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Three Companies Shut Down For Spyware Bundling

Posted by Zonk on from the more-in-the-vein-of-sony dept.

SenseOfHumor writes "A U.S. Court has shut down three companies for secretly bundling spyware. The assets of Enternet Media Inc. and Conspy & Co. Inc., based in California, and Iwebtunes, based in Ohio, have been frozen pending further court action, the FTC said. The court also ordered all three firms to halt downloads of the software." From the article: "According to a complaint filed in district court in Los Angeles, Enternet and Conspy bundled their malicious software with music files, song lyrics and cellular telephone ring tones offered free on a range of Web sites. The software was also disguised as a security upgrade for Microsoft Corp.'s Internet Explorer Web browser."

14 of 95 comments (clear)

  1. So when will Sony BMG be shut down? by 4r0g · · Score: 5, Funny

    Obvious case there.

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    - 4r0g
    1. Re:So when will Sony BMG be shut down? by AKAImBatman · · Score: 2, Funny

      Did you miss the last story or what? It's still on the front page, so if you hurry you can add your 2 cents. :-)

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      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
  2. It's all in the name by nizo · · Score: 5, Funny
    ...Conspy & Co. Inc....

    Now there is a great name for a company! Could it be any more obvious their products contain spyware????

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    I Am My Own Worst Enemy
    1. Re:It's all in the name by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Now there is a great name for a company! Could it be any more obvious their products contain spyware????

      Actually, yes. It's a little known lie that 'sony' is the Japanese word for "mega-evil installer of rootkits".

    2. Re:It's all in the name by phpm0nkey · · Score: 4, Funny

      Apparently these people didn't finish business school. If you're trying to get away with pushing spyware, it's probably best not to put the words "con" and "spy" in your company name.

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      domain combinatorics
    3. Re:It's all in the name by FidelCatsro · · Score: 4, Funny

      The missing letters are surpassingly similar to Iraq phonetically

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      The only things certain in war are Propaganda and Death. You can never be sure which is which though
    4. Re:It's all in the name by PaxTech · · Score: 4, Funny

      It was all the idea of their law firm, Dewey Cheatem & Howe.

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      All movements for social change begin as missions, evolve into businesses, and end up as rackets.
    5. Re:It's all in the name by ghoti · · Score: 1, Funny

      ROTFL, somebody mod this funny, please!

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      EagerEyes.org: Visualization and Visual Communication
    6. Re:It's all in the name by sconeu · · Score: 4, Funny

      Not to mention their second opinion law firm:

      Takeda, Monet, and Runne.

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      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
  3. Ring Tones by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I think people downloading obnoxious ringtones got what they deserve...

  4. Re:'bout time... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I see the auto-installing IE websearch bars and the "internet optimizer" wares to be some of the most vicious of all spyware.

    Hey now, let's be fair. One of those programs was kind enough to let me know my computer was broadcasting an IP address. I installed it and now my comp@##@SSN 709 232 129(*&^^uter is secure.

  5. Three Companies Shutdown For Spyware Bundling by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    So is it Mr Furley or the Ropers thats responsible for this?

  6. Re:'bout time... by spooky_nerd · · Score: 5, Funny

    Hey now, let's not be too hasty. Uninstalling these things is what keeps me busy at work. You might call them malware, but I prefer the term gainfully-employedware.

  7. Ok, that was an f-up by barefootgenius · · Score: 2, Funny

    I withdraw the previous comment totally and irrevocably while beating myself around the head exclaiming stupid, stupid, stupid!

    A barefootgenius is != to genius.

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    /. bug #926803 - Why I can post.