Microsoft AntiSpyware thinks Firefox is Spyware

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Microsoft AntiSpyware thinks Firefox is Spyware

Posted by CmdrTaco on Sunday February 27, 2005 @04:01AM from the most-worms-are-spread-via-outlook dept.

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.

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One Word. by JS_RIDDLER · 2005-02-27 04:02 · Score: 5, Informative

-Photoshop

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_JS
Um, simply NOT true. by MSFanBoi · 2005-02-27 04:04 · Score: 4, Informative

I have Mozilla and Microsoft Antispyware BETA running on my system. This is simply NOT true.
Slashdot got FARKed by CashCarSTAR · 2005-02-27 04:05 · Score: 5, Informative

Later on in the thread they admit it's a fake.

Way to go Editor.
TACO IS AN IDIOT by Anonymous Coward · 2005-02-27 04:07 · Score: 5, Informative

This is clearly a fake, and they even state as much in the forum.

WAY TO GO, TACO!
1. Re:TACO IS AN IDIOT by TFGeditor · 2005-02-27 05:13 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  Actually, they already have one but never use it or accept articles submitted for it. It is called "It's Funny. Laugh" Check it out on the Select Topic menu on the Submit Story page.
  
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  Ignorance is curable, stupid is forever.
2. Re:TACO IS AN IDIOT by 1u3hr · 2005-02-27 06:29 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  This is clearly a fake, and they even state as much in the forum.
  The image was posted by grab_grab_the_haddock timestamped Yesterday, 03:56 PM
  A few posts down the same guy posts Yesterday, 05:53 PM, 2 hours later: "Funny? It's absolutely priceless. Only MikeHunt would be stupid enough to so passionately debunk a blatantly photoshopped image which was put up for a joke. Hilarious."
  He was wrong, Taco was even more stupid. I can't work out what timezones all these posts there and on slashdot refer to; but I'm pretty sure the follow up admission was there before it went up on Slashdot, not that anyone should have taken it at face value. I might believe a false positive for just about anything, but there is a description of Firefox there that no one at Microsoft would be stupid enough to write.
3. Re:TACO IS AN IDIOT by LordNightwalker · 2005-02-27 06:45 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  Here's the sticker story; here's the random number genarator story and this is the iPod shuffle link. Enjoy.
  
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  Install windows on my workstation? You crazy? Got any idea how much I paid for the damn thing?
4. Re:TACO IS AN IDIOT by MyLongNickName · 2005-02-27 07:34 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  From the "reporter":
  
  What the hell does it say for slashdot that this nonsense made it to their "news" pages? Just what kind of far out shit has CmdrTaco been smoking lately? Doesn't he even bother to check these things out before he posts them? Or even to read the frickin thread? Too funny.
  
  btw..thanks to p2pforums for letting me rip their idea.
  
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  See my journal for slashdot ID's by year. Mine created in 2005. http://slashdot.org/journal/289875/slashdot-ids-by-year
Re:Not true.... by Oarryan · 2005-02-27 04:09 · Score: 2, Informative

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.
Read by Monx · 2005-02-27 04:10 · Score: 5, Informative

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?
Re:Not true.... by EvilAlien · 2005-02-27 04:22 · Score: 4, Informative

Same here... I'm running the Beta, and have so since it was launched. It has never detected Firefox as spyware, but has highlighted the slight risk inherent in VNC. GIANT Spyware has done a vastly better job than Adware Pro did for me, and running Adaware Pro in parallel didn't appear to give any added benefit (best practice is generally to run 2 antispyware apps in parallel since none catch 100% of threats).
Nice FUD post here... guess MS aren't the only ones to use FUD as a weapon, huh?

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perl -e 'print $i=pack(c5, (41*2), sqrt(7056), (unpack(c,H)-2), oct(115), 10)'
Re:Not true.... by Pharmboy · 2005-02-27 04:44 · Score: 4, Informative

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.

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Tequila: It's not just for breakfast anymore!
It's Fake, Here's Proof by CypherXero · 2005-02-27 04:57 · Score: 4, Informative

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!
Apps by Mad+Ogre · 2005-02-27 05:02 · Score: 2, Informative

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.

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MadOgre.com
Re:It was a *mistake*, so fucking chill by Cid+Highwind · 2005-02-27 08:08 · Score: 2, Informative

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.

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0 1 - just my two bits
Re:Jumping the Shark by Ohreally_factor · 2005-02-27 21:05 · Score: 2, Informative

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.

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It's not offtopic, dumbass. It's orthogonal.