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Zone Alarm Vs 180 Solutions: Zango hooks?

Posted by Hemos on from the deconstructing-postmodern-spyware dept.

Sub-Seven writes "Found at Vitalsecurity.org, they detail how a Microsoft MVP pulled the Zango file to pieces, and discovered some interesting facts about exactly what a "simple" fun and games application does to a machine that its running on. Hooking into Windows OneCare and Microsoft Antispyware? What's that all about? "

3 of 166 comments (clear)

  1. Software firewalls?! by FatSean · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Um...not sure what's going on here...but I think software firewalls have to be one of the silliest 'security products' out there. I still can't believe cable companies don't distribute modem/routers to users and remotely configure them to block the commonly exploited ports and protocols.

    My conspiracy theory is that they have big investments in the software firewall companies...and in existing non-router cablemodems.

    SO we suffer.

    --
    Blar.
  2. This is worse than Spyware by HexaByte · · Score: 5, Interesting
    From the article:

    180Solutions was complaining that "ZoneAlarm was advising that our 180search Assistant "is trying to monitor your mouse movements and keyboard strokes" well let's see after reading the above ... that description looks right to me.

    This is worse than spyware. This could be used to transmit your account codes and PINs, passwords, etc.

    Sounds like stealware(TM) to me!

    --
    HexaByte - he's a square and a half!
  3. Re:Oh my - A Microsoft MVP! by value_added · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For anyone who doesn't know, you become a Microsoft MPV largely by being an unemployed loser - the more time you can waste away providing pro-Microsoft answers on Microsoft's message boards ...

    The MCSE jokes on /. are admittedly funny at times, but this is as unfunny as it is unfair. First, only web weenies would refer to news groups as message boards. Second, those groups are an invaluable resource, being freely available, active, and representing a wide cross section of experience, they're one fo the few places where you can find honest and up-to-date information. And third, while Microsoft does offer a pseudo subscription-based pricing for "guaranteed responses" (from the MVPs, among others), most posts are the result of volunteer efforts.

    Perhaps the next time you send a question off to debian-users, for example, hoping for an answer from one of the "regulars", you avoid suggesting that any of them must be an unemployed loser for bothering to respond. Unless playing the part of a troll is somehow more rewarding.

    If it sounds like I'm pissed off, yeah, I am. Having to defend something Microsoft related on /. is annoying enough without being forced to justify the efforts of those trying to help others, irrespective of the venue or their individual capacity.

    As for anyone else using Windows and is unfamiliar with usenet, I'd suggest exploring the ms.public hierarchy with whatever news client you have available, and get into the habit of reading a few of them before applying the latest patch or service pack, or are otherwise trying to resolve an issue or trying to learn something. The top posting is murder, but the information is free and unlikely to be available to the same extent anywhere else.