Spyware Removal

Google Alert - spyware

2005-07-20T16:42:00.000-07:00

Is that adware or spyware?
Electric New Paper - Singapore,Singapore
... To them, adware is a legitimate marketing tool, while spyware, which can capture sensitive information like passwords and send them to a third party, is ...

Dell refutes spyware charge
Register - London,England,UK
... Inspiron notebooks has prompted complaints to Dell's support pages, numerous gripes in online bulletin boards and even an accusation that the package is spyware ...

DoD Computers and Employees to Get Anti-Spyware Software
Defense Industry Daily - Chesapeake City,MD,USA
... in Islandia, NY on a $6.9 million contract that will install ca's eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware software on 4 million computers used by Defense employees ...

Shuttle Safeguard Could be Used to Detect Spyware
WJXX - Jacksonville,FL,USA
GAINESVILLE, FL -- When Discovery returns to flight, a research team at the University of Florida will be watching closely. They ...

Google Alert - spyware

2005-07-20T16:41:00.001-07:00

Spyware fears put chill on browsing
Alameda Times-Star - Alameda,CA,USA
NEW YORK -- Internet users worried about spyware and adware are shunning specific Web sites, avoiding file-sharing networks, even switching browsers. ...

Symantec Offers So-So Spyware Protection
addict3d.org - USA
Beta of Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition stops some spyware, but produces mixed results otherwise. Antivirus powerhouse ...

Lifeboat Distribution Named Exclusive Worldwide Distributor for ...
Forbes - USA
Lifeboat Distribution has been named the exclusive distributor for Paladin, Aluria Software's enterprise anti-spyware offering. ...

Corrupted PCs Find New Home -- The Trash Heap
TheDay (subscription) - New London,CT,USA
On a recent Sunday morning when Lew Tucker's Dell desktop computer was overrun by spyware and adware -- stealth software that delivers intrusive advertising ...

Work under way to repair popular Vigoda extension
Henderson Gleaner - Henderson,KY,USA
... The developer of the extension says he is working on a fix. Q. I heard Microsoft's anti-spyware tool now is letting some adware and spyware through. ...

Google Alert - spyware

2005-07-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

Zone Alarm claims it's cracked spyware problem
Inquirer - Harrow,Middlesex,UK
ZONE LABS claimed the latest version of Zone Alarm, version 6.0, will prevent malware and spyware from gaining a foothold on a PC. ...

Zone Labs Cracks Spyware Prevention Barrier -- New OSFirewall ...
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
ZoneAlarm 6.0 will offer consumers the most effective multi-layered protection against spyware, viruses and other insidious Internet security threats. ...

Finjan Announces Out-of-the-Box Anti-Spyware Gateway Appliances to ...
Yahoo News (press release) - USA
... the leading provider of Internet security solutions for businesses of all sizes, today announces the launch of its dedicated Anti-Spyware Gateway Appliance ...

Man with spyware fixes problem by buying new PCs
Inquirer - Harrow,Middlesex,UK
DO YOU HAVE a spyware problem? Are viruses clogging up your PC? Traditionally, PC owners would have to go to great lengths to protect ...

Zone Labs adds spyware protection
ZDNet - USA
Security software vendor Zone Labs plans next week to release ZoneAlarm 6.0, an update to its popular firewall product that adds spyware protection. ...

Google Alert - spyware

2005-07-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

Google Alert for: spyware

Spyware illegally withdraws Y9.4 mil
Japan Today - Tokyo,Japan
TOKYO -- A total of 9.4 million yen has been withdrawn from nine accounts at three banks due to illegal access by the "spyware" bug, the head of the Japanese ...

Finjan Announces Out-of-the-Box Anti-Spyware Gateway Appliances
Security Park - Winkfield,UK
Finjan Software has announced the launch of its dedicated Anti-Spyware Gateway Appliance, able to detect unknown and targeted Spyware attacks and block them ...

Spyware illegally withdraws Y9.4 mil from 3 banks
Japan Today - Tokyo,Japan
They are one of the most biggest and sorry ass Banks in Japan. Yeah, I lost money over this Spyware bug, lets just say about 500 in US. Dollars. ...

Spyware as Corporate Espionage Threat
CIO Today - Woodland Hills,CA,USA
Discovering the prevalence of espionage via spyware is a tricky endeavor. ... Like viruses and worms, spyware has become yet another scourge for enterprises. ...

Microsoft Releases Another AntiSpyware Beta
PC Magazine - USA
Microsoft officially announced its plans to field a Microsoft-branded anti-spyware product (code-named "Atlanta") in January, following its purchase of Giant ...

California puts anti-spyware law into effect for cyber-privacy

2005-01-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2 (Xinhuanet) --

A new law designed to protect computer users' privacy from spyware -- a kind of malicious hackersoftware, has been effective since the beginning of this year in California, the CNET news reported Sunday.

According to the legislation which took effect on Saturday, it is illegal to intentionally make or install computer software known as spyware, which can collect personal information, disable anti-virus shields and otherwise disrupt a computer's function.

As Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger approved the Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act, the spyware makers could face hefty fines in California.

It also requires companies and web sites to disclose whether their systems will install spyware. Consumers are allowed to seek up to 1,000 US dollars compensation if they think they have fallenvictim to the intrusive software.

The California's new law marks a continuing trend towards tougher privacy rights. In Washington DC, the US Congress has beendebating four anti-spyware bills, but California goes ahead.

Rogue programs known as spyware, which is considered by IT experts as one of the biggest security threats, can lurk into computers via Internet and collect a wide range of information of the users, such as credit card passwords.

Spyware tough to boot, but HijackThis, volunteers can help

2005-01-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

James Coates

Published January 3, 2005

Q. I've got this really nasty spyware, "about:blank" that has invaded my computer and won't let me use the Internet very much and keeps taking over my home page. I must have downloaded something I wasn't supposed to. Ordinarily I'm very suspicious about opening Web sites, but somehow they got me.

Anyhow, here's what I've tried:

1. Went to Start/Control Panel Internet Options, and reset it to Default, hit Apply, and OK. Seconds later about:blank is back as the start page and I can't use the Internet Explorer.

2. Deleted all of my cookies, temp files, and temp Internet files.

3. Phoned my cable company. They recommended anti-spyware software that didn't work for me.

What do you suggest?

Dale Harder @comcast.net

A. You have trouble indeed, Mr. H., but there is no need to despair. Yet.
You'll need to do some work to fix this. As background: Coiled under a rock somewhere is a nest of sophomoric slack-jawed Sad Sacks who make this about:blank home page hijacking a particular nightmare.

It started out as a scheme to drive Web surfers to a Web site that would sell ads and make money. Then somebody got the idea of using about:blank attacks to sell software ostensibly to remove the scourge itself. Yet another group, virus writers, piled on by inserting the nasty code into other hacking schemes.

The results are particularly vile because the malicious code attaches itself to what are called processes that Windows runs to handle various networking and file tracking tools. Then, when whatever process has been compromised kicks in, the attack causes some kind of program hidden on the hard drive to be run to restore the home page to about:blank.

There are so many variables of these booby-trap programs that nobody can write some magic bullet program to kill it all. That's why you don't see the makers of Norton, McAfee and other big-time antivirus shops offering fixes.

While there are some versions of the bug that can be fixed by existing software, most are immune.

The fix starts with using a program called HijackThis that will run a scan of a computer to detect all running processes. It will find dozens at a time. You need to disable the bad ones to perform a fix. As a result of this strange situation there are a number of Web sites where volunteers will check out these lists and suggest fixes.

To find details, point your browser to Downloads.com and type HijackThis as a search term. This will give you both a link to acquire the HijackThis program and a clearly written explanation of what to do afterward.

The idea is to try to fix the problem on your own and if that fails, to copy the log of suspicious items made by HijackThis and send it to volunteers for help.

Forums including SpywareInfo.com and CastleCops.com (formerly ComputerCops.com) have folks who will help you out.

Be cautious, however, because you're likely to encounter pitches for costly spyware killers that may or may not help your particular version of the about:blank nightmare.

On the upside I can tell you that I've tried it, and HijackThis does indeed work.

I just wish I could say it's easy. It's not.

Q. A while back, you wrote about an inexpensive scanner that worked well with Macintosh computers. Since my HP 5370c scanner has no drivers to work with OS X 10.3.5, I am in the market for a new scanner, and I recalled your article but not the model number. If you can recall it, I would greatly appreciate your advice.

Bob Anson @citcom.net

A. Right off the starting block I would urge you to go to HP.com, the Hewlett-Packard Web site, and download the Macintosh software and manuals posted there for that exact scanner you already own, Mr. A.

The Mac drivers/manuals are listed along with materials for various flavors of Windows. Just go to the support page on the Web site and use the model number as a search term.

Your scanner isn't as powerful as those currently on the market, but with a resolution of 1,200 dots per inch it is more than sufficient for most people's needs. If possible, save yourself a hundred bucks and stick with that trusty 5370c.

That said, let me add that with inexpensive scanners available from first-rate outfits like HP, Canon and Epson competing in the marketplace, this is a great time to let price be your main guide while shopping for scanners for home and office use. Each company offers sleek thin scanners that plug into the USB ports on PCs and Macs when needed and can be hidden in a drawer when not.

The article that you saw probably was a brief review of the Canon LiDE line of scanners, which stand out with big performance and small footprints on the desktop. The LiDE 35 carries a $110 suggested price and can be found for under $100 at most outlets. Its 9,600 dpi maximum resolution is sheer overkill for most of us but it is nice to have.

Keep in mind that these lower-price scanners do not have the features for copying color slides and filmstrips that are on slightly more costly machines. I recently reviewed the Epson Perfection 4180, which costs in the $200 ballpark and includes an ingenious film-strip feeder built into the lid to facilitate turning home slide collections into digital format.

If I had to pick only one, I'd go with the Epson because I have a lifetime accumulation of aging slides to digitize.

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Contact Jim Coates via e-mail at jcoates@tribune.com or via snail mail at the Chicago Tribune, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago IL 60611. Questions can be answered only through this column. Add your point of view at chicagotribune.com/askjim.

Google Removes Trojan Spyware Ads

2005-01-03T20:03:00.000-08:00

Interesting development. It looks like some hackers have been using Google AdWords to send spyware to the computers of those who click on certain ads.

"In the past few days, Google has been displaying context-sensitive ads on the right margin from its program partner AdWords that link to sites with dangerous JavaScript for various search terms such as "Preisvergleich" (price comparison) and "Gebraucht PC" (used PC). If you clicked on one of the links in the Internet Explorer, a JavaScript attempted to install spyware on your system. And the normal list of hits also included a lot of sites with Trojans."

Google has reacted (although not quickly enough, for some) to the problem and shut down the ads.

CALIFORNIA OUTLAWS PC SPYWARE

2005-01-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

SOURCE: World News

Programs that secretly install themselves to spy and serve unwanted advertisements on a person's personal computer, widely known as spyware, have been made illegal in California.

The legislation, which was approved by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is designed to safeguard people from hackers and help protect their personal information.

The new laws came into affect January 1 and avails makers of these insidious computer programs, that AOL says affects more that 80 per cent of the world's PCs, to face hefty fines in California.

Spyware which buries itself in computers and collects a wide range of information is considered by computer experts to be one of the biggest nuisances and security threats facing PC users.

At its worst, it has the ability to hijack personal data, like passwords, login details and credit card numbers, but its most common form is called adware, which has the ability to collect information on a computer user's web-surfing to bombard users with pop-up ads.

In Washington, Congress has been debating four anti-spyware bills, but California has sped ahead in its implementation. The state's Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act bans the installation of software that takes control of another computer.

Consumers are able to seek up to $1,000 in damages if they think they have fallen victim to the intrusive software, marking California's continuing trend towards tougher privacy rights.

Currently users wanting protection from spyware have turned to free programs such as Spybot and Ad-Aware.

Anti-spyware law introduced in California

2005-01-02T20:39:00.000-08:00

Posted on Sunday, January 02, 2005 at 20:30 by

The threat of spyware to the PC user is being addressed in California, with the introduction of a new law designed to protect the consumer from spyware.

The "Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act" was introduced in California on the 1st of January 2005, and it allows users to claim up to $1000 in damages if they believe a company has installed spyware on their computer.

The Act bans the installation of software that takes control of another computer, and also forces companies and web sites to make it clear to end users if their system installs some form of spyware on the users machine.

Washington is another state which is currently looking to introduce some form of anti-spyware legislation, but California certainly seem to be leading the way when it comes to protecting home users from the ever present threat of spyware. We just hope that other states and countries follow suit and look to address this growing problem urgently.

Critical challenges lie ahead this year

2005-01-02T20:36:00.000-08:00

By TODD BISHOP
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Viruses, worms and spyware remain major issues for Windows PC users, and Microsoft is under constant pressure to improve the situation by making its software less vulnerable.

The next version of Windows, code-named Longhorn, promises improvements beyond those introduced in Windows XP Service Pack 2, the security-focused update released last year. But with Longhorn not due until 2006, that's a long wait.

In the meantime, Microsoft is preparing to offer its own anti-spyware and antivirus protections based on technology acquired during the past two years. But Microsoft hasn't yet said whether those protections would be built into Windows or offered as stand-alone products -- a critical question for existing players in the security software market.

On the subject of spyware, industry observers will be keeping a close eye during the next year on the market share for Internet Explorer. The Mozilla Firefox browser has been steadily chipping away at the lead achieved by the dominant Microsoft browser, based largely on security concerns associated with it.

And on a related subject, Bill Gates last year promised that we would see the effective end of unwanted e-mail, or spam, within two years. Computer users would no doubt welcome any further progress by the company on that front in the coming year. Read Entire Article here >>

Spyware tough to stop, but some defenses work

2005-01-01T23:03:00.000-08:00

ALEX L. GOLDFAYN
Published January 1, 2005

Rick Carlson, 31

President

Aluria Software LLC

Lake Mary, Fla.

Got spyware? Who doesn't?

If you use a Windows-based PC that connects to the Internet, chances are that you could have hundreds of small programs called spyware running in the background.

Like viruses, spyware comes in various forms that produce a range of harmful effects: Some applications track the Web sites you visit and the keystrokes you enter, while others "hijack" your Web browser's home page, starting every Internet session with a visit to an unwanted site.

"Spyware is a catch-all term for anything that's put on your machine without your knowledge," said Rick Carlson, who knows a thing or two about spyware. He's the president of a company called Aluria Software LLC. Its software, called Spyware Eliminator (about $30 at www.aluriasoftware.com), is used by more than 25 million Internet surfers worldwide.

America Online uses Aluria's product to protect its members from spyware. On AOL, the tool is free and it's called AOL Spyware Protection.

The worst part about spyware is that it's nearly impossible to avoid if you're using a Windows-based PC and accessing the Internet with Internet Explorer.

"Spyware usually arrives as part of another program," Carlson explained, adding that this process of distribution is called "bundling."

"It usually comes with freeware that's downloaded, like free wallpaper or pornography."

Spyware can also be planted when you answer "yes" to a pop-up window that requires a download "to view this page properly."

And spying is not the only problem caused by spyware.

"If you're having computer problems, they're most likely caused by spyware," said Carlson. Read More >>

Pc Users See No Threat Despite Plagues of Adware and Spyware

2004-12-31T20:36:00.000-08:00

Today, no PC is completely safe from being infected by Spyware and Adware. Getting rid of these pesky problems on your computer can be difficult without a strong application in place.

Distribution Source : PRWeb

Date : Friday - December 31, 2004

(PRWEB) December 31, 2004 -- According to a recent article on IDG News Service (www.idg.net), a survey conducted by Internet service provider America Online found that various forms of snooping programs such as spyware and adware are on eight percent of systems. Despite this fact, over two thirds of these home users still think they are safe from online threats.

The article goes on to say that:

"Sixty-three percent of those with pop-up blocking software said they still receive pop-up messages. Around forty percent of those surveyed reported their Web browser's home page or search results being changed without their permission--all classic symptoms of spyware or virus infection."

Spyware and Adware is a software application which advertising banners or pop-ups are displayed while the program is running. Spyware additional feature is that it usually includes code that tracks a user's personal information and passes it on to third parties, without the user's authorization or knowledge.

Chances are your PC is probably infected with adware & spyware if:

- You have downloaded music online
- Your PC is running extremely slow
- You are pestered by those horrible popup ads

In order to keep systems free from these nuisances, a program that can provide monitoring, blocking and removal of these applications should be in place.

No Adware provides software that is constantly updated to identify the latest threats to your PC and your privacy. A free scan is provided at http://www.oida.net/adware

This software scans your system for Spyware, Adware, and dialers and removes them from your PC. It"s also customizable allowing user"s to safely block annoying yes/no boxes asking permission to install adware/spyware, with the click of a button. If an item that exists on their block list attempts to install, the item will be prevented from being installed. When a bookmark is attempted, No Adware will alert users and ask for authorization to add the specific URL to the browser's 'Favorite List'.

Another useful feature that is built into the No Adware application is that it can schedule times when it will automatically scan for possible adware/spyware infiltrations.

After using No Adware, one user stated:

"The No Adware scan picked up approx 130 parasites which it dispatched instantly, probably the rubbish after over 3 years of surfing"

To learn more about Adware, Spyware, and the NoAdware software, you can go to http://www.oida.net/adware

California sets fines for spyware

2004-12-31T20:34:00.000-08:00

By Peter Bowes
in Los Angeles

The makers of computer programs that secretly spy on what people do with their home PCs could face hefty fines in California.

From 1 January, a new law is being introduced to protect computer users from software known as spyware.

The legislation, which was approved by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, is designed to safeguard people from hackers and help protect their personal information.

Spyware is considered by computer experts to be one of the biggest nuisance and security threats facing PC users in the coming year.

The software buries itself in computers and can collect a wide range of information.

At its worst, it has the ability to hijack personal date, like passwords, login details and credit card numbers.

The programs are so sophisticated they change frequently and become impossible to eradicate.

Ad onslaught

One form of spyware called adware has the ability to collect information on a computer user's web-surfing.

It can result in people being bombarded with pop-up ads that are hard to close.

In Washington, Congress has been debating four anti-spyware bills, but California is a step ahead.

The state's Consumer Protection Against Spyware Act bans the installation of software that takes control of another computer.

It also requires companies and websites to disclose whether their systems will install spyware.

Consumers are able to seek up to $1,000 in damages if they think they have fallen victim to the intrusive software.

The new law marks a continuing trend in California towards tougher privacy rights.

A recent survey by Earthlink and Webroot found that 90% of PCs are infested with the surreptitious software and that, on average, each one is harbouring 28 separate spyware programs.

Currently users wanting protection from spyware have turned to free programs such as Spybot and Ad-Aware.

The Year of Spyware

2004-12-30T20:46:00.000-08:00

In retrospect, the year 2004 made significant milestones that will forever change the future of internet spyware related issues. Various spyware issues were addressed and a fast growing market evolved around spyware.

i-Newswire, 2004-12-31 - Prior to the past year, spyware was a term that could refer to almost anything Internet-related (from innocuous cookies and applets to keyloggers and hacker exploits) and was largely unaddressed.

By April 2004, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Congress managed to define spyware as “software that aids in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge and which may send such information to another entity without the consumer’s consent, or asserts control over a computer without the consumer’s knowledge” and as early as January in the past year, various bills aimed at curtailing spyware were being drafted by the U.S. Congress, and some were passed into law as late as October in the year.

Many spyware companies cleverly evaded legislation while making their products more resistant to removal. Spyware remained a growing problem which routinely annoyed computer users. Some spyware install unwanted toolbars, display pop-up ads, modify system files, change security zone settings, change browser home pages, record and transmit user keystrokes to unknown third parties.

While free anti-spyware products such as Spybot Search & Destroy and Lavasoft Inc.'s Ad-Aware helped in remedying the situation, companies marketing their anti-spyware products exacerbated the problem: by realizing that their business model wasn’t naturally watertight, many resulted to coaxing customers into purchasing their software.

The FTC, in response to this development, filed a case in October 2004 against Seismic Entertainment Productions Inc. and SmartBot.Net Inc., accusing the companies of secretly installing unsolicited software on computers, causing systems to be overwhelmed by pop-up advertisements, and then sending them alarming messages saying they needed to buy "Spy Wiper" or "Spy Deleter" for $30.

Other anti-spyware companies have taken subtler approaches. For instance; install Computer Associate's eTrust PestPatrol (version 5.0.0.0, DAT versions 9/22/2004 was used in our tests), a popular anti-spyware product, on a new computer with a fresh installation of Windows XP Home (Version 2002 SP1 was used in our tests), make sure you have opened Microsoft internet explorer at least once previously (you may need to complete the Internet Connection Wizard but you do not need to connect to the Internet), then direct eTrust PestPatrol to run a scan for spyware and it will surely find “pests” on the brand new unconnected computer. In fact in our tests it found two with one labeled “System Spy”. Such scans are usually the basis for fallacious claims by anti-spyware companies that 9 out of 10 Internet-connected PCs are infected with spyware which in turn spreads more fear, uncertainty and doubt.

Industry analysts at IDC and Wachovia Securities expect the anti-spyware software market to grow from the current US$90 million to US$305-US$400 million by 2008. Already security software behemoths McAfee and Symantec have included anti-spyware solutions to their range of products. Other heavyweights such as Yahoo, EarthLink and much recently, Microsoft, have stepped into the market.

In particular, Microsoft’s entry into the anti-Spyware business may have sounded the death knell for smaller anti-spyware companies whose main clientele; the desktop/consumer market, may prefer Microsoft’s offering since it is widely expected that Microsoft’s anti-spyware solution will be superior and more candid.

About SurveilleTech Software“What you don’t know CAN hurt you(TM).” - Developers of the e-Surveiller monitoring and surveillance software, in use by enterprises, banks, educational institutions, libraries, small business and home users. e-Surveiller has received diverse media coverage and was recently featured on WXIA-TV ATLANTA. SurveilleTech is committed to protecting customer privacy and legality and enlightening the public on spyware related issues. Learn more about SurveilleTech at http://www.surveilletech.com

Adware & Spyware Pests, Days are Numbered, “Take Back the Web”

2004-12-30T20:42:00.000-08:00

New website to help people and businesses deal with the problems of adware, spyware and pop-ups. Allows people to take back the web and feel more secure.

Cumberland, WI (PRWEB) December 31, 2004 -- Computer users of home and businesses alike are gaining secure and enhancing internet usage by ridding their computer from adware, spyware and pop-ups pests. With the new eTrust™ PestPatrol™, supplied by Swamp Dog Creations, a Computer Associates’ partner, users are saving time, frustrations and costly repairs, sometimes costing a hundred dollars to fix. These pests often lurk silently on your computer until something – or someone – sets them off. When that happens, you could lose passwords, personal data, credit card numbers, and - if you telecommute and connect to your office via a VPN - open up a back door for a hacker into your entire company network.

PestPatrol complements your anti-virus and firewall software, extending your protection against non-viral malicious software that can evade your existing security software and invade your personal privacy.

The convenience of PestPatrol from “www.swampdogcreations.com” is amazing. Users can purchase securely the PestPatrol product and install it with ease. Once installed, the user friendly interface allows for easy configuration and setup. You can start right away or schedule when you want the scanning to take place. Once PestPatrol has scanned the disk drives on the system, it detects and removes a wide variety of spyware to protect your PC from unauthorized access, information theft and diminished system performance. Spyware, adware and other non-virus threats are rapidly spreading, and represent a major security and privacy risk. eTrust PestPatrol Anti-Spyware reduces this risk and provides an added layer of protection for safe Internet connectivity.

Key Features include some of the following:
Comprehensive Spyware Detection and Removal, eTrust PestPatrol detects and removes a wide range of spyware threats, including:
*Spyware that "phones home" information about you, your computer, and your surfing habits
*Adware that displays unwanted advertising and can slow your PC to a crawl
*Keyloggers that can record every keystroke you make, then steal your passwords and other personal data
*Browser hijackers that change your home page and search results
*Remote Access Trojans (RATs) that allow an attacker to remotely control your computer *Real-time Protection, eTrust PestPatrol does more than just detect and remove spyware; it proactively protects you against new spyware threats. When pests are found, eTrust PestPatrol generates an alert, logs the event and enables you to remove the pests from your computer in real-time Active Protection kills active pests in memory and zaps spyware cookies before they can phone home about you

For more information, facts, or contact information go to http://www.swampdogcreations.com/takebacktheweb.html.

Phishing, Spyware, Others Plague Internet

2004-12-30T20:38:00.000-08:00

ANICK JESDANUN

Associated Press
NEW YORK - Computer worms raced around the world, leaving behind tools that spread spam. Scammers sent e-mail to trick bank account holders into revealing passwords. Rogue programs known as "spyware" hijacked Web browsers and crippled computers.

These were among the top Internet threats of 2004 as the perpetrators grew smarter and more sophisticated, driven more than ever by economic gains. And while technology to combat such threats has improved, experts concede that's not enough to address what's bound to emerge in the coming year.

"The bottom line is, there is no silver bullet technology," said Gregg Mastoras, senior security analyst at security vendor Sophos Inc. "I just don't think users are educated enough when they are on machines and what they are doing with it."

The past year saw more industry attention to security: Microsoft Corp. upgraded its flagship Windows XP operating system, closing many loopholes and turning on a built-in firewall to thwart attacks. America Online Inc. gave away free security tools, and computer makers began installing software to combat spyware.

Dozens of products and services were developed to attack "phishing" - e-mail pretending to be from trusted names such as Citibank or Paypal, but directing recipients to rogue sites.
But developers of malicious code have gotten better at automating their tools, as well as sharing information about vulnerabilities and techniques to exploit them through underground message boards and chat rooms, said Mark Rasch, chief security counsel for Solutionary Inc.

No longer are bragging rights the primary motive.

"It used to be cool to bring down sites, almost (like) graffiti for the 21st century," said Arthur Coviello Jr., chief executive for RSA Security Inc. "Today's worms and viruses are far more detailed, and specific attacks are directed at individuals and businesses for the purpose of economic, ill-gotten gains."

Virus writers have found new ways to infiltrate computers and networks, bypassing the protections inspired by their earlier methods of attack.

For instance, with more network administrators blocking attachments to stop viruses from spreading via e-mail, hackers managed in June to covert popular Web sites into virus transmitters by taking advantage of known flaws with Microsoft products.

They've also used viruses like "Mydoom" to deposit programs that let them take over infected PCs - and then use them to relay spam or launch attacks on Web sites like Microsoft's. Ninety percent of viruses in 2004 carried a "backdoor" mechanism, compared with less than half in 2003, said Alfred Huger of Symantec Corp.

And once they've commandeered such PCs, they form networks of "zombies." Spammers buy access to these networks so they can send e-mail that appears to come from legitimate home computers, making them harder to tag as junk.

"They are well organized on the black market," said John Levine, co-author of "The Internet for Dummies."

Much of the malicious code appears to originate in countries without adequate laws to prosecute, experts say.

Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies and service providers are only beginning to establish guidelines for jointly chasing suspects who can move about with stealth in a medium that knows no borders.

Security experts rank phishing and spyware as the greatest threats for 2005, given how clever their developers have gotten in the past year. Read the entire article >>

Spyware and the Need for Technology-Centric Laws

2004-12-29T20:41:00.000-08:00

Written By: Braden Cox
Published In: IT&T News
Publication Date: January 1, 2005
Publisher: The Heartland Institute
Spyware and the Need for Technology-Centric Laws
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Two spyware bills have been passed in the House of Representatives by overwhelming margins. Election-year scheduling may very well doom these bills, preventing consideration in the Senate, but consumers will not be without protection.

Legal recourse already exists, as evidenced by October’s announcement of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) lawsuit against an alleged spyware distributor. So why the legislative fervor for new spyware laws?

The advent of new technologies brings with it new laws, or so it might seem. Yet this isn’t necessarily the case. More often than not, new technologies just provide new ways for doing old crimes. But lawmakers feel the pressure to hurry up and do something, and in their zeal to cure technology-related harms they propose redundant and confusing laws. This approach holds true with the pending spyware bills.

Wouldn’t it be great if there were some formula or test for determining the real need for new technology-related legislation? Or if Congress followed some standard mode of analysis, analogous to the familiar scrutiny a court provides in a First Amendment case or the cost-benefit analysis employed by some regulatory agencies?

In many ways, we already have such an analytical framework. We can turn to a four-year-old report available from the Department of Justice titled The Electronic Frontier: The Challenge of Unlawful Conduct Involving the Use of the Internet. It was published by the Working Group on Unlawful Conduct on the Internet, created by a 1999 Executive Order from then-President Bill Clinton.

Are New Laws Needed?

The working group was charged with analyzing online conduct in light of existing laws. It recommended that online conduct be treated consistently with offline conduct, in a technology-neutral manner. The report considered three main steps to determine whether new technology-related laws are needed.

First, it suggested lawmakers identify the conduct and the laws applicable to it. Are there existing laws that address unlawful conduct involving the use of the new technology?

Second, ask whether novel ways are needed to detect and catch the wrongdoers. Does the legislation provide not only new law, but also new tools or capabilities to investigate and prosecute the bad conduct?

Third, analyze current and potential market alternatives to government legislation. What is the potential for using education and empowerment tools to minimize the risks for such conduct?

How Spyware Laws Fare

Using the federal government’s own test for analyzing the need for technology-related laws, how do current legislative attempts to address spyware measure up?

Existing Laws: The FTC already regulates unfair and deceptive trade practices under the Federal Trade Commission Act. Federal law governs wire fraud, including someone who uses the Internet to commit a fraud. Provisions of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act make it illegal to intercept a communication without a court order and could apply to some uses of spyware that co-opt control of computers or exploit Internet connections. State trespass, contract, tort, and fraud laws also apply.

New Tools for Investigation or Prosecution: The Internet presents a challenge to law enforcement because it is global, lacks boundaries, and provides for anonymity. But the pending spyware bills don’t change the nature of the Internet or provide law enforcement with investigative tools it doesn’t already possess.

Education & Empowerment Alternatives: A number of products exist to eliminate unwanted applications. New Internet security products are including privacy-protecting software. Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates recently said his company is working on solving spyware problems. In short, the market is working to protect consumers.

Existing laws adequately address any misuse of software resulting in fraud or other deceptive acts. The FTC is already on record as concluding specific spyware legislation is unnecessary.

Congress should allow the combination of technological innovation, consumer education, and the enforcement of existing laws to progress.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Braden Cox (bcox@cei.org) is technology counsel for the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC.

Terminating Spyware With Extreme Prejudice

2004-12-29T20:37:00.000-08:00

The New York Times
By RACHEL DODES
Published: December 30, 2004

THE end of the year is a time when people sit down, rethink their priorities and sometimes change their ways. Some quit smoking. Others join a gym. I chose to erase my hard drive and reinstall my operating system.

Sure, it was a drastic move, but my two-year-old I.B.M. ThinkPad - equipped with a 1,000-megahertz Pentium III processor, a high-speed Internet connection and 256 megabytes of memory - was running about as fast as the Apple IIE I used in the mid-80's.

After six months engaged in mortal combat with spyware - parasitic software that tracks your browsing habits, sends out pop-up ads and can even send your private information to an organized crime ring in Guam - I had two options: shell out $1,200 for a new ThinkPad, or wipe my hard drive and start from scratch - a huge production with potentially cataclysmic results.

Since I enjoy new challenges (and more important, since I lack the funds to buy a new laptop), I decided to shoot for the moon and delete, delete, delete.

It did not have to be this way. I can trace the decline of my computer's performance to an ill-advised download over the summer. In a pop-music-induced frenzy, I am embarrassed to admit, I went to www.kazaa.com, downloaded and installed the free file-sharing service, then proceeded to download (a k a steal) Britney Spears's and Madonna's collaborative effort, "Me Against the Music."

I was about to get my karmic retribution.

In downloading Kazaa, I had inadvertently opened the floodgates to all manner of spyware. By the end of the summer, even after I had deleted Kazaa and installed Norton AntiVirus 2004 - which took care of the virus-related part of the problem - I was unable to open Internet Explorer without being deluged with pop-ups enticing me to buy everything from herbal weight-loss pills to obscure business publications.

My home page would mysteriously try to redirect itself to a site called badgurl.grandstreetinteractive.com. Little gray dialog boxes would pop up in the center of my screen to inform me, shockingly, that my computer might be infected with spyware. Then it would crash.

Spyware is "definitely the most annoying problem," said Tim Lordan, staff director of the nonprofit Internet Education Foundation, which joined with Dell Computer this year to mount a spyware awareness campaign (www.getnetwise.com). Spyware is also ubiquitous: in October, a study by America Online and the nonprofit National Cyber Security Alliance found that 80 percent of computers were infected with it.

As my frustration mounted, I sought the advice of fellow spyware sufferers. My friend Jesse, a lawyer at a large New York firm, told me he was forced to wipe his hard drive when his Dell Latitude laptop transmogrified into a purveyor of pornography advertisements. He sheepishly confessed that against his better judgment, he had downloaded a virus- and spyware-addled copy of the Paris Hilton sex video.

"I contracted a sexually transmitted computer virus from Paris Hilton," said Jesse, who requested that his last name not be printed. (He feared his law firm - and his wife - would not be too happy about the download.) "It was chronic."

Downloading dubious files is a surefire way to get spyware, but it can also be transmitted through seemingly innocuous e-mail, by clicking on a banner ad, or from wholesome Web surfing. The programs install themselves in several places on your computer, making it difficult to find and delete them.

What's worse, even if you do delete them, many are programmed to reinstall themselves automatically when the computer is rebooted.

What really distinguishes spyware from other computer security threats (viruses, worms and Trojans) is that it often seems to defy the products meant to exorcise it. McAfee introduced an anti-spyware program - aptly called McAfee AntiSpyware - in February, but it has met with mixed reviews. Read the entire article here >>

Microsoft buys maker of anti-spyware software

2004-12-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

USA TODAY
In a move to quell rising consumer frustrations, Microsoft has acquired Giant Company Software, maker of well-reviewed but little-used anti-spyware software, for an undisclosed sum.
Better known for its anti-spam software, Giant, which has 12 employees, began selling Giant AntiSpyware in September at $30 for a 12-month subscription. Online sales were halted Thursday. Microsoft said it will run some checks on the product, then re-issue a free "beta" version within 30 days.

Mike Nash, Microsoft’s security business corporate vice president, declined to say whether Microsoft plans to supply free anti-spyware protection beyond that. Nor would he say how the acquisition of Giant fits with Microsoft’s purchase 18 months ago of Romanian anti-virus company GeCad.

Microsoft has said it plans to turn GeCad’s technology into a subscription anti-virus service but has shown little progress toward that goal, analysts say.

Microsoft’s hesitancy to declare its long-term intentions in the tech-security space highlight the profound dilemma forced upon the world’s largest software maker by rising cyberattacks.

Some security experts say Microsoft should build basic anti-virus and anti-spyware protection into its dominant Windows computer operating system. But the software giant has been careful to keep its options open, because offering anti-virus and anti-spyware as subscription services could emerge as a vast revenue source.

The deluge of spyware may be forcing Microsoft’s hand. The unseen programs install surreptitiously, mainly through weaknesses in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser.

A survey by the National Cyber Security Alliance found 80 percent of PCs in U.S. households rife with spyware programs that can track Web-browsing habits.

Advertisers and Web merchants pay spyware distributors for every visitor directed to their Web site -- and share a percentage of any subsequent online sale. As a result, spyware writers have begun spreading sophisticated programs that change form to escape detection and routinely replant themselves upon being cleaned up.

Spyware slows computer performance and can make using the Internet frustrating, putting a damper on plans to expand e-commerce.

Whether the Giant acquisition becomes a turning point remains to be seen. Giant’s anti-spyware is relatively unproven. It has been downloaded less than 50,000 times, says CNet’s Download.com, compared with 94 million downloads of Lavasoft’s leading Ad-Aware anti-spyware program.

Trouble Can Be Downloaded Along With Music

2004-12-28T20:12:00.000-08:00

By Don Oldenburg
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, December 28, 2004; Page C10

Some of this year's hottest gifts, especially for teens, are those tiny, portable digital music players such as the pack-leading Apple iPod (estimated holiday sales -- 4 million) and competitors like Creative Zen Micro and Rio. About the size of cell phones, MP3 players can carry music anywhere and store thousands of songs copied from CDs or downloaded from the Internet.

But technology security experts warn that many of this holiday season's millions of newbie MP3 player owners don't know what dangers lurk behind some music.

"The risk has skyrocketed," says Kraig Lane, group product manager at the computer-security products manufacturer Symantec. "The bad guys are putting evil agents into music files and even videos that we are downloading. Music files especially. And you don't know it's there."

The big problem is that some music services -- particularly the free and legally questionable peer-to-peer (P2P), file-swapping networks like Kazaa, BearShare and LimeWire that connect millions of home-computer users -- deliver something in addition to free software and music. They sneak in adware -- or, even worse, viruses and spyware. Read More >>

Desktops to see Linux, search war and more spyware

2004-12-28T20:08:00.000-08:00

By Paul Gillin, TechTarget Group Publisher
28 Dec 2004 SearchWebServices.com

. . . 7. Spyware becomes public enemy No. 1 -- While virus activity hasn't slowed, spyware has emerged as the new bugaboo of corporate information security. A more sophisticated and dangerous public enemy than viruses, spyware lurks inside a user's PC and transmits data to destinations unknown. And like cockroaches, spyware is almost impossible to exterminate once it infects you. The public's attention has been focused on viruses since the worldwide Michelangelo virus scare of 1992. However, a spyware attack of similar ferocity hits PC users in 2005, alarming the public, generating demand for antispyware tools and forcing Congress to pass another meaningless law . . . Read More >>

Windows-Based PCs Plagued By Security Issues

2004-12-28T20:05:00.000-08:00

Thirteen years ago, this column was launched with the opening sentence: "Personal computers are just too hard to use, and it's not your fault." Since then, I have periodically stepped back to look at the progress of the technology industry in making computers easier to use.

Obviously, we've come a long way since 1991. Personal computers, software and peripherals are much more stable and far simpler to operate. New products, like digital cameras, PDAs and music players, have come along as welcome additions, often integrating with computers.

But for the vast part of the public whose computers aren't bought and deployed by corporate computer departments, things have gotten much worse lately. For these consumers and small businesses, the burden of using personal computers has grown dramatically heavier in the past couple of years because of the plague of viruses, spyware and other security problems that now afflict the dominant Windows platform.

To cope with this assault from an international criminal class of virus and spyware writers, hackers and sleazy businesses, average users have had to buy and monitor an arsenal of add-on programs. They have been forced to learn far too much about the workings of their PCs.

So instead of being able to view their computers as tools for productivity, research, communication and entertainment, consumers have been forced to devote rising amounts of time and money just to keeping the machines safe. The PC has, in many cases, gone from being a solution to being, at least in part, a problem. Read More >>

Spyware News

2004-12-27T21:20:00.000-08:00

"Adware" kingpin Claria can't escape ethics debate

By Dan Lee
Knight Ridder Newspapers

SAN JOSE, Calif. —

Claria is a company some just love to hate. The Redwood City, Calif., software maker is the king of "adware," the leader in an industry increasingly seen as a public nuisance on the Internet.

Claria has a simple goal: get you to download its software that serves up pop-ups and other Internet ads.

Its software ends up on computers when users download free programs. Claria's adware tracks the user's Web surfing, then serves up targeted ads.

Critics call the methods confusing and invasive.

"Claria presents its notice and consent ... in such a manner that most users mindlessly press 'accept' without understanding that what they're accepting is extra pop-ups," said Ben Edelman, a Harvard graduate student who is a noted adware and Claria critic.

But the company says it is legitimately offering targeted advertising to Internet users who have granted permission.

"These consumers are interacting with our ads. They're voting with their mouses, their clicks and their wallets," said Scott Eagle, Claria's chief marketing officer.

No matter what, Claria finds itself at the center of a debate over the evolving rules and ethics of Internet advertising. Read More >>

Protect That New Computer From Spyware

Iowa Channel.com - Des Moines,IA,USA

... new computer. Maybe even a faster Internet connection. And -- probably -- spyware and viruses to complete the package. Viruses are ...

Spyware 101 For At-Home Medical Transcriptionists

Useless-Knowledge.com - USA

... email system, a company intranet or ftp site, or a proprietary transcription platform, is free from parasites (meaning viruses, spyware, hijackers, keystroke ...

New Computer for the Holiday Also Means New Hazards

The holidays are the perfect time for computer hackers to wreak the most havoc and computers are popular Christmas gifts. So, new computer users are logging on for the first time, something hackers are hoping to take advantage of.

Ernie Stallcop, Geeks On Call, says, "Computers are kind of like cars. There's some basic maintenance you have to do on a regular basis."

New computer users may not realize that, computer hackers know that, and are ready to pounce.

Ernie Stallcop, Geeks On Call, says, "When it comes to viruses, do not go out and check e-mail do instant messaging, without making sure you're anti-virus is in force, and is in fact updated."
Pop-up ads, spyware, viruses are three computer-related diseases you don't want to deal with.
Ernie Stallcop, Geeks On Call, says, "Something that gets into your computer, and really creates a lot of havoc for you...it can really create problems for your computer, where it's unusable."

Spyware perpetrators can cloak infected files

2004-12-27T21:18:00.000-08:00

By Jim Coates
Chicago Tribune

Q I run Windows XP with Norton virus protection. When I do a scan of my computer, it shows that I have one infected file, which Norton identifies as MediaTicke:tInstaller.ocx, an adware file. Norton asks if I want to delete the file, but when I respond ``yes'' it fails to delete it. Other files will be deleted properly if they are detected as possible infections.
Norton tells me that the file is in the Windows/Downloaded Programs folder. However, I cannot find it in that folder when I use Windows Explorer, nor can I find it using Start and Search and then plug in the file name.

So how can I find the file since Norton keeps telling me it is in my computer?

Roy Messer pacbell.net

A Did it ever occur to you that Symantec's vaunted Norton AntiVirus could be wrong? It didn't occur to me either, Mr. M. At least that was the case until I hunkered down to research your problem and found that it's bugging a lot of folks.

They all say the antivirus program does a first-rate job of finding this nasty bit of spyware/adware but, like you, they can't find it and delete it.

That's because the authors of this bit of vandalism apparently found a way to use the Windows System Registry to cloak the file so it cannot be found even if users set their computers to show all hidden and system files and do searches as you did.

Here's the drill for making registry fixes. First make a backup of this utterly essential Windows file that handles a huge proportion of everything a computer does. Click on Start and then Run and type the command regedit to open the registry.

Now look under the File commands for Export and pick it to send a copy of the intact registry to your hard drive. If you get in trouble following my advice, you can restore the registry by clicking on that backup icon.

Now highlight the first line in the registry and tap Control + F and type the search term mediaticket. Using Find Next will take you to up to a half-dozen instances of the file in the registry and you will find that each of them has been assigned a value, which you can find by clicking on the entry. Use the edit box this brings up to remove the value, which is a code that hides the files even if your machine is set to find hidden files.

Now go back to the Start/Search button you had been using and search again. This time MediaTicketInstaller.ocx will be visible for deletion.

Phishing For Your Identity

2004-12-25T20:31:00.000-08:00

Attacks Are Up 4000
PercentDec 25, 2004 8:10 am US/CentralALEXANDRIA, Va. (CBS)

. . . . Internet security expert Mike Weider thinks Savage may have been hooked by a new kind of phishing called keyboard spyware. That's sneaky software hidden inside emails or programs that you download from the web. The spyware then watches every keystroke you make. . .

Read the entire Spyware article at WCCO.com

The hunt for spyware becomes a legitimate enterprise

2004-12-23T20:56:00.000-08:00

By STEVE HILL

A business magazine listing the top American companies noted that the software giant Microsoft was not to be found on the list.

They reasoned that Microsoft has massive piles of cash reserves stockpiled, yet reinvested scarce few of those dollars back into the company.

I recently had a laugh at Bill Gate,s expense as I read an article outlining Bill,s response to discovering spyware on his personal PCs. He said they slowed his PCs down a bit but it wasn,t too bad.

In light of Microsoft,s recent acquisition of an anti-spyware software company, one might speculate his spyware problems were worse than he originally thought.

He probably discovered that the spyware scourge is rapidly becoming a worse threat to PC security and functional integrity than viruses have ever been. There are even spywares that act as doorman for Trojans. Don,t confuse a Trojan and a virus; they are similar but different, and your antivirus software won,t find them all.

So if spyware is such a big problem why aren,t the anti-virus and security softwares doing more about it? The spyware problem has been around long enough for the antivirus software companies to be well aware of it, but they have for the most part ignored the problem.

This lack of any enterprise or development of software tools to combat spyware by the big software companies has been curious. They have ignored it for half a decade. Some speculate it was due to legal concerns over their liability if they were sued for removing the stuff, or even some of the stuff.

The legality of spyware is still a fairly grey area; after all, even though PC users are tricked into installing some of it, they still approve its installation. During the past year there have been smaller companies emerging with commercial application to fight the spyware problem.

Microsoft suddenly bought one of the top-rated emerging anti-spyware companies. According to an article at http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,1743087,00.asp they have announced a free Beta, or test version is planned for release as early as next month. It is unknown if the final version will be a free or a fee based application.

This is an interesting move when contrasted with the fact that Microsoft is one of the bigger companies lobbying against the Bono-sponsored anti-spyware bill that is currently working its way through congress.

There is little doubt that spyware is probably the worst challenge that PC owners face. The term spyware is nearly a generic term that encompasses a widely varied family of different software applications that secretly or overtly install, and occupy your PC. The little critters then go about their creator's intended mission within your PC, at the expense of its speed, stability, and ability to use the Internet reliably.

One of the worst spywares is known as CoolWebSearch. Once that one gets in, your control of the PC begins to downgrade. There is a wide variety of softwares that are in the CoolWebSearch family of spyware. Their intent varies widely as well.

Once in it is difficult to remove because it is a polymorphing-type bug. That basically means that it will reinstall itself as it is uninstalled. The root of the installer will keep shifting its location throughout your system registry so as to escape detection and deletion.

More Help on the Serious and Growing Problem of Spyware

2004-12-22T18:44:00.000-08:00

PC magazine's Dvorak says "this situation with spyware is now officially out of control"

December 22, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) –

We received quite a few responses to the Dec. 15 Special Report that suggested some solutions for avoiding and removing spyware. Some readers expressed gratitude for the help and others, professionals in the field, offered additional suggestions.Coincidentally, the day after LifeSiteNews.com published the article which, among other things, recommended Internet users avoid using Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, Microsoft finally acknowledged the severity of the spyware problem. Microsoft announced the acquisition of a spyware removal program from Giant Company Software Inc. and that a beta version of the Microsoft release of the program will be offered free to Internet Explorer users within 30 days. However, the multi-billion dollar software monopoly also indicated it may soon afterwards charge for the new program to protect Internet Explorer from spyware that exploits security weaknesses in Internet Explorer. Go figure.A reader in the computer industry advised us however, that the relatively new Giant AntiSpyware product is probably by far the best Spyware removal program on the market and that is why Microsoft snapped it up. It is currently no longer available from Giant or anyone else, so we will have to wait for the Microsoft release.The seriousness of the spyware problem was emphasized in a Dec 20 an article by respected PC Magazine columnist John Dvorak. Dvorak wrote that “this situation with spyware is now officially out of control”. From discussions with people in the industry he discovered that “the public is only partially aware of the problem” and that “Few users know that their machines are infected”. Ominously, he added that “There is now a firm belief that organized crime, including the Russian mafia, is behind much of this activity”. One new spyware program to be especially wary of is CoolWebSearch. Webroot Software, makers of the excellent Spy Sweeper program, are warning that "CoolWebSearch is probably one of the most vicious programs in terms of how nasty it is. It completely hijacks the (Internet Explorer) browser so you can't do anything."MORE ADVICEFollowing are more LifeSiteNews.com suggestions for eliminating and avoiding spyware:1. If you wish to use Microsoft’s browser, Windows XP with Service Pack 2 will give by far the best protection. We understand millions of users are still using Windows 98 or 2000 and may not have the resources to update to the latest version. However, if you can, it is the right move.2. Always download and apply Microsoft security updates as soon as they become available.

Top Spyware Threats

2004-12-22T18:38:00.000-08:00

The list below depicts the spyware threats most frequently identified by Webroot's Spy Audit, a free spyware scanner tool.

Webroot's dedicated team of expert spyware researchers compiled the threat background and additional spyware information provided.

Spy Sweeper, Webroot's anti-spyware software, can detect and remove all of these spyware threats.

Name: PurityScan
Description: PurityScan frequently displays pop-up advertisements onto your computer whenever you are online. It induces you to install it by claiming to find and delete pornographic images.

Name: n-CASE
Description: (msbb.exe) – n-CASE is an adware program that delivers targeted pop-up advertisements to your computer. This program is usually bundled with freeware applications.

Name: Gator
Description: Gator (GAIN) – is an adware program that has the ability to display banner advertisements based on your Web surfing habits. Gator is usually bundled with numerous free software programs, including the popular file-sharing program Kazaa.

Name: CoolWebSearch
Description: CoolWebSearch (CWS) – CoolWebSearch has the ability to hijack your Web searches, home page, and Internet Explorer settings. Recent variants of CoolWebSearch install using malicious HTML applications or security flaws, such as exploits in the HTML Help format and Microsoft Java Virtual machines.

Name: Transponder
Description: Transponder (vx2) – Transponder is an IE Browser Helper Object that monitors requested web pages and data entered into online forms, then delivers targeted advertisements.

Name: ISTbar/AUpdate
Description: ISTbar/AUpdate – ISTbar is a toolbar used for searching pornographic web sites that has been reported to display pornographic pop-ups and to hijack your homepage and Internet searches.

Name: KeenValue
Description: KeenValue – KeenValue is an adware program that collects personal information and delivers advertisements to your computer.

Name: Internet Optimizer
Description: Bargain Buddy delivers targeted pop-up advertisements to your computer based on key words you might enter while surfing the Web.
Method of Infection:Internet Optimizer – Internet Optimizer hijacks error pages and redirects them to its own controlling server at http://www.internet-optimizer.com.

Name: Perfect Keylogger
Description: Perfect Keylogger – Perfect Keylogger is a monitoring tool that records all visited web sites, keystrokes and mouse clicks. For example, it can log passwords, account numbers and other sensitive information. It is usually installed manually.

Name: TIBS Dialer
Description: TIBS Dialer – TIBS Dialer is a dialer program that hijacks your modem and dials toll numbers, usually to access pornographic "pay" Web sites.

Microsoft: Buying Spyware Firm Fastest Path To Anti-Spyware Tools

2004-12-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

By Gregg Keizer, TechWeb News

Microsoft acquired anti-spyware technology because it was the quickest way to put something into users' hands, an executive at the Redmond, Wash.-based developer said Tuesday in Microsoft's monthly wide-ranging discussion hosted by the company's head of security.

As part of the monthly Security360 Webcast, Gordon Mangione, a corporate vice president of Microsoft's security unit, said that last week's buy of anti-spyware technology from Giant Company Software was prodded by customers' concerns over spyware's impact on system security and performance.

"The acquisition was the fastest way to provide that," said Mangione. Mangione also said that Microsoft had evaluated all the anti-spyware providers in the market, and come to the conclusion that Giant's was the best available. "It helped that [Giant's] approach to managing spyware dovetailed with ours," added Mangione.

Among the things that Microsoft liked when it looked at Giant's anti-spyware efforts, said Mangione, were its real-time protection -- which keeps spyware from infiltrating the system -- and the ability of users to see what's been installed or changed on their machine.

"SpyNet was another important reason," said Mangione. SpyNet was Giant's term for the online communality which took submissions of suspected spyware from users, examined them, and then rolled out signatures to defend systems.

"We'll continue to use the SpyNet community," said Mangione, "which will allow our customers to participate by IDing potential spyware." Earlier, Microsoft said that submissions to SpyNet would be examined by its own researchers, and if deemed to be spyware, signatures would be written and released. "SpyNet will make it possible for us to turn around signatures very, very fast," Mangione promised.

He repeated Microsoft's pledge to release a beta of a consumer-quality anti-spyware product by mid-January. In the meantime, he urged users to visit Microsoft's newly-created spyware Web site and/or download one of thefree anti-spyware products linked there.

The beta will run on Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2, and Windows Server 2003, Microsoft has said.

Next-generation adware and spyware protection

2004-12-21T19:47:00.000-08:00

CyberGuard, a provider of security solutions, has begun shipping a new form of protection against an increasingly common internet affliction: adware.

Adware, a type of spyware, is technology that aids in the gathering of information about a person or organisation without their knowledge.

To protect customers from this threat, CyberGuard has released a new version of its Webwasher Content Management Suite (CSM), which proactively filters against adware/spyware at the gateway before it has a chance to get inside.

Horst Joepen, chief executive of CyberGuard’s Webwasher subsidiary, said, “While this threat often operates behind the scenes, it still consumes bandwidth, raises privacy and security concerns, causes stability and performance problems and distracts employees – all issues that directly affect the bottom line.”

Unlike the traditional URL filter that only blocks access to a page but cannot fully read and understand its content, Webwasher’s next generation adware offers two-pronged protection.

First, it proactively strips content and code that enables adware to be downloaded, installed and executed at the gateway and, second, it disrupts adware already inside from sending or receiving information.

Webwasher CSM 5.1 has also added a filter against mobile code attacks and expanded its reporting capabilities to pinpoint infected machines in the company network. The release is available now at http://www.cyberguard.com/webwasher/webwasher.cfm.

InterMute's SpySubtract Recognized in Network World's Enterprise Anti-Spyware Review

2004-12-21T19:43:00.000-08:00

InterMute, Inc., a leadingprovider of best-of-breed Internet security and content filtering solutions,today announced that its SpySubtract(R) PRO consumer product received an"Exceptional" score in Network World's recent review of enterprise anti-spyware products. Network World evaluated InterMute's consumer-class product in a productcomparison featuring enterprise-level anti-spyware offerings, but stillSpySubtract PRO scored a perfect "5" out 5-the highest ranking-in the "spywareidentification and removal category." This "Exceptional" ranking is due to SpySubtract PRO's intelligent scanning engine, which is the same technologyfoundation as InterMute's SpySubtract(R) Enterprise Edition solution announcedon Dec. 13, 2004-the day the Network World review was published. "For our SpySubtract PRO consumer-level product to compete against thevendors in the enterprise anti-spyware market and to achieve such a stellarscore in the Network World review clearly demonstrates our commitment toproviding innovative and proven technologies," said Ed English, CEO andfounder of InterMute, Inc. "The new SpySubtract Enterprise Edition featuresthe same powerful scanning engine as SpySubtract PRO and includes a centrallymanaged console and advanced detection-removal-and-prevention capabilities.InterMute is now well-positioned to deploy SpySubtract in large organizationsthat need to protect thousands of desktop PCs from the most malicious andcrippling forms of spyware." For more information about SpySubtract PRO, visit http://www.intermute.com/products/spysubtract.html.

EarthLink Updates Spyware Blocker

2004-12-21T19:41:00.000-08:00

Source : The Whir Article Centre

Internet NewsEarthLink Updates Spyware BlockerDate: 12/21/2004(Article Central) Internet service provider EarthLink announced on Monday that it has launched the latest upgrade to its anti-spyware tool, Spyware Blocker. The product's most significant enhancement is real-time spyware blocking, which immediately prevents hidden applications from unknowingly being downloaded onto the user's PC.

EarthLink's Spyware Blocker, powered by Webroot Software, enables customers to identify and block all common forms of spyware, including adware, system monitors, keystroke loggers and Trojan horses. Other features include schedule automatic spyware definition updates and computer scans, and an enhanced scanning engine that searches for spies on the entire hard drive, deleting them from customers' file directories, the PC's registry and memory.

"Our latest version of Spyware Blocker was designed to stop spyware at the point of attack -- before it gets onto a customer's machine," says Matt Cobb, EarthLink's vice president of core applications. "Spyware is a growing concern for Internet users -- our SpyAudit Report has recorded over 83 million individual instances -- and consumers should take steps to ensure their PCs are protected from these programs with an anti-spyware protection tool like EarthLink's Spyware Blocker."

Sunbelt Challenges Microsoft Purchase of Giant Company Software

2004-12-21T02:41:00.000-08:00

After Microsoft announced Friday morning that it was acquiring anti-spyware solution maker Giant Software Company, the software giant received a nasty little surprise from Sunbelt Software, which says it owns partial rights to Giant's technologies. While Sunbelt's arrangement with Giant is still largely unclear, the company is selling a version of Giant Spam Inspector called Sunbelt I Hate Spam.

Microsoft's response was swift and designed to quell rumors that the Giant deal would be scuttled. In a posting on its Web site Friday, the company noted that Sunbelt's claims are to an older version of Giant AntiSpyware only. "Microsoft's upcoming beta solution for spyware, and any product offerings that Microsoft may subsequently deliver based on Giant technology, will be owned solely by Microsoft, and in no way will be co-owned by any third party," the company wrote in a statement. "Anti-spyware solutions require definition updates-signatures of known spyware and other unwanted software-that are necessary to keep the solutions up-to-date. Because of a legal agreement between Sunbelt Software and Giant that preceded the Microsoft acquisition, Microsoft will provide spyware signature updates to Sunbelt through July 2007."

Sunbelt's original claim involved any software development kits (SDKs) that Giant--and now Microsoft--might issue so that developers can build solutions that leverage the Giant AntiSpyware technology. However, Microsoft says that it owns the rights to any future anti-spyware SDKs that are built on Giant's technology, and it hopes that by providing Sunbelt with access to several years of spyware signature updates, it can assuage the company's legal concerns. So far, talks between the two companies have been described as pleasant, with "no disagreements or disputes."

Threats posed by spyware need to be taken seriously

2004-12-20T16:26:00.000-08:00

By PAUL GILSTER

An astounding new study from Forrester Data says that 21 percent of consumers surveyed have bought computer software offered by unsolicited spam e-mail.

Talk about a bad idea! These too-good-to-be-true prices hook you up with pirated products and compromise any credit-card information you pass along to their unsavory vendors.

Where does that spam come from? In many cases, it's being routed through machines that have been hijacked without their owners' knowledge and turned into spam dispensers, usually by so-called spyware programs. And as if there weren't enough to worry about this holiday season, along comes the news that some of the commercial spyware products now on the market install spyware of their own.

So beware of programs such as SpyAssault and MyNetProtector, which PC World recently found were loading programs that tried to connect to the Internet for traditional spyware purposes -- hijacking the Web browser, for example, so the user sees a marketer's Web site. Not only that, but some spyware pop-ups mimic the appearance of Windows dialog boxes. Click and you get the full ad pitch, with bogus scans to scare you into buying a spyware product.

So are there any legitimate spyware killers out there? Sure. SpyBot Search & Destroy, for example, is a free and excellent spyware hunter (security.kolla.de). But if you're looking for a commercial product, let me recommend the $30 Giant AntiSpyware program. One thing I like about this program is the anti-spyware community the company is building. Called SpyNet, it has reports from 600,000 contributors identifying the latest spy threats.

Like viruses, spyware programs are always mutating, so keeping up with the changes is critical. I've written in the past about the CloudMark SpamNet product. It uses not only its own database, but also input from users who identify spam the filter has missed. The networked result is one of the best anti-spam products on the market, and it's that same network principle that SpyNet uses on spyware.

Giant AntiSpyware now has more than a million signatures -- think of these as identifiers for spyware programs -- and counting. That spam connection I mentioned earlier shows up here. When I talked to the company's co-founders Ron Franczyk and Andrew Newman recently, they told me that many of the same people behind spam are now engaging in spyware activities. Spyware is the new frontier of fraudulence.

I don't recommend using just one spyware product. In most tests I've seen, the occasional spy program slips past even a comprehensive search. But when I use other products such as SpyBot to check my system, I find few problems since I've installed Giant AntiSpyware. Its auto-update feature keeps it current, and I like the security agents it provides to analyze all system changes, warning you if something could be the result of spyware activity.

One other spyware program I've found useful is the $40 PestPatrol (www.pestpatrol.com). Like the Giant AntiSpyware product, PestPatrol provides automatic updates that protect against everything from browser hijackers to spyware cookies. It's also got a nice interface, one showing just how dangerous a given spyware program is and what it can do to your security, with links back to the PestPatrol site. Read More >>

Finding and Snuffing Out Spyware

2004-12-18T20:48:00.000-08:00

By Wayne Rash

Special to The Washington Post
Sunday, December 19, 2004; Page F07

A fast Internet connection -- even a not-so-fast one -- can bog down a Windows computer in a hurry. Combine enough surfing time with out-of-date software or inattention to security, and a PC can quickly grow encrusted with spyware.

Too many users have found this out, but the problem doesn't seem to be getting any better. Spyware is a generic name for software installed without notice -- either by other programs' setup routines or by hostile Web sites that exploit flaws in Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. (Spyware has been absent so far on Mac and Linux computers.)

Once up and running, these programs quietly go about their mischief -- unleashing a flurry of unsolicited pop-up ads or, at worst, collecting sensitive data such as user names, passwords and credit card numbers and forwarding them to third parties.

Many of these programs also tinker with system settings to hide their presence, so many users learn of a spyware problem only when they notice their computer slowing down.

What's the best remedy? We tried five popular anti-spyware utilities, three free and two that sell for $30.

Lavasoft's free Ad-Aware SE Personal (Win 98 or newer, www.lavasoftusa.com) has been one of the most widely used spyware fixes. It's not the fastest, but it's reasonably simple and it removes spyware applications reliably. (Commercial versions of Ad-Aware don't offer additional anti-spyware capabilities.)

But, like many tools in this category, Ad-Aware can lead beginners astray by treating "tracking cookies" -- small text files placed on computers by Web ad networks -- as a threat on a par with actual spyware programs. They're not.

Aluria Releases Anti-Spyware SDK

2004-12-18T19:44:00.000-08:00

Source : Webmasters News / ExpressNewsline.com

Aluria Software, a developer of anti-spyware, performance optimization technology and parental controls, today announced that the Aluria Software Development Kit (SDK) is available for software vendors to develop enterprise-level anti-spyware solutions for their corporate security customers.

The company is licensing the its anti-spyware SDK to software providers seeking a fast and efficient way to augment their security software productsby adding spyware protection. The SDK allows incorporation into software applications and hardware appliances. According to Aluria, when compared with competing applications, these new scanning methods decrease the amount of time needed to perform system scans by nearly 75%. Written in Unicode compliant C++, the SDK can be integrated into many different development languages.

"We are excited about the opportunities the new SDK affords us. Its ability to be used to stop spyware both on the desktop and at the gateway makes it the most powerful solution available for OEM anti-spyware integration," said Jamie Garrison, chief executive officer of Aluria Software.

Aluria has also introduced a Spyware SAFE Certification program designed to ensure that websites and applications are free from spyware. This program gives consumers the confidence to visit approved web sites and download applications without the fear of downloading dangerous spyware. To begin the certification process, website owners simply submit their site for free to Aluria. Upon submission, Aluria tests the site to ensure it adheres to strict Spyware SAFE Certification criteria. Once a website and applications are approved, Aluria provides verification and a dynamic Spyware SAFE Certification logo website owners post to the site.

SpywareBlaster

2004-12-17T19:59:00.000-08:00

SpywareBlaster
Publisher : Javacool Software
SpywareBlaster doesn't scan and clean for spyware--it prevents it from ever being installed. SpywareBlaster blocks the installation of spyware ActiveX controls (such as Lop.com and Xupiter) in its database, and can even prevent them from running if they are installed. The built-in Check for Updates feature allows quick and easy database updates, which are released frequently. Information on all spyware covered in the database is also provided. SpywareBlaster does not need to be running in the background--simply select the items you wish to be protected against (or select all items) and press the Protect button to enable protection. SpywareBlaster can also block spyware and tracking cookies. It includes a System Snapshot feature, which lets you take a snapshot of your computer in its clean state and later revert, undoing many changes made by spyware and browser hijackers.

Price : Free
Website : http://www.javacoolsoftware.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Prevx Home

2004-12-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

Prevx Home
Publisher : Prevx
Avoid becoming an unwilling victim of identity theft, phishing and spyware that tracks your every move while browsing. Prevx Home protects your PC against the installation of spyware and hack attacks that bypass anti-virus or firewall products – such as Sasser, Blaster and the latest MyDoom variants. Traditional security measures are powerless to stop newly launched attacks. They rely on being able to recognize the specific characteristics of each individual threat, which they defend against using signatures, released after the event. Prevx Home provides immediate and comprehensive protection during this critical period when your PC is most vulnerable. Internet worms and hack attacks commonly use in-memory/buffer overflow tactics to install and execute. Prevx Home stops these attacks. It also stops spyware attacks that change the IE default Home Page, install malicious browser helper objects and toolbars. This software effectively locks down vulnerable areas of your file system and registry, preventing the use of browser helper objects and extensions. Unlike today’s spyware tools that detect and clean-up after an infection, Prevx Home offers a far more powerful solution by preventing infiltration before it actually occurs. This is the world’s first free Intrusion Prevention Software – using technology previously only available to large enterprises. Prevx Home does not replace anti-virus software, firewall or spyware detect and clean-up tools. It is an additional and critical last line in PC defense.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.prevx.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

SpyHunter

2004-12-17T19:55:00.000-08:00

SpyHunter
Publisher : Enigma Software Group
This spyware-removal software provides free weekly updates of new spyware and adware. It cleans registry keys, system files, and memory-resident parasites. Definitions are updated regularly and the product is fully supported.
Price : $30
Website : http://www.enigmasoftwaregroup.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Ad-Aware SE Personal Definition File SE1R22

2004-12-17T19:54:00.000-08:00

Ad-Aware SE Personal Definition File SE1R22
Publisher : Lavasoft
This download is for use with Ad-Aware SE Personal Build 1.05 and higher only. Manual Installation: Unzip the archive, replace the existing file and restart Ad-Aware\Ad-Watch. You can also use the webupdate component implemented in Ad-Aware to install this update.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.lavasoft.de
Category : Spyware Removal

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner

2004-12-17T19:52:00.000-08:00

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner
Publisher : Kephyr
Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner detects a multitude of spyware, adware, Trojan horses, keyloggers, and trackware components, sources of irritation that many antivirus products do not deal with. The scanning process only takes a fraction of a second and tells you how to uninstall the invasive spyware or puts you in contact with the spyware developer for the most up-to-date and safe uninstall instructions. Spyware and adware often is bundled with software such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, iMesh, Xolox, and Gnutella, and in many cases it's installed without your knowledge. Some send information about your surfing habits to ad companies, which target you with pop-up ads that fit your preferences. Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner search for Gator, GAIN, Bargain Buddy, CommonName, FlashTrack, IPInsight, nCase, NetRatings, NewDotNet, SaveNow, and WurldMedia.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.kephyr.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Yahoo Toolbar with Anti-Spy

2004-12-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

Yahoo Toolbar with Anti-Spy
Publisher : Yahoo
Yahoo Toolbar is a free, customizable toolbar that lets you navigate your favorite sites and search the web from anywhere. Yahoo Toolbar also includes features like Pop-Up Blocker and Anti-Spy. Customize your toolbar and save your bookmarks online for one-click access from any computer.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.yahoo.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

HijackThis

2004-12-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

HijackThis
Publisher : Merijn
HijackThis lists the contents of key areas of the registry and hard drive--areas that are used by both legitimate programmers and hijackers. The program is continually updated to detect and remove new hijacks. It does not target specific programs and URLs, just the methods used by hijackers to force you onto their sites. As a result, false positives are imminent, and unless you're sure about what you're doing, you should always consult with knowledgable folks before deleting anything.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.spywareinfo.com/~merijn/index.html
Category : Spyware Removal

SpyRemover

2004-12-17T19:47:00.000-08:00

SpyRemover
Publisher : InfoWorks Technology
Is someone stealing your information from your PC? Is your browser home page hijacked? Are you getting unexpected popups? Are you in danger of identity theft? Are you being spied on? Are you being watched and tracked? Find out with SpyRemover. This spyware remover detects and removes more than 21,600 types of intrusive devices, such as spyware, adware, hijackers, keyloggers, Trojan horses, tracking devices, hacker tools, and other spy devices.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.itcompany.com
Category : Spyware Removal

News - Microsoft Spyware Acquisition

2004-12-17T18:50:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Spyware Acquisition Hits Ownership Snag
eWeek - New York,NY,USA
Microsoft's big move into the anti-spyware business has hit an immediate speed bump, with questions swirling around a Florida company's claim that it co-owns ...

Microsoft splashes cash on anti-spyware firm
Silicon.com - UK
I'm no Microsoft fan, but if they include spyware blocking software with Windows, won't there be another anti-trust case from other vendors? ...

MicroSoft introduces anti-spyware technology
DataFuse.net - Ghent,Belgium
Leader in Operating Systems and Internet Browser Software announced they have will introduce a beta edition of their anti-spyware application for windows 2000 ...

Microsoft to offer free anti-spyware
Salem Statesman Journal - Salem,OR,USA
disclosed plans Thursday to offer frustrated users of its Windows software new tools within 30 days to remove spyware programs secretly running on computers. ...

Microsoft software to remove spyware programs
Xinhua - Beijing,China
BEIJING, Dec. 17 -- Microsoft has disclosed plans to offer users of its Windows software new tools to remove spyware programs secretly running on computers. ...

Slashdot Microsoft Acquires Spyware Removal Company
Microsoft Acquires Spyware Removal Company -- article related to Microsoft, Privacy, IT, Your Rights Online, The Almighty Buck, and Security. ...

Messaging isn't source of spyware.

2004-12-17T16:05:00.001-08:00

Q We recently purchased a laptop, and my 16 year old spent time visiting Web sites and instant-messaging her friends. The laptop started freezing up and shutting down and malfunctioning in general. We took it to a friend who cleaned it up and said it was full of spyware. Now my husband has forbidden my daughter to IM. She is devastated. Is there any safe way to instant-message?

Brenda Burkhartzmeyer, Apple Valley

Instant messaging is relatively safe and is not the source of your problems.

"I've not seen any cases where I could trace spyware back to instant messaging," said Steve Halligan, chief information officer at the Minneapolis security firm Techies: Network Task Force. "It's almost always the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser that is the source."

The browser picks up spyware (which spies on your activities to tailor advertising or steal personal information) if you visit a malicious Web site or download a file containing harmful software. Antivirus and firewall software are no defense, but running spyware-removal software once a week works well, Halligan said.

How to fight spyware ?

2004-12-17T16:05:00.000-08:00

How to fight spyware ?
December 13, 2004

Surf the web these days, and you'll be attacked from all sides by spyware and adware.

Spyware consists of tiny programmes that can track and report your online movements back to advertisers and others. It's omnipresent on the web, and if you've surfed the internet, you have it on your PC.

Adware, which pops up ads and false alarms in front of you as you're browsing the internet, is both intrusive and annoying.

Because spyware and adware are usually not designed to corrupt files or bring down your PC, as computer viruses are, they haven't received the attention from software houses that viruses do. But that's changing.

The big two antivirus packages - Symantec's Norton AntiVirus and McAfee VirusScan - have begun to offer spyware detection and removal features. The spyware zappers in those products, though, are clearly in their formative stages, as the list of spyware that they detect and remove is small.

But you don't have to wait for the large antivirus makers to catch up with the spyware threat. There are good, free tools available now that can give you the peace of mind you deserve. No one anti-spyware tool is enough, however. You'll have to attack the problem from multiple fronts. Here's how:

New browser
Since a web browser is the main conduit for spyware, it is sensible to use one that incorporates safeguards against spyware.

Try Mozilla (http://www.mozilla.org) or Opera (http://www.opera.com). Both products have attempted to gain ground on Microsoft's Internet Explorer in part by incorporating anti- spyware features. Although no web browser is totally immune from spyware, one that attempts to tackle the problem head-on is preferable to one that doesn't.

Spyware scanners & blasters
Everyone who uses the internet these day should have and use a spyware removal tool. The two best on the market are Adaware (http://www.adaware.com) and Spybot Search and Destroy (http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html).

Both are standalone applications that you can download for free, install and run regularly to ensure that spyware is not clogging up your system. Neither tool catches all types of spyware, which is why it makes sense to download and use both.

Free Spyware and Pop-Up Blocking Software for US Military Personnel Stationed Overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan

2004-12-17T15:59:00.000-08:00

EUGENE, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 14, 2004--

SuperAdBlocker.com Wishes Our Troops a Happy Holiday Season by Providing Free Copies of Super Ad Blocker, Its Pop-Up and Spyware Blocking Product

SuperAdBlocker.com, a Pacific Northwest developer of state-of-the-art ad-blocking solutions, is offering any US Military Personnel stationed overseas or stateside this holiday season a free, fully registered copy of its flagship product Super Ad Blocker.

Super Ad Blocker is an innovative product that protects users from Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Homepage Hi-Jackers, Pop-Ups, Pop-Unders and other forms of web-based annoyances and threats.

"We are grateful for the hard work and sacrifices that our troops are engaged in overseas and realize how difficult it is to be away from their families during the holiday season," said Nick Skrepetos, founder of SuperAdBlocker.com. "By providing free copies of Super Ad Blocker, our troops using the Internet will have a more enjoyable experience while surfing and communicating with their loved ones."

Super Ad Blocker is designed to block all annoying forms of Internet advertising, including Pop-Ups, Pop-Unders, Flash, Rich Media, Desktop Messenger, and Spyware/Adware ads. Super Ad Blocker will also block over 300 of the most dangerous spyware/adware applications.

Military personnel may visit http://www.SuperAdBlocker.com/troops for complete instructions on retrieving their free copy. If you know someone who is in the military overseas, please let him or her know about this unique offer!

Avoiding and Removing Internet Adware and Spyware - Sanity Saving Advice

2004-12-17T15:50:00.001-08:00

Avoiding and Removing Internet Adware and Spyware - Sanity Saving Advice

December 15, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - LifeSiteNews.com staff assume many of our readers are experiencing the same daily struggles as we are in trying to cope with a flood of damaging and annoying adware and spyware being inserted onto their computers without their permission. Most of this gets onto your computer simply as a result of browsing from one website to another.

If your computer seems sick, is behaving strangely and browsing the Internet has become a very unpleasant chore of fighting pop-ups and figuring out why all kinds of strange icons or services are attaching themselves to your browser window, this article is for you. Actually, hardly anyone is not experiencing these problems today.

See this handy LifeSiteNews.com SPECIAL REPORT at http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2004/dec/041215b.html

What should we expect from a typical anti-spy program and what can it is simply not do? To answer these questions, we should understand how it works.

2004-12-17T15:50:00.000-08:00

Looking at all the ads which promise to get rid of all spy programs, one may wonder why there is still plenty of them everywhere and the situation is by no means getting better. So let me spoil the advertisers' mood and show some of the "holes" in the majority of software products we expect to protect our data.

Speaking about drawbacks of anti-spyware, let's take the word "spyware" in the narrow sense for a change and call "spyware" only software products that really spy, i.e. steal valuable information you want to keep private. Let's leave aside adware -- this motley crew of advertising stuff; information that some of them "steal" isn't valuable enough. It is keylogging programs that we should associate with the term "spyware" first of all. This breed is exceptionally dangerous -- such threats as flourishing online bank fraud and the recent outbreak of keylogger-containing Trojans prove this.

Generally speaking, most anti-spyware works like thatÂ Don't stop reading, please. Don't skip over the paragraph. Do you think that if you are not a tech person, it is none of your business? You don't write this software, you just use it -- so what? You haven't made the car you are driving, either (well, there may be some exceptionsÂ). But you do know (at least in general) what makes it move -- and you won't forget to fill up its tank or have it serviced from time to time. You know what will happen if you don't. For the same reason you'd better know a bit about anti-spy software installed on any PC you use.

We all should know it to realize what exactly to expect from all these anti-spy products with cool names. Their creators and sellers promise you that these software products will "kill all spyware on your PC" (or something like that). First, is absolute protection possible? Second, what should we expect from a typical anti-spy program and what it is simply unable to do? To answer these questions, we should understand how it works.

Letter: Protect computers from Spyware

2004-12-17T05:46:00.000-08:00

To the editor:

I was pleased to see the article and editorial about Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, teaming with Sen. Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, addressing "phishing" with new legislation. However I am disappointed that they did not extend that bill to address a problem that is causing more harm to our community than phishing, namely Spyware.

Spyware's impact goes beyond the computer to disrupt our daily lives. In almost any social setting, I hear people complaining about their computer problems that are caused by Spyware - computers slowing down, unwanted messages popping up, and windows opening on their own to porn sites.

Spyware are small programs or cookies that track what you do with your computer. It sneaks onto your computer from e-mails or Web sites that you visit.

Spyware is insidious and malicious. It can drive unwanted advertising to your computer or copy your keystrokes to steal your passwords, financial information or even identity.

Keeping Spyware out of your computer requires actions by the user, but most users are not aware of the problem, don't know what to do, or just don't want to make the effort to deal with this problem.

Read More >>

Spyware is the scourge of Microsoft Windows users

2004-12-16T19:25:00.000-08:00

BY MIKE WENDLAND
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

Talk about a lost weekend!

As I write this Monday, I've just spent the better part of two days trying to remove adware and spyware from my wife's computer. I'm not done yet.

Adware and spyware are terms that are used pretty much interchangeably to describe hidden programs that settle surreptitiously into your hard drive to collect information on your Internet surfing habits so they can then display advertisements in your Web browser. These pernicious programs have become the scourge of the Internet.

If you're a Windows user, I can just about guarantee you have some on your machine. They get there in sneaky, sleazy ways, usually piggybacking on some free program or application you downloaded. Then they imbed themselves into out-of-the-way places on your hard drive.

The practice is so unscrupulous that Internet security circles now refer to adware and spyware as malware, as in malicious software -- a term that used to be relegated strictly to worms and viruses.

That's because slimy advertisers, borrowing the techniques of hackers, have written their come-ons and dubious offers into computer code that is almost impossible for the casual user to detect and almost as difficult to remove -- which is why I've been tied up so long scrubbing my wife's Dell.

This is a problem that is almost totally tied to Microsoft Windows. I mostly use Apple Macintosh computers. In two years of doing so, I have never had a single instance of spyware or adware infestation.

When my wife's machine was running noticeably slower and she kept complaining about these "stupid ads" that kept flashing on her screen, I realized it was time to clean house.

The ads this junk typically displays, by the way, have to be the utmost in brazenness. Most often, they seem to be advertising how to protect your computer against spies and intruders. It's enough to make me wonder if the computer security industry isn't secretly sending out malware so it can sell more of its security products.

So how do you get rid of this stuff?

First, don't download free programs from the Internet. A lot of small software developers use adware to make money from a product they give away, cutting deals with advertisers.

Some of those ads do nothing more than flash banner messages to you. A great many others, however, install tracking software that secretly uses your Internet connection to send information about you back to the advertiser. The more of these programs on your computer, the more resources that are gobbled up. Hence, your computer's performance slows and chokes.

Read More >>

Aussie police get spyware powers

2004-12-16T19:24:00.000-08:00

By John Leyden
Published Thursday 16th December 2004 12:27 GMT

Australian police can use spyware and Trojans to gather evidence under new powers introduced last week. The Surveillance Devices Act authorises Federal and state police to obtain warrants to plant back doors or keylogging on the PCs of suspects, The Age reports. Warrants can be obtained to investigate offences with a maximum sentence of three years or above.

Electronic Frontiers Australia, an online rights pressure group, says the law was rushed through without proper scrutiny and gives police too much power.

Microsoft Buys Anti-Spyware Company

2004-12-16T19:21:00.000-08:00

Paul Roberts, IDG News Service

Thursday, December 16, 2004

Microsoft Buys Anti-Spyware Company

Windows users will have another tool for protecting their PCs. Microsoft has purchased Giant Company Software of New York, which makes software to detect a common form of malicious software programs known as "spyware," the software giant says.

The Redmond, Washington, software company would not say how much it paid for the 10-person company, but says it plans to use Giant's technology to give Windows customers a new tool to detect spyware running on Windows systems, according to Gordon Mangione, corporate vice president of security products.

Microsoft plans to release a free evaluation version of the software within a month that will run on Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 systems, Mangione says. The company will use that beta software release to collect and evaluate customer feedback on the product, and make decisions about how it wants to distribute Giant AntiSpyware in the future, he says.

Giant AntiSpyware

2004-12-15T07:02:00.000-08:00

Giant AntiSpyware
Publisher : GIANT Company Software
Giant AntiSpyware searches and destroys existing spyware on your computer, and instantly alerts you when potential dangers arise, stopping most spyware before it can install. Giant AntiSpyware's real-time protection against potential spyware threats can stop spyware before it even gets a chance to install. This prevention is the key to keeping your computer clean and your personal information personal. Giant AntiSpyware stops spyware before it can act. Giant AntiSpyware uses extensive spyware-signature databases, real-time security agents, and SpyNet (a proprietary neighborhood watch for spyware), to protect your machine from spyware, adware, Trojan horses, worms, malware, browser hijackers, search hijackers, keyloggers, ghost spammers, spy software, and other hazardous and sometimes illegal applications and files from breaching your privacy and stealing your information or trying to sell you things.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.giantcompany.com
Category : Spyware Removal

GoGoData AdBuster

2004-12-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

GoGoData AdBuster
Publisher : GoGoData.com
Boost your Web-browsing speed, safety, and enjoyment by blocking many banner and Flash ads, chat-login pop-ups, and nearly all pop-up ads, including many that now evade XP SP2. Browse more safely with SpyDeny, which monitors for most incoming adware and spyware installations; it detects, alerts you with relevant information, and offers to quarantine or undo them. SpyDeny also prevents attempts to reset your home page. The online scanner scans and removes the most common malware. SpyDeny's vaccination process immunizes your PC against 594 types of common malware. The online password manager automatically memorizes, encrypts, and autofills your Web logins. The FastPass feature acts like your Favorites combined with an auto login feature. Furl service lets you archive any Web page for later recall.
Price : Free
Website : http://GoGoData.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Spyware Slayer

2004-12-15T06:37:00.000-08:00

Spyware Slayer
Publisher : High Falls Media
Spyware Slayer detects and removes thousands of potentially malicious programs from your PC. It protects your computer from spyware, adware, trackware, Trojan horses, spybots, dialers, hijackers, browser helper objects, keyloggers, bad cookies, and other malware. The interface is simply enough for beginners, while even the most advanced users will find the software robust and effective.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.highfallsmedia.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Zero Spyware Lite

2004-12-15T06:32:00.000-08:00

Zero Spyware Lite
Publisher : FBM Software
ZeroSpyware Lite is the trimmed-down freeware version of ZeroSpyware 2004, a robust spyware search and removal software. Successfully identify and remove keyloggers, browser hijackers, adware, trackware, dialers, and commercial surveillance software. Scan multiple drives, quarantine spyware, and related applications. Restore quarantined applications or remove them from your system completely. The intuitive user-interface and detailed spyware descriptions help you make informed decisions when removing spyware. ZeroSpyware Lite actively monitors your PC for spyware installations warning you when a spyware application is being installed onto your computer giving you the option to stop spyware before it infects your computer. Each scan searches your files, active processes, registry, and Internet files for all known spyware. You can safely quarantine spyware found in your PC and repeat the scans as regularly as you want.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.fbmsoftware.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Anti-Spy.Info

2004-12-15T04:25:00.000-08:00

Anti-Spy.Info
Publisher : A. & M. Neuber
Anti-Spy.Info is your security and personal privacy tool that detects and removes spyware, Trojans, keyloggers, and adware. It complements your firewall and anti-virus software. The process viewer tells you every hidden function of all dynamic link library, system task, and thread process currently active on your computer. Anti-Spy.Info doesn't require runtime modules, doesn't require installation and doesn't modify files outside of its own directories. You can run Anti-Spy.Info without installation from USB stick, floppy disk or CD-ROM. Anti-Spy.Info stops keylogger and hacker tools and protects from Trojans that stealthy add an autostart key. It eliminates the traces of your work on computer and of your Internet activity e.g. cookies, cache, history, typed URLs and temporary files. Anti-Spy.Info can answer following questions: Who is watching you? What software makes your computer slower? Which programs hide from Task-Manager? Which processes contain dangerous function?
Price : $29
Website : http://www.neuber.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Spyware X-terminator

2004-12-15T03:46:00.000-08:00

Spyware X-terminator
Publisher : StompSoft
This trial version of Spyware X-terminator provides constant monitoring and protection for your computer by protecting against spyware, adware, dialers, browser hijackers, Trojan horses, cookies, keyloggers, trackware, and other malware. Spyware X-terminator also will scan for, detect, and eliminate spyware, adware, and malware currently on your computer. With what may be the largest updated daily database of more than 18,000 known forms of spyware, adware, and malware, our automatic updates ensure you're always protected against the most current and dangerous forms. By scanning active memory (RAM), the Registry, system files, hard drives (local and network), and primary and secondary storage devices, Spyware X-terminator detects spyware anywhere it's hiding. The full, licensed version allows you to automatically quarantine and remove spyware.
Price : $29.99
Website : http://www.stompsoft.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

IE Hijack Remover

2004-12-14T22:04:00.000-08:00

IE Hijack Remover
Publisher : Software Innovators
IE Hijack Remover will reset your Internet Explorer settings so that it will no longer get redirected to unwanted Web sites. IE Hijack Remover has been completely updated to better handle persistent hijack attempts. With updated scanning technology, as well as free downloadable definition files, your computer will be better protected than ever.
Price : $10
Website : http://www.software-innovators.com
Category : Spyware Removal

ETD Security Scanner

2004-12-14T22:03:00.000-08:00

ETD Security Scanner
Publisher : Keenan Solutions
ETD Security Scanner effectively scans your entire computer and eliminates all Electronically Transmitted Diseases including spyware, adware, and trojans. This all-in-one security utility includes an active monitor and hijack protection that closely watch your computer for malicious attempts to change your settings. Stop Internet ads and pop-ups with the built-in ad stopper. ETD Security Scanner is equipped with a user-friendly environment and fast scan times. The auto-update feature insures that your computer will stay clean in the future with the latest spyware definitions.
Price : $19.95
Website : http://www.etdscanner.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Browser Hijack Recover(BHR)

2004-12-14T20:55:00.000-08:00

Browser Hijack Recover(BHR)
Publisher : Wamasoft
Browser Hijack Recover(BHR) is a safe and easy-to-use tool that recovers your browser after it has been hijacked by Spyware, Adware, Hijackware and Other Pests. Browser Hijack Recover(BHR) wills scan your registry and fix IE Homepage, IE Default Page, IE Search Page, BHOs, IE Menu, Internet Options, IE Search Hooks, IE Toolbars, IE Context Menu, Registry and so on. It resumes your broswer to the state that was just installed. Hundreds of known browser hijacker defines help you find out who had changed your browser.Browser Hijack Recover(BHR) is designed for computer users, not experts.
Price : $29.5
Website : http://www.wamasoft.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Acronis Privacy Expert Suite

2004-12-14T20:31:00.001-08:00

Acronis Privacy Expert Suite
Publisher : Acronis
Acronis Privacy Expert Suite is a comprehensive and easy-to-use suite of tools to protect your privacy. It thoroughly checks Windows system areas for evidence of user activities and completely removes any traces of work or Internet surfing. The application also blocks pop-up windows and detects and removes hidden spyware programs that collect and transmit your personal data to the Internet.
Price : $39.99
Website : http://www.acronis.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Gator Adware - Removal Tool

2004-12-14T20:31:00.000-08:00

Gator Adware - Removal Tool
Publisher : EMCO
This tool will help to remove the Gator Adware from your computer or any remote computer specified. Detailed log will be returned when removal process started. It is a special removal tool only for theb Gator Adware that is known today as BHO adware.

Price : Free
Website : http://www.emco.is
Category : Spyware Removal

System Spyware Interrogator

2004-12-14T20:25:00.000-08:00

System Spyware Interrogator
Publisher : Trisnap Technologies
Systems Spyware Interrogator (SSI) detects Spyware running on any home or enterprise system using Advanced Spyware Detection Technology. SSI provides these tools to identify and then recommend the best removal procedure. SSI looks at system 'hot spots' and compares that information to a massive database of files known to be Spyware and educates itself. Once a system is interrogated the user is given current Spyware activities in report format. SSI lets the user upload suspicious files for our technicians to analyze and determine threat level. SSI identifies all Spyware files, known and unknown using its proprietary self-learning database.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.spywaredata.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Aluria Spyware Eliminator

2004-12-14T20:24:00.000-08:00

Aluria Spyware Eliminator
Publisher : Aluria Software LLC
Aluria Spyware Eliminator is the most widely trusted spyware-prevention program in the world. It's installed on more than 35 million desktops and trusted by some of the world's largest companies. You can identify and eliminate malicious threats including keyloggers, browser hijackers, and remote-control programs, and abolish annoying adware that can ruin your Internet experience and drain your system resources. Unlike other applications that only scan for known filenames in known locations, Aluria Spyware Eliminator finds spyware by identifying unique characteristics of the application.
Price : $29.99
Website : http://www.aluriasoftware.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Adware Spy

2004-12-14T20:23:00.000-08:00

Adware Spy
Publisher : Elite Concepts
Adware Spy is an advanced program for adware and spyware removal and protection that detects and removes spyware, adware, Trojan horses, keyloggers, dialers, trackware, and other malware from your PC. Adware Spy allows you to remove or quarantine identified spyware and adware for free in the trial version. The Active Monitor feature protects your system against
further infections.
Price : $39.95
Website : http://www.eliteconcepts.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Ad-Aware SE HexDump Plug-in

2004-12-14T20:12:00.000-08:00

Ad-Aware SE HexDump Plug-in
Publisher : Lavasoft
Enhance your Ad-Aware SE for free with the Ad-Aware SE HexDump add-on. With many files - cookies for example, there is no easy way to view any information about them. The Ad-Aware SE HexDump add-on makes this task easy, by providing you with additional information that you may find handy such as the URL of the originator of a cookie. The Lavasoft Ad-Aware SE HexDump add-on is free and works with all versions of Ad-Aware SE.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.lavasoft.de
Category : Spyware Removal

Adware Remover Gold

2004-12-14T20:10:00.000-08:00

Adware Remover Gold
Publisher : SurferSuiteSoftware
Adware Remover Gold provides the ultimate solution for Internet surfers to effectively remove spyware and adware programs, stop the chaos they cause to your computer, and protect your privacy. With just one download, you have access to extensive tools that include a system and folder scan, remove and uninstall features, a browser-hijacker remover, and Spy Watch.
Price : $59.95
Website : http://www.surfersuitesoftware.com
Category : Spyware Removal

TZ Spyware-Adware Remover

2004-12-14T20:07:00.000-08:00

TZ Spyware-Adware Remover
Publisher : TrackZapper.com
Nearly 90 percent of Internet-connected PCs are infected by spyware, the fastest-growing threat to security. Ways to get infected include visiting a spy-spreading Web site, opening a spy-carrying e-mail attachment, downloading free programs bundled with spyware, and using file-sharing programs such as Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, iMesh, LimeWire, or BearShare. Your privacy, and even your identity, is at high risk if you surf the Internet more than one hour each week. Antivirus programs and firewalls don't offer protection from harmful spyware programs, which can manifest in many ways. TZ Spyware-Adware Remover detects and removes more traces of spyware than any other program.
Price : $32
Website : http://www.trackzapper.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Kazaa Cleaner

2004-12-14T20:06:00.000-08:00

Kazaa Cleaner
Publisher : SpeedSoft
If you're one of the 200 million people who've downloaded a copy of the Kazaa Media Desktop over the past few years, then your computer is probably infected with at least one of the many Adware / Spyware / Hijacker Scumwares that have been bundled with Kazaa. Kazaa Cleaner is a free tiny Adware / Spyware remover utility especially designed for safely getting rid of all Spyware and Adware applications (Scumwares) that have been bundled with all Kazaa Media Desktop clients, without hindering the Kazaa Media Desktop application. <p> Kazaa Cleaner Removes virtually all Scumware installed, past and present, with KMD, including: Cydoor, The GAIN Network (Gator), Save Now, My Search, Perfect Nav, TopSearch, nCase, eZula, BDE.

Price : Free
Website : http://www.k-cleaner.tk
Category : Spyware Removal

Pop-Up Scanner (Messenger Service and ClickSpring) Spyware Remover

2004-12-14T20:04:00.002-08:00

Pop-Up Scanner (Messenger Service and ClickSpring) Spyware Remover

Publisher : Panicware
Pop-Up Scanner scans for, detects and removes several ad-serving products including the PurityScan Pop-Up Ad Server (WINSERVS and WINSERVN) that are placed on computers after scanning with PurityScan or downloading many infected products on the market. Pop-Up Scanner also allows the removal of the NetSearch (IEPLUGIN) toolbar which logs surfing history and can remove all other toolbars from your browser. Privacy Report - Also included is a
unique Privacy Report that shows the user the personal history items such as url history, browser history, cache and cookies that may reside on their computer. Now, Pop-Up Scanner scans for, and disables, the Windows Messenger Service that allows spammers to pop-up messages that look like system messages on your system.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.panicware.com
Category : Spyware Removal

SpyCleaner

2004-12-14T20:04:00.001-08:00

SpyCleaner
Publisher : Topdownloads Networks
Spyware and adware could be installed on your computer without your knowledge. They allow companies to monitor your Internet browsing patterns and even to inundate you with annoying pop-up ads. SpyCleaner identifies and removes these surreptitiously installed applications. Using updatable "reflists," which are similar to temporary Internet files, the program looks for traces of recognized adware modules. When it's finished searching, it displays a list of what it's found and lets you select the items you'd like to remove from your system.
Price : 16.95
Website : http://www.topdownloads.net/
Category : Spyware Removal

Smiley Central and MyWebSearch Removal Tool

2004-12-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Smiley Central and MyWebSearch Removal Tool
Publisher : EMCO
This tool will help to remove the Smiley Central and MyWebSearch from your computer or any remote computer specified. Detailed log will be returned when removal process started. This tool is only a special removal tool for Smiley Central that is known today as adware.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.emco.is
Category : Spyware Removal

Guard Bar

2004-12-14T20:02:00.000-08:00

Guard Bar
Publisher : SRC Technologies
This program blocks spyware and adware and eliminates pop-up ads. It can clean cookies, temporary Internet files, and recent and history files. You can get your local weather information on the toolbar and search the Internet from any Web page. You can search Google, Yahoo, MSN, AOL, and Lycos with a click of the mouse directly from the toolbar.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.GuardBar.com
Category : Spyware Removal

X-RayPC

2004-12-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

X-RayPC
Publisher : XBlock.com Privacy Software
X-RayPC is a systems-management tool with a built-in expert system. No external runtimes, DLLs, or libraries are required, and no installation is needed. The program makes complete analyses in seconds. It lists active processes, autostart programs, and BHOs; downloads program files; has plug-ins for IE extensions; shows the file size and MD5 of all files instantly; shows which items are "good," "bad," or "unknown"; and has an integrated file uploader. It includes integrated deactivation and removal of an item or file, and it can kill running processes, delete in-use files (after reboot), detect hundreds of "bad" programs, and export the log file in text, Excel, and HJT-compatible formats.

Price : Free
Website : http://www.xblock.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

RegFreeze

2004-12-14T19:55:00.000-08:00

RegFreeze
Publisher : ActualResearch
Does your browser suddenly change start pages? Does your browser's search page sometimes lead to unwanted locations? RegFreeze prevents the destructive consequences of spyware by counteracting spyware modules trying to install themselves on your computer.
Price : $26.95
Website : http://www.actualresearch.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Fireball CyberProtection Suite

2004-12-14T19:52:00.001-08:00

Fireball CyberProtection Suite
Publisher : RedCannon Security
Fireball is an easy-to-use personal firewall, with intrusion-detection, privacy, and parental controls. Also included are security-patch autoupdates and an IPSec VPN client in a single, integrated software suite. Fireball shields you from Trojan horses, spyware, spam, and even annoying pop-up ads. Fireball protects you, your family, and your computer. In just a turn of a dial, hackers are blocked from connecting to your computer. Fireball's onboard privacy and parental controls screen e-mail and attachments, filter Web sites, and block ads and harmful code. Fireball secures dial-up, DSL, cable, and Ethernet connections as well as wireless cards (802.11a/b/g).

Price : Free
Website : http://www.redcannon.com
Category : Spyware Removal

MyCleanerPC

2004-12-14T19:52:00.000-08:00

MyCleanerPC
Publisher : MyBetterPC
MyCleanerPC is a spyware and adware removal tool. It locates and deletes malicious software that has been placed on your computer. MyCleanerPC searches deep within your hard drive looking for applications that can track your Internet path, feed you unwanted advertisements and compromise the overall security of you computer.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.mycleanerpc.com
Category : Spyware Removal

PhishGuard

2004-12-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

PhishGuard
Publisher : PhishGuard
PhishGuard detects and rapidly disables Internet phishing or spoofing attacks designed to steal critical financial data. Once installed on your computer, PhishGuard quietly monitors sites on the Internet that you visit with your browser. When you attempt to visit a harmful site, a warning window immediately appears giving information on when the site was discovered, and why it is considered harmful. The first person to discover a suspected phishing scam can use PhishGuard to report the offending email or URL, literally in seconds. There is no need to divulge any confidential information to the scammers. Within minutes, our monitoring team has verified the scam, and added it to the ScamBase database. Updates to the database are rapidly distributed to every participating computer, immunizing them against the newly discovered scam.

Price : Free
Website : http://www.phishguard.com
Category : Spyware Removal

SpyCatcher

2004-12-14T19:00:00.000-08:00

SpyCatcher
Publisher : Tenebril
SpyCatcher is an advanced anti-spyware tool. SpyCatcher's comprehensive database detects tens of thousands of spyware, adware, trojans, and worms from the most common to the most obscure. SpyCatcher updates itself automatically to provide immediate protection from the latest danger. SpyCatcher is the anti-spyware product with a Reinstall Shield that defends against advanced, aggressive spyware programs, which silently reinstall after deletion. SpyCatcher's Protector watches your computer for running spyware and alerts you immediately when new spyware is installed, and you can run full sweeps automatically using the built-in scheduler.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.tenebril.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Adware Agent

2004-12-14T18:59:00.000-08:00

Adware Agent
Publisher : Killersoftware
Adware Agent is a Windows product for monitoring and protecting your PC from those annoying spyware/adware/worm-infused programs that run on your PC without your knowledge. These programs can send your browsing history back to their companies, slow down your Internet connection, send spam, and even slow down your PC. Adware Agent will prevent more than 320 spyware ActiveX Controls from installing on your Internet Explorer browser. It also blocks more than 30 Browser Helper Objects, but it cannot remove any adware or spyware until registered.
Price : $19.95
Website : http://www.killersoftware.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

IM Commander

2004-12-14T18:57:00.000-08:00

IM Commander
Publisher : IM Commander
Use your normal Messenger (either MSN, Yahoo, AIM, or ICQ) to communicate with your buddies on all four networks. Select in IM Commander's menu all the accounts you need, and run the Messenger. An alternative: run multiple IM clients as a single app. One system tray icon represents all clients, and buddy list windows occupy the same screen position. No limits on the concurrently running IMs of the same type.
Instantly reveal and block spyware, adware, and pop-ups using built-in firewall, anti-keylogger, and real-time registry protection. Hide annoying Flash and banner ads (in a lot of apps, including Messengers). Search the Web by selecting and clicking a string in any window. Set your favorite Search engine for IE Address bar. Automatically log in to Web sites. Control windows on desktop. Use mouse gestures with IE and other windows.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.imcommander.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Internet Spy Hunter

2004-12-14T18:56:00.000-08:00

Internet Spy Hunter
Publisher : Tooto Technologies
In real time, Internet Spyware Hunter blocks spyware, Web bugs, worms, cookies, ads, scripts, and other intrusive devices to protect you from being profiled and tracked. When you are online, you may be monitored or tracked without your knowledge or explicit permission. Internet Spy Hunter is designed to provide advanced protection from known data-mining, aggressive advertising, parasites, scumware, selected traditional trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers, and tracking components. It functions like a firewall and protects your online privacy and security.
Price : $24.95
Website : http://www.tooto.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

easyStock Cleaner

2004-12-14T18:52:00.000-08:00

easyStock Cleaner
Publisher : easyStockDater
easyStockCleaner will clean up your hard disk from unwanted junk files, temporary internet files, cookies etc. Specify folders to be cleaned and / or traget single files as well. With one simple click all setted taskes are executed and reported. Filter archive, hidden, normal, read only, and system files. Target user specifyed file patterns like *.txt, *.* etc. Use a "keep it simple stupied mode" to keep the routine task as easy as possible. Auto close function of the program after job is done. A process monitor displays exactly what has been deleted and which files and folders created problems. Keep track of how much has been cleaned with the historic deleting database.With easyStockCleaner you keep your hard drive as clean as you like. Get rid of anyoing, repetive, disk filling waste.easyStockCleaner comes in a bundle of other software, like stock quote downloader, stock market analyzer, stock data editor, stock data convertor, SMTP email client, stock charting, and lots more
Price : Free
Website : http://www.easystockdater.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

DynaComm i:scan Personal Edition

2004-12-14T18:51:00.000-08:00

DynaComm i:scan Personal Edition
Publisher : FutureSoft
Home and small business solution to locate, identify and eliminate spyware, adware and other malware threats. DynaComm i:scan Personal Edition will not only remove spyware and other PC threats, but can also prevent re-infection, clean and protect the system registry, and help stop browser home page hijacking. Advanced users can also choose to utilize the additional forensic scanning modes, which identify all running processes and executables.
Price : $39.95
Website : http://www.dciseries.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Spyware Crusher

2004-12-14T18:45:00.000-08:00

Spyware Crusher
Publisher : One on One Internet
Spyware Crusher is an adware, spyware, trackware, thiefware, and bigbrotherware removal utility. It scans your memory (for active memory ad components, which are not stored on your hard drive and last only as long as the computer is powered up), registry and drives for known spyware parasites and scum-ware components and lets you remove them safely. This tool is great if you value your PC's bandwidth, memory, and privacy. It hunts down and deletes spyware programs hogging resources and causing conflicts on your computer, not to mention compromising your privacy.
Price : $15
Website : http://spywarecrusher.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Browser Sentinel

2004-12-14T18:44:00.000-08:00

Browser Sentinel
Publisher : UnH Solutions
Are you tired of buggy programs that slow down or crash Internet Explorer? Are you concerned about some spyware program running inside Internet Explorer? If Yes, then take action. Download and install Browser Sentinel--the program that keeps you informed of all third-party extensions that are being attached to Internet Explorer. With Browser Sentinel you can view detailed information about every extension and safely disable/enable it.
Price : $39.95
Website : http://www.browsertools.net
Category : Spyware Removal

BotSquash

2004-12-14T18:43:00.001-08:00

BotSquash
Publisher : DRC
BotSquash is one of the most up-to-date and advanced software programs for spyware and adware blocking and removal. Most other software simply scans your hard drive for problems, but BotSquash blocks the spyware from ever being loaded. It also deep-scans your computer for spyware that has already been loaded, and squashes it. BotSquash blocks those annoying pop-ups and allows you to surf the Internet with ease. You also can squash ActiveX autodownloads.
Price : $24.95
Website : http://www.botsquash.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Startup - Doctor

2004-12-14T18:43:00.000-08:00

Startup - Doctor
Publisher : Topdownloads Networks
Startup - Doctor is an efficient and simple software to control the applications which start with Windows. There are lot of applications which start with Windows and keep running in background. Many of these applications are not required and they utilize the resources of your computer. Through Startup - Doctor you can remove or disable these applications to be started with Windows. This can make your computer amazingly fast. There are also lot of spyware, adware, Trojans, and other malware which add themselves to the start-up. Through Startup - Doctor you can identify and remove them.
Price : $12.95
Website : http://www.topdownloads.net/
Category : Spyware Removal

Spyware Protection Pro

2004-12-14T18:42:00.002-08:00

Spyware Protection Pro
Publisher : 3B Software
Spyware Protection Pro scans your hard disk to find spyware and adware installed on your PC. When you delete this information it will make your PC and Internet run faster. Spyware Shield: Spyware Protection Pro is designed to protect your PC from further occurrences of spy and adware. Just like virus protection, Spyware Protection Pro uses specialized algorithm signatures to identify any spy or adware applications trying to penetrate your computer system. Spyware Protection Pro has many features: Spyware Shield, Deep scan, Quick scan, Live Updates, and a scan scheduler.
Price : $19.99
Website : http://www.3bsoftware.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Safe&Sound

2004-12-14T18:42:00.001-08:00

Safe&Sound
Publisher : Zenturi
Safe&Sound helps any PC user control what runs on their PC. It prevents malware, such as Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Worms, Keyboard loggers. Frequently, these unwanted programs sneak under the radar without the user's permission or realization that they are even there. Safe&Sound monitors and verifies all programs in memory as well as those located on the PC. It then compares them to a list of trusted (good programs), untrusted (bad programs) and unrecognized programs. Trusted programs are allowed to run. Untrusted programs are stopped dead in their tracks. Unrecognized programs attempting to run are halted until the user approves them. Safe & Sound protects you in real time.
Price : Free
Website : http://www.zenturi.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Super Spyware Remover

2004-12-14T18:42:00.000-08:00

Super Spyware Remover
Publisher : sagasoft
Fast detect and remove spyware or adware or keylogger at your RAM, registry, hard drives, and external storage devices for known data-mining, advertising, and tracking components. It also has online-update feature.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.shareware4web.com
Category : Spyware Removal

NoSpyX

2004-12-14T18:41:00.001-08:00

NoSpyX
Publisher : InterEsoft
NoSpyX searches all system files, registry keys, and drives detecting hidden spyware. We remove over 10,000 spyware programs and keep the database constantly updated. Active blocking system ensures that your computer will be kept clean.
Price : $29.95
Website : http://www.interesoft.com
Category : Spyware Removal

Spy Stopper Pro

2004-12-14T18:41:00.000-08:00

Spy Stopper Pro
Publisher : InfoWorks Technology
SpyStopper functions like a firewall and blocks spyware and adware from coming to your PC. It blocks spyware, Web bugs, worms, cookies, ads, scripts, and other intrusive devices in real time to protect you from being profiled and tracked. It will protect your online privacy.
Price : $24.95
Website : http://www.itcompany.com
Category : Spyware Removal

SurfSecret PestPatrol

2004-12-14T18:40:00.000-08:00

SurfSecret PestPatrol
Publisher : SurfSecret Software

PestPatrol is a security and personal-privacy tool that detects and eliminates destructive pests, such as Trojan horses, spyware, adware, and hacker tools. It complements your antivirus and security software, extending your protection against nonviral malicious software that can evade your existing security and invade your personal privacy. These pests often lurk silently on your computer until something--or someone--sets them off. When that happens, you can lose passwords, personal data, credit card numbers, and--if you telecommute and connect to your office via a VPN--opens up a backdoor to your entire company network. The latest version includes a separate spyware database for better, faster spyware detection; intelligent reporting that indicates threat levels of pests detected and advises appropriate action; custom selection of what pests to detect; and the Control Terminal, which provides easy access to all modules via your system tray. The new version includes many security updates and improvements, bug fixes, and more spyware definitions.

Price : $37.99
Website : http://www.surfsecret.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

SpywareStopper

2004-12-14T18:39:00.000-08:00

SpywareStopper
Publisher : SpyBlocker Software

SpywareStopper prevents all known spyware from loading or running on your computer. With real-time cookie management, complete with logs and alerts, you'll never have another piece of spyware or a tracking cookie stored on your computer. SpywareStopper also offers cleaning options, home-page-hijacking prevention, and a Windows services Control Panel.

Price : $19.95
Website : http://www.spyblocker-software.com/spyblocker
Category : Spyware Removal

BlockAD

2004-12-14T18:35:00.000-08:00

BlockAD
Publisher : Quantum Fringe
BlockAD blocks ads inside Web pages and eliminates the time your computer spends showing you ads you didn't ask for--and don't want. BlockAD monitors requests made by the Web browser, and uses complex advertisement recognition algorithms to determine whether a Web request is an ad or a legitimate request. When BlockAD finds an advertisement, it determines the best course of action to keep your Web-surfing experience productive and enjoyable.
Price : $19
Website : http://www.blockad.net
Category : Spyware Removal

#1 Spyware Killer

2004-12-14T18:34:00.000-08:00

#1 Spyware Killer
Publisher : Surfer Tools
Fight back against surveillance programs and keep your most private information safe. #1 Spyware Killer detects spyware and tracking programs that antivirus software won't discover because they are not viruses. Our program alerts you to these secret invaders and puts you back in control of your PC and your privacy.
Price : $34.95
Website : http://www.surfertools.com/
Category : Spyware Removal

Spyware Removal

Google Alert - spyware

Google Alert - spyware

Google Alert - spyware

Google Alert - spyware

California puts anti-spyware law into effect for cyber-privacy

Spyware tough to boot, but HijackThis, volunteers can help

Google Removes Trojan Spyware Ads

CALIFORNIA OUTLAWS PC SPYWARE

Anti-spyware law introduced in California

Critical challenges lie ahead this year

Spyware tough to stop, but some defenses work

Pc Users See No Threat Despite Plagues of Adware and Spyware

California sets fines for spyware

The Year of Spyware

Adware & Spyware Pests, Days are Numbered, “Take Back the Web”

Phishing, Spyware, Others Plague Internet

Spyware and the Need for Technology-Centric Laws

Terminating Spyware With Extreme Prejudice

Microsoft buys maker of anti-spyware software

Trouble Can Be Downloaded Along With Music

Desktops to see Linux, search war and more spyware

Windows-Based PCs Plagued By Security Issues

Spyware News

Spyware perpetrators can cloak infected files

Phishing For Your Identity

The hunt for spyware becomes a legitimate enterprise

More Help on the Serious and Growing Problem of Spyware

Top Spyware Threats

Microsoft: Buying Spyware Firm Fastest Path To Anti-Spyware Tools

Next-generation adware and spyware protection

InterMute's SpySubtract Recognized in Network World's Enterprise Anti-Spyware Review

EarthLink Updates Spyware Blocker

Sunbelt Challenges Microsoft Purchase of Giant Company Software

Threats posed by spyware need to be taken seriously

Finding and Snuffing Out Spyware

Aluria Releases Anti-Spyware SDK

SpywareBlaster

Prevx Home

SpyHunter

Ad-Aware SE Personal Definition File SE1R22

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner

Yahoo Toolbar with Anti-Spy

HijackThis

SpyRemover

News - Microsoft Spyware Acquisition

Messaging isn't source of spyware.

How to fight spyware ?

Free Spyware and Pop-Up Blocking Software for US Military Personnel Stationed Overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan

Avoiding and Removing Internet Adware and Spyware - Sanity Saving Advice

What should we expect from a typical anti-spy program and what can it is simply not do? To answer these questions, we should understand how it works.

Letter: Protect computers from Spyware

Spyware is the scourge of Microsoft Windows users

Aussie police get spyware powers

By John Leyden Published Thursday 16th December 2004 12:27 GMT

Microsoft Buys Anti-Spyware Company

Giant AntiSpyware

GoGoData AdBuster

Spyware Slayer

Zero Spyware Lite

Anti-Spy.Info

Spyware X-terminator

IE Hijack Remover

ETD Security Scanner

Browser Hijack Recover(BHR)

Acronis Privacy Expert Suite

Gator Adware - Removal Tool

System Spyware Interrogator

Aluria Spyware Eliminator

Adware Spy

Ad-Aware SE HexDump Plug-in

Adware Remover Gold

TZ Spyware-Adware Remover

Kazaa Cleaner

Pop-Up Scanner (Messenger Service and ClickSpring) Spyware Remover

SpyCleaner

Smiley Central and MyWebSearch Removal Tool

Guard Bar

X-RayPC

RegFreeze

By John Leyden
Published Thursday 16th December 2004 12:27 GMT