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McAfee lists Adware in Top 10 Viruses
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..."
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However, Netsky still completely wipes the floor with the adware. Over 10 times as many instances of Netsky were discovered than Gator.
liqbase
But when will the financial geniuses at Symantec decide to start exacting a "fee" to spyware vendors to remove their malware from the list????
I know not of this "Claria" company, but they sound like a bunch of upstanding folks. Not like those Gator bastards... man I'd like to see them strung up. Hooray for Claria !
Because there are still people who don't know:
Ad-Aware
Search & Destroy
To keep your pc running fast and without too many crashes..
Shhh! If you have everyone doing that, half of us will be out of jobs!
..it was recognised for what it is. Here, in the UK, such software falls foul of the Computer Misuse Act (which is due for an update). Personally, I already spend far too much time removing Adware, Spyware, BHOs, et cetera from Windows machines, especially at one site, where they seem to actually think CoolWebSearch really is cool.
>..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.
Belief is the currency of delusion.
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.
Joe Six-Pack is finally getting a sense for these things, which is a great step. I recently started working for a net marketing company, and I'm amazed by the volume of flaming emails we get from people across the country saying that they will take us to court when they find the single cookie we put on their machine. There is also a lot of talk of pushing their congressmen to make our 'spyware' actions illegal.
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.
The problem with Adware/Spyware/whatever isn't so much the invasion of privacy part. After all, in most cases, you did click accept at some point. That's what happens when you need your pr0nzor or bikini calendar so much that you don't care where it comes from, you deserve it. The problem is the lousy implimentation of the invasion of privacy.
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.
I keep forgetting my place. Jesus is for losers. Why do I still play to the crowd?