Warning: SpywareNuker
Andrew Clover
unsolicated commercial e-mail (spam). It's called Spyware Nuker and its
site is at www.spywarenuker.com.
Quite apart from its dubious advertising campaign, the software is
written and marketed by Lions Pride Enterprises, the same firm that
runs the "wnad" spyware, distributed by twistedhumor.com, which
shows pop-up ads and reports your browsing habits back to rankyou.com.
It seems to be designeed to actually do the job - although it missed a lot
of my spyware archives, and it crashed out before finishing, I assume it
does at least sometimes remove spyware. I very much doubt it will deal with
more complicated matters like LSPs correctly though.
Its licence agreement (which, incidentally, is *never* disclosed
during the installation process) includes this gem:
You acknowledge that the "Blazing Logic" Program(s) include technology
which allows "Blazing Logic" to provide updates to the software directly
to your computer. Additionally, you acknowledge that you wish to receive
software and technology as updates at the discretion of "Blazing Logic"
for the purposes of complimenting or enhancing the "Blazing Logic"
Program(s). By installing, downloading, copying, updating or otherwise
using the "Blazing Logic" Program(s), you specifically agree to include
and/or accept the noted software and technology through which "Blazing
Logic", its subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, divisions, and clients
provide value-added upgrades and applications to your computer. You
acknowledge that you desire to receive value added applications, if any,
from "Blazing Logic", its subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, divisions,
and clients. You acknowledge that you desire to receive value-added content
and applications as a condition to using the "Blazing Logic" Program(s).
That's right - SpywareNuker is a trojan that will be used by Lions Pride
to install whatever they like (adware?) on your computer.
Thanks to the publicity spyware has received, we have quickly reached the
third phase, as happened so quickly with anti-popup software. First, a few
enthusiastic authors made the software for free (AA, Spybot). Then a few
companies came offering additional tools and services (BPS, Aluria). Now
we're at the point where shysters are getting in on the game for a quick
buck.
So be careful... and please warn your users about crapware like this.
--
Andrew Clover
mailto:a...@doxdesk.com
http://and.doxdesk.com/
Lance Delacroix
wrote:
[...]
>Thanks to the publicity spyware has received, we have quickly reached the
>third phase, as happened so quickly with anti-popup software. First, a few
>enthusiastic authors made the software for free (AA, Spybot). Then a few
>companies came offering additional tools and services (BPS, Aluria). Now
>we're at the point where shysters are getting in on the game for a quick
>buck.
>
>So be careful... and please warn your users about crapware like this.
I found this in another ng:
>Get WIN-MX - it's FREE, and has no SpyWare! Real Player sux since the
>latest editions. I won't install it any ANY of my Clients computers, and if
>it's there I UNINSTALL it. I'm VERY suspicious of it's SpyWare capabilities!
>
>http://www.winmx.com
>
>HTH
>"DOC"
When I went to the page, it hit me with a pop-up, ads, and a fake
"security warning" trying to sell me some sort of "security" gizmo.
The fuckers are everywhere.
microskomp
wrote:
>A new spyware removal program has recently been advertised through mass
thanks andrew. i quoted your post on my site and was sure to give
prpoer credit. hope you don't mind...
peace
--
http://microskomp.com
subverting the dominant paradigm since 1966
Andrew Clover
> hope you don't mind...
No of course not! I don't post to Usenet because I want to keep my
opinions
to myself. ;-)
Lance Delacroix <lance_d...@fastmail.fm> wrote:
> When I went to the page, it hit me with a pop-up, ads, and a fake
> "security warning" trying to sell me some sort of "security" gizmo.
Yeah, those bloody 'Your computer is broadcasting an IP address'
things are everywhere now. Perhaps we should all be using the Advanced
Bullshit Wizard!
http://217.115.153.73/img/updates/20021013-wizard.gif
I hadn't noticed the pop-ups at winmx.com before, they must be new.
But
that's also standard web advertising. :-( The WinMX software itself
seems
to be clean, for what it's worth.
Lance Delacroix
wrote:
>microskomp <microskomp*@*yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>> hope you don't mind...
>
>No of course not! I don't post to Usenet because I want to keep my
>opinions
>to myself. ;-)
>
>Lance Delacroix <lance_d...@fastmail.fm> wrote:
>
>> When I went to the page, it hit me with a pop-up, ads, and a fake
>> "security warning" trying to sell me some sort of "security" gizmo.
>
>Yeah, those bloody 'Your computer is broadcasting an IP address'
>things are everywhere now. Perhaps we should all be using the Advanced
>Bullshit Wizard!
>
> http://217.115.153.73/img/updates/20021013-wizard.gif
Hey, that's pretty cool! I like it!
>
>I hadn't noticed the pop-ups at winmx.com before, they must be new.
>But
>that's also standard web advertising. :-( The WinMX software itself
>seems
>to be clean, for what it's worth.
Thanks.