Spyware Engineering?

[Elliente]

Is there anyone here that knows how to, or has written spyware/malware/adware in the past?

I'm looking to write a program that kills spyware before it gets installed, without any user intervention. I'm having some problems finding information on which specific exploits are being used now. I'm not looking for the kind that has any pop-up, certificate or otherwise, rather, the really malicious kind that gets installed without the user knowing.

Is there somewhere I can get a free database, or table of known companies or fake certificates, similar to the one that Ad-aware or Spybot uses?

Also, if you're going to accuse me of writing spyware, keep it to yourself please.

[AngelicKnight]

Are you aware of existing programs out there that do this? Spyware Guard and Spyware Blaster both act in this manner, killing off spyware/adware before they have a chance to install. Spybot's immunize feature does much the same. Just curious as to if you were aware of the stuff already being out there.

[Elliente]

Thanks, and yes, I'm aware of products like that. That's a good post for people who didn't though!

I'm looking to write it myself as a little side project; just for something to pass the time (good experience too!). It's a real pain trying to get source code from any company with a decent product.......

[XTC46]

Wouldnt there be some tupe of definition file in program like adaware or spybot? and if you get really desperate put an insecure box online and go to every free porn site you can find, then run a scan and print the log of everything found, from there you should be able to research the liek.