| The Return of RoboCyberBabe Hi All:
Many of you might remember RoboCyberBabe from last summar:
»Pushing Anti-Spyware: A New Low...
RoboCyberBabe was an animated character that we last saw plugging Consumer Identity, one of the many dodgy anti-spyware applications documented on the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware page. Unfortunately for RoboCyberBabe, Consumer Identity had some problems with their domain registration:
»netrn.net/spywareblog/archives/2···hes-100/
The Consumer Identity site disappeared late last year and, with it, RoboCyberBabe.
I thought that was the last we'd see of her -- until today. Those who mourned the disappearance of RoboCyberBabe will be thrilled to learn that she's back, this time plugging a new application named Ad-Where 2005. See:
»www.ad-where.com/
..as well as the screenshots included with this post.
Although RoboCyberBabe has a slightly new look to her, she's still plugging worthless anti-spyware. Ad-Where 2005 is yet another member of the AdwareX Eliminator family, though Ad-Where 2005 is one of the newer variants that we started seeing in late August/early September of 2004:
»www.spywarewarrior.com/family_re···es.htm#3
It uses an outdated database (dated August 23, 2004). When you hit the Update button, the application falsely reports that the database has been updated. In fact, it's the same database as before with a new file date/time.
Ridiculous false positives are a hallmark of the applications in this family, and Ad-Where 2005 is no different, generating 28 false positives on a spyware/adware-free system. This application does include a pop-up disclaimer box warning users about potential false positives, but most users won't be able to distinguish legitimate detections from false positives.
Ad-Where 2005 brings us up to 143 listed applications on the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware page:
»www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_ant···ware.htm
If you haven't swung by the Rogue/Suspect page lately, consider this an open invite to visit and gawk at the sheer number of garbage anti-spyware applications still flooding the Net.
Best,
Eric L. Howes |
