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Microsoft AntiSpyware thinks Firefox is Spyware
brightertimes writes "It seems that microsoft's new AntiSpyware
(beta) is now advising users to remove Firefox on
their computers.. A Zeropaid.com
thread
shows the offending screenshot
in action. Once your scanning has been done, if Firefox is found
on your computer it provides the user with a "high"
threat level and advising removal due to of lack of security
updates." CT Several users have noted that the screenshot is likely fake.
-Photoshop
_JS
I have Mozilla and Microsoft Antispyware BETA running on my system. This is simply NOT true.
Later on in the thread they admit it's a fake.
Way to go Editor.
This is clearly a fake, and they even state as much in the forum.
WAY TO GO, TACO!
Obligatory "Me too"...
I've been running the MSAS both at work and at home in conjunction with others (AdAware, SpyBot S&D, etc) along side Firefox 1.0 and Firefox 1.0.1
While it did presume RealVNC was initially a threat (until instructed to ignore it on subsequent scans), it hasn't barked at either of the FireFox versions.
What made you think the screenshot was photoshopped (bar the fact you didn't get the same results?)
In the linked forum, the person who posted the image said so?
Slashdot editors are fucking morons...did you check this out? It's a fake douche bag...
You have got to be kidding me.
I have had firefox on my PC since I first installed MS Anti Spyware. It never came up identifying Firefox as a risk.
BTW nice GIMP or Photoshop skillz.
Go ahead Sladhdot lemming start your complaining and bitching without checking facts as usual
Nice FUD post here... guess MS aren't the only ones to use FUD as a weapon, huh?
perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
I just ran the test with the latest definition and with both FF 1.0 and 1.1 and it didn't come up.
Shattered Glass anyone?
cookie for anyone who gets the reference
I run it every night and have it autoquarantine everything, and have NEVER had it touch my wanted programs, on a VERY loaded and capable box. (multiple BT clients, USENET clients, etc.) It doesn't claim Firefox is anything (using now as always). Doesn't seem to care one way or the other.
I installed MS Antispy a month ago, and haven't had any problems with it. While I am not a fan of MS's tactics and use Linux on most of my boxes (this is a media center hooked to the TV, easier for Windows, to me) I find the program pretty good. Beat out Spybot Search and Destroy, which I have used for over a year before installing MS's app.
Because I run the scan every night, I have scanned with all the definitions, so my guess is that the article is FUD against MS, which is rather ironic if you think about it.
Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
I just took that screenshot from the article, and changed it in Photoshop: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/CypherXero3 /mozillaadwarefake.jpg
It's fake, you idiots!
I work in a rural tech shop where 80% of the work we do is removing spyware and viruses because these farmers don't understand how to prevent it even though we explain it time and time again. Been using Spybot, Ad-Aware, and MSAS. I have found that Ad-Aware still finds things that MSAS doesn't. Spybot will find things that neither app finds. It's like rock-scissors-paper. Sometimes you have to use all 3 and even resort to other tools, such as Hijack-This. We have noticed that the spyware war is heating up and some of the new spyware out are behaving more like viri than simple spyware. More than usual that is. Since I work on this crap all day, I don't want to work on it at home... SUSE Linux 9.2 Pro. No problems.
MadOgre.com
The screenshot is a fricken hoax.
The "mistake" cgrayson was talking about is the one our beloved Slashdot editors made by posting this story, not MS mistaking Firefox for spyware.
0 1 - just my two bits
This was done (even as a hoax) because it's so easy to believe that Microsoft would pull this kind of stunt. It's much like the real (very recent) incident where they block legitimate users of their software from getting that software (and only that software) updated, simply because it's running on wine under Linux, than on a Mcirsoft operating system. There were some Microsoft fanbois who feigned stupidity and said "oh Microsoft shouldn't have to support wine" ...well it's not wine that has the problem stupid. Microsft is just enforcing lock-in (again). It's a legitimate copy of their application software. There is nothing in the licence that says you must run it on a Microsoft operating system, but Microsoft got its panties all in a bunch, just the same. They are breaking the law by doing it (and they know it). Apparently the administration in the US doesn't want Colleen Kollar-Kotelly to go after them any more. Microsoft has done this sort of stunt so many times before, people just expect it, so when a hoax is pulled like this (much like the DrDos lawsuit "Oh, you are running a non-Microsoft operating system: Application broken" only the error message was more technical, so that it looked like a technical problem, rather than a panties-in-a-bunch/bad-for-business/look-at-us-scr ew-DrDOS-tee-hee
problem.
I don't think you understand the meaning of the phrase "Jump the Shark". Why don't you read what Wikipedia has to say about it.
It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.