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Anti-Malware Maker Files Lawsuit Over Bad Review (csoonline.com)

Posted by timothy on from the hearts-and-minds dept.

itwbennett writes: In a lawsuit filed January 8, 2016, Enigma Software, maker of anti-malware software SpyHunter, accuses self-help portal Bleeping Computer of making 'false, disparaging, and defamatory statements.' At issue: a bad review posted by a user in September, 2014. The lawsuit also accuses Bleeping Computer of profiting from driving traffic to competitor Malwarebytes via affiliate links: 'Bleeping has a direct financial interest in driving traffic and sales to Malwarebytes and driving traffic and sales away from ESG.' Perhaps not helping matters, one of the first donations to a fund set up by Bleeping Computer to help with legal costs came from Malwarebytes.

19 of 163 comments (clear)

  1. Streisand effect? by JosKarith · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I get the feeling Enigma are gonna regret this - looking at the article they're suspected of several "sharp" practices already. Publicity is unlikely to be their friend.

    --
    'Don't worry' said the trees when they saw the axe coming, 'The handle is one of us.'
    1. Re:Streisand effect? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Are you one of Sarah Palin's speechwriters?

    2. Re:Streisand effect? by EzInKy · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Agreed, filing suit just publicizes the fact that their software was found lacking by reviewers. This company is toast and well deserves to be. The only logical proof they can provide against claims of their softwares ineffectiveness a demonstration of its effectiveness.

      --
      Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
    3. Re:Streisand effect? by EzInKy · · Score: 2

      If they can show what you say, the will win the suit. The best defense against slander is the truth. Sounds like, according to you, they have a slam dunk case!! If that is the case I wish them the best and hope they recover the maximum damages possible.

      --
      Time is what keeps everything from happening all at once.
    4. Re:Streisand effect? by NotDrWho · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Yeah, I've never heard of "SpyHunter," but I'm pretty sure that this story is going to be one of the first things that pops up when anyone searches for it for now on. And no way would I ever, fucking ever, install software from a company suing over bad reviews. It just looks awful.

      --
      SJW's don't eliminate discrimination. They just expropriate it for themselves.
    5. Re:Streisand effect? by omnichad · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Libel/defamation isn't rooted in bias. It's knowingly false information being spread intentionally. You can have all the paid people you want saying how great you are and telling of the things legitimately wrong with your competitors and never have a problem.

      They aren't in the business of being an unbiased reviewer. They're in the business of helping people get their infected computers cleaned up. And for that you need working tools.

    6. Re:Streisand effect? by ITRambo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Spyware Hunter is a poor, if not terrible, program. Malwarebytes is superior, being more effective. It's too bad that Enigma can't handle the truth, chooses to sue bleepingcomputer.com instead of improving their product. Such assholes.

  2. Informative post by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    I did a quick search and found this entry on the Bleeping Computer forum.

    If everything in that post is true, I fully understand why SpyHunter gets a bad review.

    1. Re:Informative post by SargentDU · · Score: 2

      I also notice that Spyhunter has a history of lawsuits against other companies that did remove their product for you.

  3. Hey ESG by wbr1 · · Score: 4, Interesting
    You cannot lawsuit your way out of a shitty product.

    I do not represent Bleeping, but I have used their forums and site many times. They are a reputable source for tools and procedures that actually work, as opposed to many supposed software solutions and 'help' sites that just serve to infect you further with their tripe.

    So, as far as I am concerned you can fuck right off with your shitty product and attitude. You have now insured that no matter how good your product -may- become (and I doubt it really will), I will never recommend it to any clients and will actively promote against it. Good job. Now sue me.

    --
    Silence is a state of mime.
  4. Not an original name for Software by RackinFrackin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I haven't had Spy Hunter on a computer since my Commodore 64 days.

  5. Dear Enigma by MitchDev · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Thanks to your anti-free speech actions, I will NEVER use your software and will recommend others avoid your products and services as well.

  6. Why is there still an "anti-malware" market? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Didn't Windows Defender kill off the "anti-malware" market? Does anyone really still run things like "Symantec" or "McAfee"?

    1. Re: Why is there still an "anti-malware" market? by DNS-and-BIND · · Score: 2

      If you're a malware author, the first thing you do is run WD over and over until your product comes out clean.

      --
      Shutting down free speech with violence isn't fighting fascism. It IS fascism!
    2. Re:Why is there still an "anti-malware" market? by sremick · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Didn't Windows Defender kill off the "anti-malware" market?

      No, because Windows Defender sucks.

      Does anyone really still run things like "Symantec" or "McAfee"?

      Only naive new-computer buyers who get it pre-installed and roll with that because of the name-recognition. The rest of us run something that doesn't suck. Symantec/Norton and McAfee are bloated messes that bog down the computer and hardly catch anything. Defender is just a hidden useless product that also doesn't catch much of anything. There are plenty of worthwhile programs out there however that catch a lot and definitely do help to address this very real problem.

  7. Malwarebytes FTW!!! by wkwilley2 · · Score: 2

    Spyhunter is terrible. Malwarebytes is the only Anti-malware program I use or recommend.

    --
    Have you ever fallen asleep at the keybhanusdiog?
    1. Re:Malwarebytes FTW!!! by truck_soccer · · Score: 2

      Eh MBAM has become pretty bloated lately, and it hasn't been detected as many threats as it used to. I haven't had it in my toolkit for a while. I use the Emsisoft Emergency Kit, JRT, ADWcleaner, Roguekiller and Hitman Pro most often. Combofix if a system really needs it, but I find that isn't the case as often as it used to be, and I don't believe they've got a version of combofix that runs on windows 8, 8.1 or 10.

  8. Re: Can't have a opinion anymore by sumdumass · · Score: 2

    That is why this isn't a slander or libelous suit per se. They seem to be using the fair advertising and unfair competition laws. You can tell from the wording 'false, disparaging, and defamatory statements' and the accusation that bleeping computers is involved in marketing a competing product.

    In this there is a little more room to criticize truthful or truthful like statements. Papa John's was sued over their slogan fresher or better ingredients back in the late 90s because they showed a pizza hut pizza next to theirs. They lost even though better is an opinion. The case was eventually overturned based on pizza hut not showing damages not because of the opinions.

  9. Re:Addendum #2: AC calls me child molester by Locke2005 · · Score: 2

    Are you posting from the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge by any chance?

    --
    I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.