Security

Ask something
Discussion Locked

spyware

0 helpful
9 replies

by mrtechman

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.
i came across a software that is recomended by steve gibson of www.grc.com which test your system for spywares that you downloaded from shareware software and web sites which you went to from time to time track information about you and your internet usage.... my question would be is there a software that would filter these out automatically of is there away to configur a virus scanner to rid you of the spy.....

9 replies

by shanghai sam

Steve Gibson has tests that report on trojans, backdoors, and spyware from both private malicious coders and software from major corporations doing the same things.
Of course, the conspiracy theorists continue to believe all those "holes" in Windows software are intentional and replaced with other "holes" until they are discovered.
Mr Gibsons current claims have some merit though. One of his more recent articles states: "RealNetworks, Netscape, and
NetZip's download utilities CAN MONITOR THEIR USERS by sending a
report of EVERY FILE they download from ANYWHERE on the Internet" which is pretty interesting and appears to be true.

Now, to answer your question more directly, most anti-virus etc. software is aimed at telling you things like "Sub7" is residing on your system and not things like "IIS" or "IE" is residing on your system. You could figure out a good reason to use "Sub7" as a tool, just as you use "IE" as a tool. You could figure out a patch for either which would continue to let you use the product disabling this function in ways useful to you, but then, the major commercial companies and many people using their software consider this a useful feature (unless they just don't know about it).

(continued in part2, thanks TR ;>)

by admin

The direct answer, then, as far as I know is no. There is not antiviral or other software that finds and filters all spying software. To do this would mean that many that it could find yet undiscovered "holes" (intentional or not) just by running it. The major software companies wouldn't want their latest product showing up as "Spyware" everytime that you ran your commercial scanner, and especially would not want new "bugs" all immediately disclosed to be exploited.
A good start, however, maybe to not accept cookies (although this may limit your travels) or do what I do. License everything with worthless erroneous marketing information. If everyone did this, it may be a better world. (For those of you that think this is wrong for licensing, remember, it's usually your EULA not the actual statement you fill out on the web that is your legal proof of ownership :)

by acquiziter

I have known about the Aureate driver program for about a year now, which by the way was a microsoft invention. this program's monitoring ability and Corporate business being allowed to not only impliment it an whoever they feel like, but also not tell them they are doing it too is just a blatant violation of my civil rights and serves nothing less than everything out there that's not honest and just. and here's the kicker...I compile a trojan horse that monitors them and ( now ) criminally access thier computer ( even by compiling the device into a web page or email..) and I get caught for the deed I go to jail, and where's the equality and fair , ethical justification with that " business" practice?

let alone the fact that the samegovernment that granted us these so called freedoms and rights for citizenship no less uses a program so utterly and morally inhumane as Carnivore is no wonder the tea in Boston is about to float in the harbor again

by acquiziter

I need to point out to admin@l33tcentral.com and to whoever else reads the above statement he made that whether it be your written internet registration, youre EULA, OR even the documents sitting in the company that produces the software's filesstating you as the recipient of thier transaction and vice - a - versa...IN MOST CASES YOU IN NO SHAPE, FASHION, OR FORM ACTUALLY " OWN " OR EVEN " CONTROL " THE SOFTWARE you have on your machine....once again, another one of my pointers towards getting public awareness focused on these " END USER AGREEMENTS " or " EULA " Documents that are so unrighteously and unethically authored...and actively enforced now too.

WAIT TILL YOU FIND OUT ABOUT WINDOWS WHISTLER AND OFFICE XP....i wonder how many more nazi prison camps have to be built to finally capture the last American?

by admin

I meant just that. Ownership according (as most software is) to copyright law. Owning the right to use it on blah blah in such and such situation promising not de-something or reverse do something etc. They vary, but it is not usually much like owning a potato...

In fact, in another forum here I read a comparison between this and the situation many Scottish farmers grew up in some years back that was very good.

But, thank you for clarifying.

It was of interest to read your statment about a tea party. This global anarchy we seem to have running via the big network, to my way of thinking, brings about an endless stream of tea parties. Instead of one main event we have many. Daily.
Personally, the Tea Parties are a little wornto me, but that's the thing about anarchy, it's hard to get a revolution together.....

Not only do you not (as you said) ""control" the software", for many, it is actually the software that controls you.

At any rate, a sincere thanks for clarifying. I hope I wasn't accidently misleading :)

by public

There is a great piece of software that gets rid of spyware. However i suggest always keeping your norton antivirus def file up to date. Norton does viruses, worms and HACK ware.

here is the link for ad-aware
http://www.lavasoft.de/

-g

by former ms supporter

I've had pretty good success with Norton Internet Security, which is three packages in one; Norton Firewall, Norton Ad Blocker, and Norton Antivirus. It's got a pretty good and flexibly managed firewall package. You can use it as I do to filter all this garbage out, along with cookies, banners and bulletin boards, and other potential bad content. Also, the packages are much better integrated than others I've seen. And, the protection against Trojans and BackOrifices have been taken out of NAV and placed where they belong in the firewall. All in all, a good package for around $50.

BTW - IMHO, don't waste your money on BlackIce. That's what the Norton replaced. BlackIce is too much of a retroactive rather than proactive product, that doesn't allow you to set rules with much flexibility.

by kima

You can find some filters and tools for free or as shareware at
http://www.cexx.org/apps.htm

Spychecker.com is a public database of Spyware products. The database is maintained on a daily basis and new software is added or removed as needed. Information is gathered from Internet sources, ad companies and reliable sources in the software distribution industry.
http://www.spychecker.com/about.html

Tracking spyware and probes by M. E. Kabay
[ PhD, CISSP, INFOSEC Group,AtomicTangerine, Inc. ]

http://www.net-security.org/text/articles/nwf/tracking.shtml

Check them out....

by Former member

I first found out about RealNetworks by using this software. At the time I didn't know what it was trying to do but this firewall software stopped it from accessing the internet.

This discussion is closed to new replies.