or missing file, I look to see which directory it belongs in and then start looking for it in my cab files, which are located at: C:\win98. I right click each cab file, click View, and look for the missing file within that cab. If it's not there, I go on to the next cab. It takes a few minutes to find the file. When I find it, I right click it and click Extract, making sure the I put it in the right directory.
The MS ASW app is what used to be Giant. This was, and probably still is, one of the best ASW apps around.
The Minibug I got- transmitted most probably by clicking on and End User Agreement from another, unrelated download- loads Weatherbug.
Thanks - If I have trouble in the future... I'll get that instead. For the moment, I'm still happy with what I've got :~D
Annoying spyware ping.
Does anyboby have any opinions on Spy Subtract? A 30 day trial is preloaded on my new Compaq computer. Seems to be working good for me.
:-)
Make yourself a schedule and put them together yourself. Run one scan per day before you shut your computer off, or go to bed, or go home, or whatever.You don't have to sit there and watch it.This is the one I made for my wifes computer at work, it seems to work pretty well.
Monday update and run AVG antivirus
Tuesday update and run Adaware
Wednesday update and run Spybot Search and Destroy, you might as well update Spyware blaster while your at it since it runs in the background in conjunction with Spybot S&D
Thursday Run CCleaner or an equivilant disk cleanup/registry cleaning utility.
Friday Defrag
Note all the above utilitys are free or already on your computer ie.Defrag,Windows also comes with a disk cleanup utility but it doesn't work anywhere near as good as CCleaner.There are many more Microsoft,Yahoo,AOL all have thier own but the ones I've mentioned all work on just about anything from a crusty old P2 to the latest P4s.
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