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General discussion

Spyware cures may cause more harm than good

Feb 4, 2004 7:14AM PST

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Web surfers battling "spyware" face a new problem: so-called spyware-killing programs that install the same kind of unwanted advertising software they promise to erase.

A small army of angry Web users has set up a network of Web sites where they post reports of antispyware programs said to prey on consumers by installing offending files. Some of these charges could get a hearing soon

http://news.com.com/2100-1032-5153485.html


This was posted by Lee Koo in V&S here:

http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6132-0.html?forumID=32&threadID=10673&start=0

Discussion is locked

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Re:Spyware cures may cause more harm than good
Feb 4, 2004 8:18AM PST

Very Interesting. Thanks for the links Rosalie. I use SpybotSD 1.2 Once I figured out how to run it, I like it. Picked up Spies the other one I had missed.
George

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Also Ad-Aware
Feb 4, 2004 8:54AM PST

Ad-Aware 6.0 is a good companion to SpybotSD. Each seems to catch, on occasion, things that the other doesn't. My only complaint with Spybot is that their definitions updates are quite far apart (3-5 weeks) as opposed to Ad-Aware (usually once a week or so).

Ad-Aware can be obtained from Lavasoft (free).

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Right. I have both, also Stinger on Bob's recommandation. In addition ..
Feb 4, 2004 9:13AM PST

AVG, Zone Alarm and The Cleaner, hoping that's enough security for my little PC on a dial-up.Happy

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I think you're pretty well covered, but there is one more called cwshredder. (NT)
Feb 4, 2004 9:39AM PST

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Downloading it now. ;-)
Feb 4, 2004 10:33AM PST

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At one time Bob said he would not recommand that one to just anybody because if you do not know what you're doing you could do damage. But since I know what I'm doing ......... Wink

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UH OH! Alright, I admit it, I lied, I don't know what I'm doing. Heeeelp
Feb 4, 2004 11:10AM PST

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I ran the report and got about 10 lines of supposedly infected data! Listed first (after my machine ID) is the following:

"Infected Registry value:
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\TypedURLs,url2"

About the only time I use Internet Explorer is to check for Windows updates. Below the above line are listed the 10 or so lines of infected data. Can I trust this Shredder? I'm not sure if I should run the Fix. How can I varify if what is listed should be 'fixed' or not?

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It's standard procedure for the gurus, but, if you're not convinced, don't do it.
Feb 4, 2004 11:16AM PST
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Thanks, Kiddpeat, will do, although tek-tips seems to be for professionals? -nt
Feb 4, 2004 11:34AM PST

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Don't let it bother you. They'll gladly answer your question. Try the Win XP forum. (NT)
Feb 4, 2004 1:41PM PST

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Re:Right. I have both, also Stinger on Bob's recommandation. In addition ..
Feb 4, 2004 10:05AM PST

Pretty much the same, I have an AV and firewall, Spybot and Adaware. I also have MRU (most recently used) Blaster and Spywareguard (courtesty of advice from the Forums). I don't have your Cleaner but I do have about three various others also. And happily they all run together without conficts, on my machine at least.

As you say, if this ain't enough to stop them getting at my cooking recipes, I don't know what is. In other words, not nice to have people spying, but not that big an issue unless you are guarding sensitive trade secrets or whatever, but 'twould be nice to think that one of that little lot will prevent trojans/viruses and the seriously harmful bugs.

At the end of the day, I reckon that I have to rely on trusted software per se and hope that the others, if genuine, will catch out any of those which are not genuine.

But, going back to the original point, I don't see how we can possibly know what is being parked on our computers, especially with the stories about cryptographic inserts. Well, I just hope they get to eat a decent meal from my stored recipes.

Regards
Mo

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Right, I also don't have any deep dark or important secrets but still I don't want ....
Feb 4, 2004 11:18AM PST

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anybody's nose in my machine. The only thing that would bother me is if someone was able to access my address book and send harmful mail to my friends.

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Credit Card #'s, Bank #'s, Drivers Lic #'s, and Social Security #'s have never been keyed on my PC regardless
Feb 5, 2004 2:45AM PST

of the so called crypto that companies say they are using for 'security' on credit card purchases.

My very savy 45 yr old daughter had her identity swiped and it took months plus $$ to get everything squared away.

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(NT) I do a lot of computer on line shopping, but use a line telephone to order and to give out my credit card number
Feb 5, 2004 2:51AM PST

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Re:(NT) I do a lot of computer on line shopping, but use a line telephone to order and to give out my credit card number
Feb 5, 2004 3:46AM PST

With regard to net purchases I agree with you entirely. The precautions recommended are that:

You keep one separate credit card for internet purhases (preferably one where you are happy with their guarantee for when things go wrong).

You don't keep any such "helpful" information in files on your computer which spiders can get at (unless you encrypt those files), and by helpful I mean any family information as regards address, birthdays, passwords for other things (obviously), any licence numbers - the list is endless - but basically anything which can uniquely identify you.

Only go (for purchases) through sites which have the https url and usually show the padlock, but I am not an expert on O/S systems as to this generality, but it is paramount.

Make sure that any password is difficult to beat (no sequences, no birthdays, etc etc and use all the digits allocated by the program. And don't use the same password for more than one program. And!!! write them all down Somewhere Else so you don't have the strife if you forget them.

I'm sure everyone knows this already (and most probably better than I), but just in case...

Regards
Mo

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Stinger isn't something I use every day...
Feb 4, 2004 1:19PM PST

It's a great tool to take on a "house call" when someone is having a problem (and that was the point of Bob's Anti-Parasite Suite post). However, it only detects the top 30-45 viruses out of the 60,000+ virus signatures that are out in the wild. You are much better off ensuring that your on-board AV scanner's virus definitions are up to date and that you are running a full scan of all files occasionally (especially if you aren't scanning all files in real time mode). If you want a second opinion and don't have AVG, install it (it's free) but don't have it running in real time mode (use as an on-demand scanner). If you do have AVG and want a second opinion, use one of the free online scans.

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Why not run AVG in real time mode? Or did you mean if I have another ...
Feb 4, 2004 1:27PM PST

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scanner running. AVG is the only virus scanner I have and it's running all the time. Along with ZA. About once a month I do an online scan. I run the Stinger about once a month also.

By the way there is an update for the Stinger.

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If you have more than one virus scanner on a PC...
Feb 4, 2004 1:44PM PST

run only one of them in real time mode. I have eTrust AV as my primary (real-time) scanner. I also have AVG as a secondary on-demand scanner. Just as an FYI for what I run for security, I also have The Cleaner, software firewalls (ZA on WinME, KPF on WinXP) behind a Linksys router with NAT (effectively a pseudo firewall that stops random port scans) and I have Script Sentry on one of the PCs. I only use IE for Windows Update and web sites that break in non-IE browsers so it is configured with a couple of trusted sites and everything else locked down pretty tight. I still have a copy of MS Office but the kids' PCs have Open Office - no more macro virus vulnerabilities for them. Playing around with Linux and Oracle on Linux security has kept me kind of busy lately. Happy

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bad people doing bad? things?
Feb 4, 2004 8:56PM PST

I'm running Zone Alarm Pro. In addition, I run Ad Aware and Spybot weekly - and contrary to some post in this thread, Spybot have an update every week in my experience.

Oh, and of course, I run Norton Anti Virus, with daily site checking for updates.

So, I was astonished today to find on my C: drive a directory called "Python22". I've been through all the read me's etc, and it seems to be a unix/linux software development tool. I've tried to find out how it got there, without success. It cannot be the kids, as they don't have the password to my PC (WXP) and further, they know if they screw around with my PC, I won't help them with their own.

??

Ian

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Looks like a unix (or possibly linux) language.
Feb 5, 2004 12:21AM PST
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That's usually a hidden directory on WinXP
Feb 5, 2004 2:36AM PST

It was on my WinXP PC from date of purchase and after reinstall from recovery CDs. Normally hidden so maybe you changed your settings to display all files and directories?