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The test programs imitate malware. If we don't detect them we are accused of being ineffective. If we do detect them we are accused of being overzealous. There's no way to win that battle. We detect them and note in any extended information exactly what their purpose is (if known).

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http://www.moosoft.com/

http://pivx.com/qwikfix/

Qwik-Fix Pro is not a spyware killer but it is enterprise level and do protect against all of the browser based vulnerabilities (among others) that are being used to forcefully install spyware. It is a perfect combo together with a spyware killer such as The Cleaner from Moosoft (http://www.moosoft.com/) or Lavasoft Ad-Aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/).

The protection against IE vulnerabilities was implemented in September 2003 and has since protected against all command execution vulnerabilities discovered since then without a need for updates. These very improvements to IE were subsequently included by Microsoft in Windows XP Service Pack 2, though the implementation Microsoft choose failed to protect against several vulnerabilities discovered since then such as the Drag'n'Drop vulnerability which Qwik-Fix Pro protected against.

I used to have to remove spyware and other malicious content from my family's computers also, sometimes two or three times a week. It's become almost a job in itself to keep a Windows box connected to the Internet free of this crap. The easiest solution is to download Ad-Aware, The Cleaner, and a good virus scanner, install them on your family's PC's and use the Windows Task Scheduler to do a daily scan on bootup and shutdown, or morning/night if they leave their PC on. It'll cover most ground for Windows users and keep you sane. -James

FYI, I am posting AC for a reason. The company I work for does roll-outs and tech support for small cable companies. Scripts are in place to automatically deactivate accounts with high upload/download bandwidth (meaning trojan p2p programs) and techs monitor e-mail usage. Problem with an account? Notify account holder and de-activate account. If the account holder can't be notified, the account is de-activated anyways.

It's time people start taking responsibility for their actions when using a computer. Computers need to be patched frequently with Windows Update. AntiVirus programs such as Norton Antivirus, Mcafee VirusScan, or Trend Micro PC-Cillin (my personal favorite) are needed with updates and scans run, at the very least, weekly. Computers also need anti-trojan programs such as The Cleaner and anti-spyware programs such as Spybot Search & Destroy and Adaware. Even go as far not to use the default Internet programs, Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. Instead, use free, open source programs such as Mozilla Firefox (browser) and Thunderbird (e-mail).

Naturally, the majority of people on /. know this, but we need to spread the word.

Unapproved software shouldn't be allowed, and I'd add anti-trojans like Ad-Aware (which I use and am pleased with) plus Moosoft Cleaner (with TCActive configured to disruptively high priority -- I'm still figuring out if I can work this tho) just to be sure.

My 2 cents.

I work with a virus removal group on the undernet that works from the channel #dmsetup. We often locate new stuff all the time. Below Im pasting all my links I usually give out to users. Included are keepers of the gates of hell (stuff you use before you get infected.) and some stuff that gets out out of hell (what you use after your girlfriend opened that attachment)

Cleaners and virus scanner suites

Housecall online antivirus scanner
PC-Cillin virus scanner suite
Central command Virus Scanner Suite
Puppet's Cleaner
Puppet's Cleaner Alternate Site
Mcafee virus removal suite
Norton Antivirus, virus removal suite
Frisk software's f-prot antivirus suite for windows dos and linux

Firewall software

Zone Alarm Firewall
Conseal Firewall

Various tools used to get out of hell or figure out what hell you are in.

Boot disk images
Dmsetup.org
Common port usage/abuses

So far NAI seems to be the only people that have it and it isn't in the wild. So, it seems to me the media is once again being played like a cheap saxophone. If someone does actually have it, send it to me at trojans@moosoft.com so it can but put in a real anti-trojan scanner.

I'm ready for the next leap... just wire my brain in.

http://www.moosoft.com