Microsoft is moving to quash claims that its antispyware tool is now giving preferential treatment to adware maker Claria.
The beta version of Microsoft AntiSpyware previously recommended that users quarantine several products from Claria, but this changed last week. According to a statement published by Microsoft, the downgrade in threat level merely represents an effort to be "fair and consistent with how Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) handles similar software from other vendors." The news comes at a sensitive time, as Microsoft is reportedly in acquisition talks with Claria.
News source: C|Net News.com
The beta version of Microsoft AntiSpyware previously recommended that users quarantine several products from Claria, but this changed last week. According to a statement published by Microsoft, the downgrade in threat level merely represents an effort to be "fair and consistent with how Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) handles similar software from other vendors." The news comes at a sensitive time, as Microsoft is reportedly in acquisition talks with Claria.
News source: C|Net News.com
Supported Firefox Installations:
- Any official Firefox build directly from Mozilla.org (Tested with Version 1.0.5)
- Official Mozilla.org Build of Firefox 1.1 Alpha 1
- Official Mozilla.org Build of Deer Park Alpha 1
System Requirements:
- Microsoft Windows 2000/ME/XP/2003
- Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1
- Minimum of 64MB of RAM
I'm using Adaware and Spybot.
And keep in mind that if you just run MS Antispyware, you'll run into a similar problem as with just using one of another kind of spyware.
Or maybe have careless family members...
Personally, I check quite rarely just to see if something sneaked in despite my carefulness. It happens occasionally with software that looks to be the most harmless thing in the world, sneaking this thing in. Last time with a pretty cool OpenGL screensaver I was checking out in a Neowin thread. It doesn't happen too often, and with these two tools I never have any special problems with it, so I'm satisfied with these two.
I used the same until yesterday. My trial version of Spy Sweeper expired. When I figure out how to clean out all remnants of it, the trial version will return to join Spybot, Adaware, MS anti-spy, and Spyware Blaster.
Don't assume that Microsoft is going to protect you.
Spybot S&D, AdAware, and SpywareBlaster all do an excelent job. Combine those three with a good Antivirus, a personal firewall, a firewalled router, and common sense. The result should be that you will hardly ever see anything but minor annoyances. I say "hardly ever" becasue no plan is fool-proof and everyone makes mistakes.
So... if you don't have any antivirus or antispyware tools, how do you know that?
Methinks he doth asume too much.
Easy, Tripwire is in the FreeBSD ports collection
It's called "I click OK to everything" sydrome. I use IE, and I've never had spy-/ad-ware problems. I guess I'm one of the smart ones...
Give me one reason to why MS Antispyware shouldn't remove Claria adware by default when it can.
In their open letter, Microsoft tells they're staying clear with certain bundled adware to be fair with other ad companies:
Now, what's not brain dead about that philosophy?
Is this an adware removal tool or a tool that makes a difference between adware and adware?
Last edited by 21023 on 12 Jul 2005 - 01:15
LOL. Microsoft is giving you tools to be more secure (which actually work) . . . and then you end up uninstalling them, simply because they're from Microsoft.
lol.
Assuming you always check so it doesn't decide to skip quarantining adware to be "fair" (Microsoft's word) with ad companies, of course... :p
"LOL. Microsoft is giving you tools to be more secure (which actually work) . . . and then you end up uninstalling them, simply because they're from Microsoft."
Which rock have you been living under? It's not about Microsoft, it's about Microsoft saying certain Claria adware shouldn't be removed by default to be fair with other adware companies (whose bundled junk I assume they also have set to "Ignore", otherwise they wouldn't be "fair" ). You have to be quite stupid to keep on using this tool IMHO. Willingly using a beta quality tool that use messed up ad classifications. Personally, I think you only use it *because* it's from Microsoft, along with many others here. It's messed up, yes, but people went crazy when MS announced this, many before even knowing how well it cleaned stuff. Strange, strange world.
Last edited by 21023 on 12 Jul 2005 - 01:17
Actually MS is trying to buy Claria, but then I'm sure you already knew that
Last edited by 58940 on 13 Jul 2005 - 01:46
"Stop surfing crack sites:
"Stop clicking on every link without thinking:
In otcher words, "Stop doing stupid <<removed>>."
Last edited by 36818 on 12 Jul 2005 - 10:49
Use a more secure browser like Firefox or Opera and/or ALWAYS use Windows Update to patch for vulnerabilities.
I myself never clicked on anything suspicious or went to crack sites, but I still got spyware because of vulnerabilties in Microsoft's IE. I didn't have to do a thing, the spyware downloaded itself because of those crazy holes in IE.
I heard there's still those horrible host-to-host worms on the net... :-p
But to be fair, that's not about spyware infections. (it's about something worse)
uh... I didn't say that Firefox never had security updates.. My answer that ur refering to does not even have anything to do with FF in the first place. My answer comes from this comment:
nah, i'm using ie and don't get spyware. u just have to think before doing ****.
Agree. The client with 85-90% of the market will be the best target.
it's nothing to do with it being more 'secure'
Disagree. Being a less secure product certainly makes IE a much easier/nicer/fatter target to hit. The typical "security" level of a browser will not be the primary reason a browser is targetted, but it is just plain wrong to say it has nothing to do with it.
Absolutely, categorically, undeniably wrong wrong wrong.
Firefox doesn't get attacked as much as IE because there's no system in place in Firefox that would allow software to install itself on your computer without your knowledge or consent (or more accurately, without having to knowingly download, and then run manually).
I avoid IE like the plague these days, but a couple of weeks ago I opened it up to take a look at someone's site for them. The first site that I went to downloaded and installed a program, which due to the nature of the multiple executables supporting and replacing eachother as soon as one was removed, can only be described as viral. I entered a URL manually, didn't click any links, wasn't presented with any dialogs, and was infected. I don't normally need anti spyware software, but I tried out MS's anyway, since it was one of the best when it was Giant. It claimed to have removed the offending software, but upon reboot, had completely failed to do so.
Ultimately, the best defence against spyware if you must use Windows is good old fashioned Explorer, RegEdit, and a non-IE browser. If you insist on using IE (or ANY IE based browser), it's probably a good idea to go into RegEdit, and turn off write permissions to the registry keys (HKLM and HKCU)SoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRun. That way, when you get infected, at least the programs won't be able to add themselves to your system's registry startup keys, and a reboot should fix many problems.
If all of you would get informed properly, you'd know that spyware is made out from AMD CPUs! That's the hacker functionalities that Intel locked on their CPUs, but that AMD didn't so that hackers could have fun while dancing on rave music with their candy-like clothes and multi-colored spiky hair!
Next time you guys see a rave party, you now know what to do!
Ah man, that's classic . . . .
By the way, I label you unofficially as an INTEL SUPPORTER!! EVIL!!
Last edited by 74165 on 12 Jul 2005 - 01:52
/me hits the play button on a Ferry Corsten album
:flips a switch:
This will start a precedent where spyware companies know that it's possible to get MS to bend over. Whether it's by dressing up the company or litigation, they know it's possible now.
I'll stick with Adaware & Spybot.
Sooo, how does it make you feel that MS is trying to buy them (Claria/Gator)?
Guy #1: "Omg windoz no secure, linux + ff, your'e all stupid"
Guy #2: "Windows amazing, you = open source fanboy, if you knew anything...blah blah blah.."
without ever offering any actual NEW input. Almost as ridiculous as the amount of "THIS WAS POSTED THREE MINUTES AGO ON SOME OTHER SITE" posts.
But, you're cooler than me obviously, because you posted a sarcastic response with short "to the point" sentences. "Damn you're cool. , all making the same sarcastic comments. Then you change it up at the end with "you're my hero", genius!
Its going Communist!
http://research.microsoft.com/aboutmsr/labs/beijing/
Beijing, China
5/F, Beijing Sigma Center
No.49, Zhichun Road, Hai Dian District
Beijing China 10008
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