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View Full Version : Microsoft launch Beta anti-spyware program.


timmcat
7th Jan 2005, 15:49
Link here. (http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx)

Be interesting to see how this is accepted (or otherwise).

Rumoured to be entering the anti-virus market too before the end of this month.

Mac the Knife
7th Jan 2005, 20:24
Free now (so you'll get hooked), but you'll have to pay for it (and updated malware signatures) when it gets out of beta. Instead of fixing Windows vulnerabilities, BillG comes up with another nice little money-spinner. :ok:

AFAICS does nothing that AdAware and Spybot (+ an decent AV program and firewall) don't do - and I don't trust M$ not to spy on me, it probably has lots of little hooks for DRM.

The day Microsoft makes a product that doesn't suck is the day they start making vacuum cleaners. :E

sprocket
7th Jan 2005, 21:46
Mac, I dont trust MS either, however ....

I have just tried the Microsoft AntiSpyware and at first impression it seems to work OK.

Although it does ask you to submit your OS key before downloading, it is not compulsory to do so.

The program itself is a bit Adawareish and simple to use.

Before using the program, I updated Adaware, Spybot, Spyware blaster and CCleaner then ran these programs to ‘clean the puter out.’
I then ran the Microsoft program (Deep scan) and it came up with 4 threats.

1. Bridge/Winfavorites (spyware) and was rated as a severe threat.
2. PowerReg Scheduler (spyware)
3. MoneyTree (Dailer) severe threat
4. SearchSquire (Adaware) elevated

It suggests options for dealing with these spies which I used for removal.

timmcat
7th Jan 2005, 22:29
Bit messy, even for a beta release coming from Microsoft.

Played around with it for an hour, got bored of it's clumsiness and bugs and uninstalled it.

Mac the Knife
8th Jan 2005, 04:43
SpyBot 4.2Mb
AdAware 2.6Mb

MS AntiSpyware 6.2Mb

Bloat anyone?

Guy 'n gals, please remember that this is BETA (in test) software !!!

Suggest you checkout the comments at http://communities.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.asp?ICP=spyware&sLCID=us before you test this sucker for BillG.

"I found this Antispyware Beta program yesterday and
downloadad to my laptop, ran the program through its
recomendations, and after carefuly reading all the
instructions I figured this is a Microsoft program, how
could this harm my computer. Well after the scan, it
found about 43 items, most for deletion, a couple for
quarintine. So I went through the steps then rebooted, I
lost my task bar at the bottom, had a fatal system error
101, and it commanded shut down by NT Authority\system, a
box pops up for a one minute countdown then restarts,
over and over. I have tried to start in safe mode, same
issue. I contacted Microsoft support, waiting for a reply
now. Can ANYBODY help me with this problem? - O'Neill"

".....Example freind had the vx2 plugin for adaware se and now
the antispy says she has the vx2 bug. She had 19 false
positives. You guys want to crash and burn your system by
deleting go ahead. This is a beta version which means its
in trial..... I think it has good promise though once
they work out the bugs... steve"

Why should I pay for something (and you WILL have to pay once it gets out of beta) that Micro$haft should include anyway in it's very expensive OS?

25F
11th Jan 2005, 00:21
"Micro$haft should include anyway"...?

The OS shouldn't need it in the first place.

This is equivalent to selling cars that catch fire at inopportune moments - then giving your customers fire extinguishers.

Superpilot
11th Jan 2005, 08:19
I agree with 25F. If the security flaws didn't exists in the first place there wouldn't be any need for anti-spyware programs.

Someone done a test to see how quickly a brand new Windows XP installation (non SP1) would take to be infected. After just 18 minutes of surfing the web looking for

1.) clipart
2.) celebrity photos
3.) news

IE 6 was beyond reasonable use. The machine had so much junk on it, so many popups and targeted advertising it was extremely difficult to get any real surfing done.

Since release one about 30 or so critical security patches have been released. That is a hell of a lot.

sprocket
11th Jan 2005, 10:25
After using the MS spyware program for a couple of days, I removed it.
It was like having a your mother-in-law telling you about everything non- microsoft that was opening or operating on the computer.

If this program ever works out OK, MS could never charge for it. After all they created the problems in the first place.
If they do, perhaps they think it will cover the costs of ongoing security updates???

BEagle
12th Jan 2005, 09:24
The latest security patches for WinXP (downloaded last night 11 Jan 05) now include:

Malicious Software Removal Tool - January 2005 (KB890830)
Security Update for Windows XP (KB890175)

The Malware killer hasn't sniffed out anything on either of my machines, fortunately!