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MIT Startup Tests Top Million Sites for Spyware

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the ads-burning-need-spybot dept.

torrentami writes "An MIT startup called SiteAdvisor has downloaded over 100,000 programs from the top million Web sites and tested them for adware and spyware using an automated system they've built. They've got a blog entry where they dissect 5 of the worst adware bundles they found. There is some amazingly invasive stuff in there."

2 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. End Users Beware by queenb**ch · · Score: 5, Informative

    I can tell you from the experience of working on a network where the end users have very unwisely been made local admins on their workstation that the *only* thing required for a full spyware infection is a nice little surf around the 'net. This is compounded by the problem that they all seem to have some touch of OCD that compels them to click "OK" on anything thing that wants to install itself despite all of our efforts to educate them.

    I will say that it is nice to see someone put quantifable numbers to the things I have long known from practical experience, but this isn't exactly news.

    2 cents,

    Queen B

    --
    HDGary secures my bank :/
  2. Similar by Mistlefoot · · Score: 5, Informative

    Education is certainly the key.

    I've been using the HOST file supplied by <URL :http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm > the Microsoft MVPS site for the past few years and have not had ANY spyware or Malware or viruses on any of my machines.

    I still run ad-aware and spybot monthly and never see anything but a few cookies.  Once every few weeks I update my HOSTS file and then set it to read-only again and  the 10,000 or so sites it blocks are just that - blocked.

    Web sites load faster too without some of the tracked ad sites loading.  From time to time I get pages that aren't found.....but I can review these as the HOST file is of course text.

    I really do not know why HOST files are not a more common theme on here when setting one up on your Dad's computer saves you from removing crap from it as a hobby.