4 replies to this topic

[chiawaikian]

Quote

A rogue anti-spyware application is falsely identifying popular security products and file system tools as spyware. Security firm SurfControl advises users not to touch the application, UnSpyPC, with a barge pole.

False-positive reporting is hardly unknown across many supposed anti-spyware applications, as SurfControl notes, but this case is particularly severe since UnSpyPC could disable critical security and business applications.

http://www.theregist.../04/07/unspypc/

[YoKenny]

Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites
http://www.spywarewa...nti-spyware.htm

UnSpyPC Added: 1-2-06

[Eldmannen]

Wikipedia also has a very good article about spyware and it lists a couple of rouge anti-spyware software.

It is a "featured article" on Wikipedia.
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware

You might also be interested in the Malware article;
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malware

Or the Adware article;
* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adware

[Mike Rochip]

Thanks Eldmannen and YoKenney for the links, very informative and interesting. This surprised me, but I guess it really shouldn't have:

Quote

According to a November 2004 study by AOL and the National Cyber-Security Alliance, 80% of surveyed users' computers had some form of spyware, with an average of 93 spyware components per computer. 89% of surveyed users with spyware reported that they did not know of its presence, and 95% reported that they had not given permission for the installation of the spyware.

Of course most people do give permission, they just didn't know it because they didn't read the EULA.

I wonder what the statistics look like today.

[Eldmannen]

Wow, it really is that bad?

I dont install software with dumbass EULA's.
Most software I use is FOSS (Free, open source software) that is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL). Such software never comes bundled with crap.