Tag: spyware

Categories
Internet Security

Spyware disabling itself in Spybot S&D

Well, I found this rather alarming. Apparantly some Spyware is learning to disable itself from Spybot S&D. Unfortunately, I went through the list real quick and unchecked all so it searches for everything… but didn’t make note of which made the list (just got home from work, tired, hungry, and not thinking). Blasted, would have been nice to post here and see if just had a corrupt preference file (I just upgraded to 1.3), or if this really is Insurgent Spyware fighting back.

Anyway, I’ll be keeping an eye on this with all systems I have it installed on. With any luck, if it’s really the next generation in Spyware fighting, it will happen again, otherwise, most likely a false alarm.

So more later if I think this is real. Please don’t set off a public alarm, just take a look yourself and see if you find this. Lets not get our panties in a knot. Thanks.

Categories
Mozilla

Bugday: Triaging Top 100 Sites

Well, it’s a great goal they have in go through all the Evangelism bugs. That should make some real ground in making sure Mozilla not only meets, but kicks IE’s royal butt everywhere.

What I found interesting was the Alexa Query for the Top 100 English Sites. If you look at those websites, most will never work in Mozilla, and it’s a good thing.

I’m shocked how many spyware/adware/parasite websites made it in:
Offeroptimizer.com
Gator.com
Hotbar
AdultFriendFinder
Internet Optimizer
etc.

Just an interesting note. I’m glad Mozilla is incompatible with that garbage. It ain’t a bug, it’s a feature. 😀 And proudly so.

Categories
Mozilla Security Software

Spyware Blaster Supports Mozilla

Spyware Blaster has been updated to version 3.0. This popular Internet Explorer tool blocks most Spyware ActiveX components and Cookies. New to version 3.0 is support for Mozilla. Since there’s no ActiveX support, it blocks some cookies. Perhaps in the future it will protect against malicous XPI’s.

In any regard, it’s great to see a popular product making Mozilla a priority to support. It makes Mozilla even better for those who want security (without disabling all cookies).

Categories
Software

Spyware a forbidden word

According to this Slashdot article Gator is going after websites who refer to it’s “product” as spyware.

From their privacy policy:

We don’t know who our users are…

TGC does not know the identity of GAIN-Supported Software users. We do not transmit to our servers personally identifiable information like email addresses, last name, street addresses, or phone numbers. Nor do we have any other sensitive or personal financial information, such as credit card numbers, login IDs, passwords or bank account numbers. Any such information entered into any TGC GAIN-Supported Software application (such as the GatorSM eWallet) will remain on the personal computer upon which it was entered, and will not be sent to our servers.

Yet it also notes information they DO collect:

  • Some of the Web pages viewed
  • The amount of time spent at some Web sites
  • Response to GAIN Ads
  • Standard web log information (excluding IP Addresses) and system settings
  • What software is on the personal computer
  • First name, country, city, and five digit ZIP code
  • Non-personally identifiable information on Web pages and forms
  • Software usage characteristics and preferences

So we have a product, that’s undoubtedly hidden during installation. I always review downloads before installing. I’ve been doing this for years, and install hundreds of products to try a year. I’ve been fooled more than once. Despite being on the lookout. If they fool me, they fool casual users as well. It’s clearly not marked. And how many people have we all seen with this garbage on their computer, and they have no idea where it comes from? If Gator were honestly informing people prior to installation in a manner which could be understood, people would know.

Then the product, which claims to know nothing about the user, also collects enough information (by their own privacy policy’s admission) to identify me.

So a software product, installed without users consent is spying on me. Hmm. Isn’t that the definition of spyware?

These guys make dot com businesses look bad. A few bad apples makes the whole orchard look rotten. And it’s not all rotten. Just a few bad apples such as these. I hope the courts eventually cut down the tree, and burn it.

Sidenote: There are several editions of the privacy policy, depending on the version. Yep, that’s not an attempt to deceive the end user.