McAfee lists Adware in Top 10 Viruses 272
joelethan writes "In the new sensitive, caring world of Windows security McAfee Virusscan detects adware/malware, just like its competitors. A surprising consequence is that the McAfee's Regional Virus Info now regularly shows adware in its infection top ten. It feels so good to see old favorites like 180Search and DFC listed. "Now for your listening pleasure it's Adware.Gator at number 7 with a bullet..."
"
Tums! (Score:4, Funny)
Geek: "Helpdesk, how can I help you?"
Hapless Worker Drone: "I have all these funny ads that keep popping up!"
Geek: "Did you install that nifty new weather bug, or that 'Gator' thing?"
Hapless Worker Drone: "I didn't install anything! This is your fault! You guys are supposed to protect us!"
Geek: "See that socket over there? It's the automatic anti human virus protecter, stick your finger in and call me in an hour"
Re:Tums! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Tums! (Score:3, Funny)
And it's only getting worse.
The other day a fellow network tech here at my new job mentioned he had to de-spyware his own pc as it was getting absolutely over-run with browser hijackers, spyware, and the ilk.. We've all gotten something we didn't want before, but his laptop is as bad as some of our worst offendrs'.
I quietly told him not to mention that to anyone else, and gave him the url for mozilla.
Legitimate Businessmen (Score:3, Interesting)
seriously, I wonder how long it is before they sue mcafee and others, just because of this point they want to make. Not that anyone will believe them.
I actually came across one that had an unistall utility, complete with a massive EULA for this uninstaller [look2me.com], and a license key for the uninstaller, which is emailed to you, if you decide to actuaslly trust them (descri [kephyr.com]
Re:Legitimate Businessmen (Score:3, Informative)
"I understand and agree the software product will modify, remove, and add entries to my computer operating system, network parameters, and other installes files that will change the prior default settings, and/or install software from third parties without user intervention, and/or to install software to display electronic advertisements and third party web pages of every kind and nature and/or monitor my actions and report them to the company and/or undisclosed th
Re:Legitimate Businessmen (Score:2)
Claria... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Claria... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Claria... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Claria... (Score:2)
Re:Claria... (Score:5, Interesting)
This is also a common practice in the adapted (as in, for the disabled) vehicle industry; most (not all) vendors do crappy work, overcharge, then change their names and/or move/disincorporate/reincorporate every few years to avoid bad PR and lawsuits. It's a very disgusting industry. And if you want to be independent, there's no real choice - it's them or nothing.
Time to cut your virus count (Score:4, Insightful)
2)Destroy spyware [lavasoftusa.com]
3)Switch to a secure operating system. [mandrake.com]
4) ???
5) Profit, by not having to waste time with viruses!
Re:Time to cut your virus count (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Time to cut your virus count (Score:2)
Re:Time to cut your virus count (Score:2)
If you know enough to be enabling updates in a cron job, then you aren't the sort of person who's most at risk anyway.
Until Linux distros nearly universally apply updates automatically, without requiring user interaction, and grab them quickly even on dial-u
Re:Time to cut your virus count (Score:4, Informative)
Reminds me of the joke:
Q. Why does and Irishman wear two condoms
A. To be sure, to be sure...
Gator is at number 4 (Score:5, Informative)
List linked in summary not that great; look here (Score:5, Informative)
Gator beats any virus in infestation rate if you look at the more relevant statistics.
Re:List linked in summary not that great; look her (Score:3, Funny)
Re:List linked in summary not that great; look her (Score:2)
It's about time... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I'm going to be laughing at this one for days (Score:2)
Soon, if they're the geniuses you say they are - before anyone realises the list is run by their competitors - McAfee! :)
Re:It's about time... (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:It's about time... (Score:5, Interesting)
After having researched [blogspot.com] a spyware infection recently, I disagree.
The folks at the CTD filed a complaint [cdt.org] [warning: PDF] with the FTC that explains pretty clearly how the crapware can be installed without explicit user approval, and how difficult it is to remove.
And Tom Liston might make a nice expert witness: Follow the Bouncing Malware [sans.org]
USE THESE (Score:5, Informative)
Ad-Aware [lavasoftusa.com]
Search & Destroy [safer-networking.org]
To keep your pc running fast and without too many crashes..
Unfortunately... (Score:2, Insightful)
And this... (Score:5, Informative)
SpywareBlaster [javacoolsoftware.com]
I would have posted AC to avoid the karmawhoring but Slashdot isn't allowing my subnet to post anonymously anymore. So blame them for the "Continual Karmawhoring".
Re:And this... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:USE THESE (Score:2, Informative)
HijackThis. End of story.
http://www.downloads.subratam.org/hijackthis.zi
Re:USE THESE (Score:2)
http://www.pelicancoast.net/~nighthawke/hosts.z i p
There are other hosts files out there, but this one i'm making every effort to keep up to date with the latest addresses of the bad boys.
Oh and run spybot and ad-aware.
Not to mention EDUCATION! They won't listen, then they will sit there and suffer because you said "I told you so" and nai
VirusScan Enterprise 8.0i (Score:3, Informative)
So I guess Gator was right.... (Score:5, Interesting)
About time... (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:About time... (Score:2, Interesting)
It was no idle talk. I have given so much of my precious free time to bail friends (and, yes, myself) out of the Adware trap.
Oh yes, I'm feeling mighty litigious! /JE
good move/about time (Score:5, Interesting)
Also, the McAfee trial she was using didn't catch much, I suppose she didn't have updated pattens, but with a dial up, is it possible/easy to get updates?
I'm leaning on her to get Broadband, and then let me put Linux on that Dell...
CB_)EW____>>>
Re:good move/about time (Score:2)
Yes. I did it yesterday over a 33.6k dial-up link, so I don't see what the problem for most people would be - especially with Service Pack 2 to remind them.
Re:good move/about time (Score:2)
After 7 hours, I just went to Linux
Gator's methods should be illegal (Score:2, Interesting)
Claria sounds like some sexual desease.
So the FBI can safely install spyware et al... (Score:4, Interesting)
So how do you keep the feds from snooping [theregister.co.uk] you?
I never saw much of a difference... (Score:2, Insightful)
And while most malware may not be self replicating, it does have viral components in that it is predatory non-living creature that lives off its host. And good malware, like a good virus goes undetected. Cheating the system of confidentiality and resources. Sending it's host to places that suit it, and exploit the host.
Does it really matter that they aren't totally se
Prosecution? (Score:5, Interesting)
I recently fixed someone's computer that had so much spyware, it was running like a 66MHz machine on Windows 98SE. They were using a 2.5GHz with 512MB of RAM. The start button would take three seconds of griding to hit, and hitting it made three or four spam windows pop up, mostly about gambling, porn, or pills.
Re:Prosecution? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Prosecution? (Score:2)
What other competitors do they mean? (Score:2)
Re:What other competitors do they mean? (Score:2)
Re:What other competitors do they mean? (Score:2)
When do Gator &c start suing? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:When do Gator &c start suing? (Score:2)
Re:When do Gator &c start suing? (Score:2)
Just like they did with their anti-virus software, and they also told it to go ahead and delete the crap.
Call your Congressmen-it's the most important step (Score:5, Insightful)
I love this. It would be nice if people were more educated on this (and knew the difference between a viral program and an inert string of text that they have set their browser to allow), but it's a huge start. Detecting these programs as viruses is wonderful - it raises awareness levels. And the first step to legislation is enough people telling their congressmen. Remember, a phone call or letter is worth hundreds of constituient votes.
Four years ago when I first came across Gator, I considered taking apart their offices with a bat and a black ski mask. But I lived on the wrong coast. Now I might finally see them go to jail some day, and their cell mates will do far worse things to some scrawny coders than I ever could. But that will only happen if you contact your congresscritter. So do it.
Spyware tech. (Score:3, Interesting)
An instance on a system I was removing spyware from was so infested that no matter what I did I could not remove it. Adaware/Spybot could not remove it. The user in question happened to frequent weatherbug et. al so had the latest and greatest spyware. Now in my situation our upline is blocking spyware sites as they find them.
What ended up happening is, our busy spyware installer guy put found a site that wasn't blocked and installed the latest and greatest. Soon thereafter his browser stopped taking him anywhere. Our upline was blocking all requests his browser made because they were all being superceded by the spyware address.
I download all of the newest updates, nada. I speculate that it may be a newer spyware/adware infecting his system and offer him a reimaging of his station, or waiting a day to see if there is a fix. One day goes by, no fix. I spare his system out and give him a replacement while I image his old one. Well the system sits for a while, and eventually I get back to it (4 days after the initial problem.) I figure, hell I'll run Adaware again. Update...scan... remove... reboot... scan...remove... and finally the spyware is removed.
The moral of this story is use Firefox.
That's probably not spyware... (Score:2)
Possibly newer versions of ad aware do this for you?
Turnabout is fairplay (Score:5, Interesting)
The firm i worked at up until recently decided to do some "sponsored marketing" thru Claria/Gator. I tried to preach their evils to the marketing department, but my protesting fell on deaf ears. A few weeks later, one of the marketing folks called me into his office because he was having terrible troubles with I.E. Turns out, as expected his lappie was riddled with spyware, w/ Gator/Claria products being the chief offender. When he asked what the major problem was, and I showed him the ad-aware, hijack this, and spybot entries w/ gator/claria all over them - i think he finally realized. The initial short term advertising contract wasn't renewed, or so i hear.
If more comapnies knew how bad these apps are, and what problems they created, maybe they wouldn't want their services and products advertised in this manner.
Different term? (Score:2)
Can we use "scum-ware" instead? I've worked with the guys at Adware the company and they're nice people.
about ing time (Score:2, Interesting)
But does McAfee do anything effective with them? How about McAfee Corporate (good) vs. the home user version (ukkkk!)?
The latest Norton (2004) detectes malware, but doesn't seem to do anything effective about it.
The best prevention is good surfing habits, and giving most Windows users no rights at all to install stuff.
2 Products that work in the Enterprise (Score:2, Informative)
Two products we have fully implemented that have helpded (no Mandrake/Firefox comments please heh)
1. Trend Micro Office Scan 6.5 (new version) It caught all the Trojans and malware, left most of the adware
2. Spysweeper Enterprise - This put the -smack- down on every little piece of adware and malware...very impressive.
If you are stuck with M$ this will help alot - both products are centrally managed and controlled...I dont work for either, but you can get on top of the virus/malware pain. We had som
One word...lawsuit... (Score:4, Interesting)
Adware/Malware (Score:5, Interesting)
I helped a friend diagnose his constantly crashing computer remotely one time and found that he had over 18,000 individual copies of some type of CoolWeb in his Windows\System folder.
The real problem isn't with New.net hijacking and sending people to other domains; the real problem is when their software breaks and you can't use any TCP/IP related applications until you find someone with some technical know-how to fix it.
These bastards should be liable for this sort of thing. Actually, they probably are.
The Registry is the answer (Score:4, Interesting)
Great!
Now make an AV app that effectively removes them when it's detected.
Right now, not one virus scanner cleans adware/spyware effectively. You always need to use either spybot or adaware to get rid of it for good. The reason for this is simply because every antivirus firm uses scanning techniques dated from the DOS era to scan and remove this stuff.
If you work for symantec, or mcafee, or any other AV firm for that matter, pleast drill it in your AV scanning division that the Windows Registry Must be scanned for viruses/adware/spyware entries First then all the files on the system. Then once it's found, remove all traces of it including folders, leftover installer files and temp files. I've seen spyware and adware that is just about impossible to remove unless you scour the entire registry for any possible method of entry, then scour the drive for installers that will reinstall it if it's removed. That is why adaware and spybot are so effective at removing this stuff. it removes it from executing and gets it all on the next restart.
Lavasoft Ad-aware is better at removing even some common viruses than most virus scanners today. It's almost second nature that you have to get a "Virus Cleaner" to remove viruses for some AV scanners that adaware removes on the first try.
Until AV firms understand that the registry is just as important to scan as the files, they will never be effective in removing these threats. Dont think that Virus writers aren't looking at these techniques these spyware groups are using to get around you guys and aren't implementing these techniques in their next virus.
Fight fire with fire. (Score:3, Funny)
1)Make a copy of their agreement, and replace "The cool thing we say we do" with "Free pizza for the office"
2)Replace "We get to infest your machine with junk" with "We get to tar and feather you and put pictures on the internet"
3)Get together a bunch of cheese pizzas and head to their office. Get them to sign the modified agreement for delivery.
4) Proceed to tar and feather the person that signed for the pizza, and share the fantastic photos on the internet.
Remember, it's not assault, it's marketing they agreed to in the license. The beauty of it is that if they fight it, they fight their own agreement, and we can use anything they do to get them to be responsible for the *hundreds of millions of dollars* of damage they have caused to innocent people's computers.
-Z
Re:damn.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:damn.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
Yeah. But its still just working around the problem.
That isn't a workaround, that is basic security that you would use on any multi-user OS.
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
That is not going to save you (Score:2)
Re:damn.. (Score:3, Interesting)
Not every computer related problem has Microsoft to blame. Though it is tempting to blame them...
Re:damn.. (Score:2, Interesting)
Considering there is zero spyware for Macs or Linux... you're damn right I'm going to blame Microsoft.
Re:damn.. (Score:2, Insightful)
Considering there is zero spyware for Macs or Linux... you're damn right I'm going to blame Microsoft.
Damit, this thread is turning me into an MS apologist. How, exactly, are MS responsible for the spyware? There isn't a single thing about Macs or Linux that prevents someone writing spyware for it, or bundling it with other programs.
It really is just a matter of them not being worth targeting. Probably part market share, and part Mac and Linux users often being more savy and careful what they put on t
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
[obligatory remark] You must be new here [/obligatory remark]
I agree with you though ;)
Re:damn.. (Score:5, Informative)
I dont blame them on microsoft. I never said that. But spyware and virus problem is there, you cant deny that..
Only if you don't know what you are doing. I've been running XP for two years, and not one virus, or spyware, and pretty minimal effort on my part.
The problem is there, no denying, but the solution is way. What is more, it isn't windows specific anyway. Keeping your machine in order and secure is something you should be doing on any OS.
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
MS caters to the masses.....to the people who don't change their own oil. The average users buys a computer to surf. They get windows for ease of use. Windows has, like it or not, as a central feature IE. To ask a user to follow the 6 steps you have outlined is taking away from that ease of use.
Not use one of the central features? Use a firewall and have to figure out once a month why something can't connect? Add the 3 maintenance scans you suggest (updates, anti virus, spyware) and t
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
It really is minimal effort. Windows update and AV update can all happen automatically, or ask you when they want to run and what they want to download. As the thread topic says, AVs now cover spyware.
I really don't see autmated tasks running in the background much effort, or bowling over users who don't actually have to do anything. As for firewalls, computers coming with XP SP2 will have them on, and most are friendly enough, saying something like "This program X has tried to access the internet, do you
But (Score:2, Funny)
I really, really, want to open "pamanderson.exe" and "AllWindowsCrackz.exe"
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
There only has to be a problem once. Make one mistake on the internet, and then learn to love registry editor.
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
* Keep windows up to date with auto update
No way! I instantly disable that feature. Microsoft or not I do not like software installed on my system without my will. And cheap broadband is not universally available on the globe.
* Use something other than IE and Outlook/OE
Yes, not that alternative mailer won't let you run that attachment but at least chances are that it won't use your message base / address book for spreading.
* Use a firewall
Absolutely. Don't plug the cable unti
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
Re:damn.. (Score:2)
I think it is a "find pages like this one" plugin, that also phones home about where you surf.
I also think the parent is getting carried away, becuase I always keep IE up to date, and I've never had Alexa on my machine.
Right.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Kjella
Re:Right.. (Score:5, Informative)
>..let's stick to some realism.
Yes, let us.
>Unlike viruses, the user has to actually install them (though that may involve just clicking "yes" in IE).
No, that's wrong. You can get spyware just by visiting a website, which then exploits your browser to install whatever they want to install.
I wouldn't call that "the user has to actually install [it]". I'd call that viral behaviour (even though the installed software doesn't live off a host file or process).
Again; no clicking "yes" required.
Re:Right.. (Score:2)
Well, bingo! Then it's a virus or an exploit.
"Spyware" is stuff which masquerades as a legitimate application. And which, yes, needs the user to install it. It's basically a sub-category of "trojan".
That's the whole problem with spyware. That's why it's a grey area, and why the scumbags at Claria/Gator can send legal nastygrams to people calling their crap names.
Something installed through a buffer overflow exploit is clearly illegal and clearly not a legitimate business r
Re:Right.. (Score:2)
I can second that. I had an old version of Morpheus on my XP SP1 box, and hadn't used in in a year or two since I started buying stuff from iTMS. However a couple songs recently I couldn't find on iTMS, or anywhere (rare and out of print) so I fired up Morpheus and did the dumb ass thing of letting it run overnight.
I woke up the next
Re:Right.. (Score:2)
Kjella
Re:Right.. (Score:3, Informative)
They might not even have to click 'yes.' If they're not fully patched, someone can sent them a 'cute' e-greeting card which hijacks their home page, and the hijacked page can start installing all kinds of mayhem. No explicit approval by the user is necessary. I recently cleaned up a machine that had been compromised in just that way. Don't Click That! [blogspot.com]
I've been pleasantly surprised by how well McAfe
Re:Right.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Right.. (Score:2)
Re:Right.. (Score:2)
Re:Right.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Most EULAs are pretty standard and after a short while, the non-standard stuff stands out.
Re:damn.. (Score:3, Insightful)
I support LOTS of PCs on the side and this has eliminated 99 percent of the adware/spyware related issues. If people are no longer prompted with a "yes/no" type choice, then there is no problem.
Kudos to Microsloth on this one.
Re:damn.. (Score:2, Insightful)
and of course, this could never happen under another operating system...
Re:All we need now.. (Score:2)
No, there is perfectly legitimate adware out there. I'm thinking of software the is free (beer) subject to it downloading and displaying ads while you run it. A number of software producers use this technique in a forthright and legitimate manner to supplement income and encourage the purchase of "professional" version of the product.
What we need is a restriction that prohibits any software from installing itself without the consent of the PC owner/user, from using any system resources without disclosin
Re:All we need now.. (Score:3, Informative)
spyware.. now that's something that should be illeagal, installing software without the user knowing what the software will do(and without asking the 'victim' if he wants it or not).
Re:All we need now.. (Score:4, Insightful)
where they quote the EULA agreement stating:
We may add, delete or change some or all of the Software's functionality provided in connection with KaZaA at any time. This may include download of necessary software modules. Any new features that augment or enhance
Like the web page suggests, thats "pretty open-ended."
Fact is, most people (>99% imho) DONT read the EULA!
Re:All we need now.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:All we need now.. (Score:2)
Re:All we need now.. (Score:2)
I think this is pretty easy. If I deliberately agree to accept your advertising for, say, PDF995, then fine. But no making system changes outside of your directory or registry key without disclosure and a good reason. And yes, I know many products need to add files or keys to the Windows sections, but damn, just tell me first!
Also, uninstallers need to get EVERYTHING. I'm sick of trialling different software, uninstalling them, and months later finding (most
Re:adware - Adaware??? Foncusion (Score:4, Informative)
http://www.adaware.com/ is actually a Ada software site who is taking advantage of their name to sell spyassasin. Kind of underhanded as it doesn't SAY it is spyassasin.
--jeff++
Re:Yes but does it work man. (Score:3, Interesting)
Still, it's better than nothing.
BTW, have I said lately that adware/
Re:Yes but does it work man. (Score:2, Insightful)
These adware/spyware things don't really effect me now, but I am worried what might happen when Linux distributions start to permeate the desktop scene. Especially with some of the fun things a friend of mine showed me with FireFox/Mozilla and a neat thing called XUL. Tha
Re:North Americans are clueless (Score:3, Informative)
I lengthy discussion about the difference in our styles turned up that Indians are taught based on memorization, while Americans are taught based on problem solving.
So go ask those other programmers on my contract whether or not American geeks suck at IT jobs.