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All,
The Register has an interesting about self-updating spyware/adware:
The Register: When Spyware Crosses The Line
It's scary to read how difficult it was to remove that bit of program. When I think about how my parents or my wife surf the Net, I can see them getting hit by something like this.
I wonder if running Spybot Immunisation would have prevented this.
Cheers,
BrainStop
Running an immunisation program only stops known issues. if the code is updated that often then chances are, no it wouldnt help. I dont like that the article picks on IE, it is very true that the vast majority of problems with spyware are basd on IE flaws but that is becasue like it says 80 percent of people on the net use IE. From a designer point of view you want to hit as many people as possible so you go for the most popular. It doesnt matter which browser it is that everyne uses. If everyone were to switch to Opera then there would be tons of spyware for it. No software is flawless, and when big money is backing the creation a malicious products then these flaws will be explointed. This type of spyware will become a huge issue becasue if someone in the industrie had this hard fo a time removing the program imagine the havoc it will casue among the most computer illiterate of people, and unfortunatly a very large amount of users are indeed computer illiterate. For this type of problem companies like symantec ad mcafee will have to start releasing definitions much quicker as well as re design software to prevent this type of auto update, or atleast ask for permission. This problem will get much worse before it gets better, and until we have more laws against this type of unethical behavior, and the proper agencies to enforce these laws there is really very little that can be done to prevent it, well atleast for the basic users.
xtc made a really good point .. i would also recommend using ad-aware 6 keeping it up to date.. and informing your family to be careful about sites they visit and stuff they download.. my aunt does this all the time and when i go check her computer she has hundreds of spyware/adaware objects on her computer which impacts your systems performance and reliability greatly. its sad people have to worry about stuff like this :killcompu
if you need to download ad-aware there are many sites to get it from.. but the one i used is
www.lavasoft.de
hope i helped you out somewhat.. i am new to antionline... just trying to help out :)
I was wondering how far spyware was going to go, when it first came out it was managable, Like in the article, im using 3 different defenders and still not squashing the problem.
This can't go on, there is petty theives out there making not hundreds but millions of this annoying new breed of "parasite".
This is a security problem and has to be dealt with but the proper authorities.
The spyware that really pisses me off is the spyware thats wants you download spyware detectors. The hunter is the hunted? But hunting itself?
my 3 cents
I add to this "without a reasonable method of consent verification" ..Quote:
any application that gets installed without your knowledge is unacceptable
Point Ad-aware and Spybot S&D are hard pressed dealing with CWS (Which contray to my earlier comments will now conceed is one of the lowest forms of Malware.
We only have to put up with this crap.. Governments are passing laws dealing with Spam, for a zero net effect, and now we have SPAM Virus's .. They could pass laws regarding HiJAckers and Parasiteware.. for what? harder to deal with distribution channels.. harder to remove Hijackers and Parasites..
A tempory solution is Abandon IE as a browser.. avoid the IE Plug-in's (MYIE2 etc), also scrap OLEXP and Outlook as their Email Clients.. (Avoid also Incredi-Crap-Mail).. It isn't perminent cure.. but many targets (Browsers and Email Clients based on completly different engines) make the task of attacking more complex..
I think it is time we reset the Matrix..
Cheers
I don't think switching to a different web broswer is the answer. Been smarter and being careful is the best solution. I once got hit by these pesy spyware and adaware programs but I have learned to be a smarter web browser. Don't get caught in a lemon. One saying that we should abide by is "If anything seems to good then it probably is." and " Nothing is free" . It may not cost you up front on money wise but it will cost you in headaches.
Be a smarter web browser.
I'm not so sure about that GSX...Check my post from just a little while ago about the report that just came out last nite.
http://www.antionline.com/showthread...hreadid=259139
Nastier and nastier....