Can spybot work with Firefox?

[Und3ertak3r]

Geez Im a fool..

I didn't think Spybot blocked cookies?
In its default state it blocks jack ****..
with all componebts activated it may block registry change attempts and certainly reduce some ActiveX attacks.. but as a prevenitive .. never relied on it with IE.. and only used it as a clean up after the fact..

And as pointed out.. FF is different to IE.. if you visiot the same pages in either browser the effect from the spyware WILL be different..

[MR.CD:\]

Thanks to those who tried to help.

I feel I need to explain why I thought spybot would "block" stuff:

When I installed spybot and activated the blocking, when I used IE, sporradically an alert would apear telling me spybot blocked gator or some other thing. When I got firefox, I stopped using IE. When using firefox, there was no such alert. And when I scanned with spybot later on, I had spyware. So, I assumed it's not working with firefox.

Granted it could be something else......

But I truly resent that guy, what was the name...."a morning chill"? That said I was getting that from clicking yes on popups??.....

COME ON MAN!!! jeez, I'm a newb, but I really take that as an insult, seriously. "OH, oh, I MUST need to install whatever this alert says to view this site, so I MUST click yes and download it....oh oh"

So, like I said before, thanks to you guys who tried to help....and not make themselves out to be a computer mentor cuz they know how to avoid a pop-up.

[a morning chill]

COME ON MAN!!! jeez, I'm a newb, but I really take that as an insult, seriously. "OH, oh, I MUST need to install whatever this alert says to view this site, so I MUST click yes and download it....oh oh"

How else do you think it got onto your computer? In fact, do you even know how binary programs are transfered from a website to your computer through your browser?

Spyware doesn't "slip" by your browser, it requires direct user interaction to install itself upon your computer. End of story, that's the mechanics of activeX and java. There is also the possability that you did not scan for spyware just before using firefox, and one peice of spyware downloaded the rest on it's own. Some spyware does do this. It hides on the computer and only has one thing to do: download others and install them.

Take it as an insult all you want, but I'm shooting straight with you and trying to help you out. Spyware doesn't magically slip through your web browser, you have to let it through via confirmation dialogs. And you need to use adaware along with spybot, as far too often (proven in test after test) adaware picks up on things spybot misses, and spybot picks up on things adaware misses. Use both together, that way you can assure yourself there isn't any sort of existing spyware.

But don't blow up in my face, because it doesn't seem like you understand how a web browser interacts with ActiveX and Java calls(the starting point of spyware installation).

edit: The reason why spybot blocker isn't working, is because the default installation turns on a secondary feature of Spybot called "IE resident", which forces certain pop-up windows, confirmation dialogs, and program java installations in IE to never appear and thus you never worry about it. Obviously this does not work for Firefox because the IE Resident is IE specific.

If you want to continue having something similar for firefox to help you decide what downloads and confirmations to not click, then activate SpyBot's TeaTimer (ONLY after you've fully cleaned your system). TeaTimer is like Spybot's IE Resident, but for the entire system. If anything tries to modify registry or otherwise,teatimer will pop up and notify you about it. In the end, it still comes down to educating one's self about what sites are safe and how a browser functions against malicious websites.

Don't think I'm trying to insult you here, by any means. But the sooner we can get people to understand that the first aspect of how spyware is installed is because of how they interact with websites, the sooner we can begin to protect you against all forms of spyware. I've used firefox for years upon years, and I've only had spyware on my computer ONCE during that time. The reason being because I wanted to test the usability of spybot versus adaware, and thus knowingly installed it.

So I know the problem isn't firefox We can help you out and show you how to sasfely navigate websites, but I ask you to drop your guard first. We aren't here to ruin or insult you.

[raj3]

i dont know the details of that spybot feature but ive tried it myself and it didnt do much (i dont know what else it does but i believe you can disable cookies and activex in IE prefs), and in my opinion the best choice for internet security software would be a combination of norton net security suite 2004 or 2005, as well as adaware pro (which i only use to remove spyware i pick up when i am forced to use IE for zone.com etc.) - my personal experience has shown that with this combination spybot really isnt necessary anymore, every time i tested them adaware pro has done the job alone. i also use firefox and have never gotten any spyware or browser hijack using it, even when i am forced to disable norton, when i get a GAIN install prompt or etc. i just cancel. However, in IE on a few occasions i have visited a site that automatically installs the spyware before you can do anything. the most likely reason for you to have gotten gator is that you clicked YES to download GAIN, a codename for gator which the company uses because gator already has a bad name.
And have you tried searching the spybot site for firefox? no results, so its likely that spybot doesnt support firefox anyway
Anyway I hope you choose to invest in some of the software I reccomended it really is worth it.

and btw i believe that morning chill was in fact correct in his assumptions, and am amazed at how maturely he handled the situation. And i sincerely hope that you dont take this post as an insult as well, as it is not intended to be one.

[ric-o]

Originally posted here by a morning chill
Spyware doesn't "slip" by your browser, it requires direct user interaction to install itself upon your computer.

Spyware doesn't magically slip through your web browser, you have to let it through via confirmation dialogs.

Actually this isn't entirely accurate! It *IS* true that a fair amount of spyware comes in through user interraction (re.; clicking Yes to install something, clicking pop-up ads, installing *helper* search bars, etc) but there is some amount of spyware which uses a *drive-by-install* tactic to install itself -- and this requires NO INTERRACTION from the user. And the number of infections by this method is growing quickly because now there is money attached to the spyware in the form of webhits/traffic to particular websites in addition to tieing back to spammers.

Don't think I'm trying to insult you here, by any means. But the sooner we can get people to understand that the first aspect of how spyware is installed is because of how they interact with websites, the sooner we can begin to protect you against all forms of spyware. I've used firefox for years upon years, and I've only had spyware on my computer ONCE during that time. The reason being because I wanted to test the usability of spybot versus adaware, and thus knowingly installed it.

I agree. Too many times it's a user who:

• - Installs something because it looked cool (like a Internet search bar)
  - Clicks on those deceptive banner ads telling them that it will fix their computer
  - Clicks on a banner ad that says they have won something
  - Plays an Internet game
  - etc

We need to get more user awareness out there in addition to all our technology tools. After all, spam is still a HUGE problem because of why? users responding...sigh!

It is true that you must be carefull what websites you visit, however...there have been some totally legit websites which served up some infected and malicious ad banners which infected the clients. Sigh.

So while I agree with most of your post a morning chill I wanted to clear something up regarding the *drive-by* spyware installs.

[raj3]

morningchill may have been referring to firefox when he made that comment about spyware not slipping by. Drive by installing is common in IE, I myself used to get small pieces of spyware every month, but when I got a huge package of 5 or 6 different programs in this way, I switched over to firefox and have not had a single problem remotely similar (even with norton turned off). Regardless, as far as I know, drive by installs occur commonly in IE but rarely in firefox.

[Und3ertak3r]

I've used firefox for years upon years

youve been useing FIREFOX that long..really?

stop the pissing match..
Not 100% of the parasites require user intervention to install.. that is other than visiting an infected webpage.

When it comes to insults.. It isn't what was said it is how it was said and how it was heard..
Many insults are never intended.. just mis-communicated statements. Many of us communicate on a technical level and as a result certain things will be misunderstood by less technicaly literate (not to slur you mr CD:\ ). And this is especially so when we attempt to make a general statement.. and the reader takes the comment as specific to them..

Chill guys..



Cheers

[oofki]

This is true dispite what people might think spyware "can be magicly injected" into your computer. This is mostly true for IE and OLE because who ever makes the spyware often uses exploits such as the mhtml, ms-its, vbscript filedrop, ADODB.stream, etc, etc, exploits. The other thing is some spyware can set the active x security settings to allow all. This would allow other spyware to come on to your computer from visiting it with out any interaction.

[nihil]

I am not sure how prevalent it is these days, but I am sure that some of this stuff gets installed by spam e-mails?

I once cleaned a machine for a small local hotel, there were over a hundred items on it. All it was used for was sending and receiving e-mails. Now as you can imagine the hotel was listed on a fair number of sites, so it attracted a fair bit of spam. They were using Outlook Express with preview enabled

It seemed to me that this stuff most likely got in via the e-mails? Otherwise it must have come in direct via the internet connection.

just a thought

[jtheriot]

Originally posted here by MR.CD:\
Oh, it did. Using IE with Spybot didn't let anything though. As soon as I started using firefox, I got gator and stuff.


BTW, I'll try ur suggestions, thanks guys.

SpybotS&D doesn't have a browser plugin for Firefox/Mozilla. This doesn't mean that it is not blocking the spyware/malware/adware. The Gator and cool web search, and the like only infect Internet Explorer due to the ActiveX capability of this browser. SpyBotS&D will stop these exploits on IE, because they exists only in IE. Firefox/Mozilla doesn't have this vulnerability.

What you are noticing is not that the exploit is not being blocked. What you are noticing is the absence of the exploit.

As in the other posts: Adware, Malware, Spyware gets installed because someone goes online an then clicks <yes> to install something.

Browser Hijacking is different. I've never had Firefox/Mozilla hijacked. I _have_ had IE hijacked numerous times.

Tracking cookies can be controlled through browser security settings. You will have to customize the security settings on IE to help you with this.

IE will always have more significant vulnerabilities because it's not just a browser, it is part of the operating system.

If you infect, or damage IE, you affect the operating system.

If you infect, or damage Firefox/Mozilla, you uninstall/clean/reinstall. Not so with IE.

Good luck....

Use Linux.