1 edit | Anti-Spyware Vendor Threatens to Write Malware Hi All:
No, you did not misread that title. I am completely serious. Here's the story:
Privacy Tools 2004 was added to the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware pages on July 20 ( »www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_ant···ware.htm ). It is a member of the AdwareX Eliminator/AdwareSpy family of clones -- the worst of the bunch, as they routinely generate hundreds of false positives, flagging components of completely innocuous applications like Nero, Adobe Acrobat, and Agnitum Outpost as spyware:
»www.spywarewarrior.com/family_re···es.htm#3
The vendor behind Privacy Tools 2004 -- a certain Ashley -- got in touch with me to complain about his application's listing on the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware page. After some back and forth, I agreed to test a new version of Privacy Tools 2004, which he assured me would resolve the horrible problems with the previous versions.
I tested the beta of version 4.0 of Privacy Tools 2004 this morning and reported my findings in this thread at Spyware Warrior:
»spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php?t=4112
See the bottom of page 1 of that thread for my report that the false positives are just as bad as ever in this new version of Privacy Tools 2004.
The reaction from the vendor, Ashley, has been extraordinary. In short, the man has gone barking mad and is now threatening to write and release malware of his own -- just because he can. See page 2 of that thread:
»spywarewarrior.com/viewtopic.php···start=30
I don't know that there's much for me to add, other than I thought you might find it instructive to see how one vendor of a dodgy anti-spyware application has reacted when his program was exposed as worthless.
Eric L. Howes |
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 CudniLa Merma - VigiladoPremium,MVM
join:2003-12-20
Someshire
kudos:13 | Rather sad immature posturing of a spoiled brat who can't take criticism. Undetectable spyware software my ....
Cudni
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Would you Adam and Eve it?
Help yourself so God can help you..it does exactly what it says on the sig |
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 bcoolPremium
join:2000-08-25
The Ozarks
4 edits | reply to eburger68
One can only hope that this guy's talent for coding malware will turn out to be as lackluster as that which has already been revealed in his efforts with Privacy Tools.
Do you ever worry that you somehow pushed him over to the dark side?  |
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 OwlbetIgnite the IcePremium,MVM
join:2002-09-24
Palmer, AK | reply to eburger68
First off, I know plenty of intelligent, well-rounded, 20-somethings. Aaron Hulett (sorry if I spelled his name wrong), formerly of Lavasoft, is a fine example of a smart young man from this forum. I know plenty of 20 years olds from my "real life" as well.
However, my husband has a name for younguns with attitudes like Ash1eys. He calls them "punk-assed kids." That's right. A punk. Full of piss, vinegar, and attitude. They think the world owes them everything and when they don't get their own way or what they want, hell be damned the whole lot of you. Oh well. Temper tantrums and idle threats never got us what we wanted when we were kids. It didn't take us long to get that message from our parents. It's a shame that Ash1ey hasn't learned that lesson yet.
Eric, thank you, once again, for bringing to our attention another product that truly (deservedly) belongs on the rogue programs list.
Owl 
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Rocky is, was, and always will be Dawg E. Dawg. Miss you, pal! |
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 Ben CiscoEmbrace IntellectPremium
join:2001-12-13
Wormhole | said by Owlbet:
...my husband has a name for younguns with attitudes like Ash1eys. He calls them "punk-assed kids."
Your husband's a smart man... |
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 catseyenuAck PfftPremium
join:2001-11-17
Fix East | reply to eburger68
We know them by their fruits.
One more self centered, no morals, anything for money wanna be...
He'll pay the piper one of these days. |
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suziPremium
join:2004-05-01
1 edit | reply to Owlbet
quote:
However, my husband has a name for younguns with attitudes like Ash1eys. He calls them "punk-assed kids." That's right. A punk. Full of piss, vinegar, and attitude. They think the world owes them everything and when they don't get their own way or what they want, hell be damned the whole lot of you. Oh well. Temper tantrums and idle threats never got us what we wanted when we were kids. It didn't take us long to get that message from our parents. It's a shame that Ash1ey hasn't learned that lesson yet.
"punk-assed kid" is exactly what I thought of too. Who knows, he might turn out to be the next Walt "picklejar" Rines.  (Walt is the force behind clientman and a number of other malware beasts).
--
aka Suzi, Spyware Warrior |
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 mers2Premium,MVM
join:2004-03-20
USA
kudos:8 | reply to eburger68
I note that in his reply he stated he will be selling the product "redesigned and renamed". Kind of like Gator/Claria.
Also, with as bas as this product is, I don't think we have to worry about his programming skills as far as releasing "undetectable" malware. He claims to have experienced programmers working for him, yet he buys his databases. |
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1 edit | reply to eburger68
Did anyone carefully notice the text that he posted on the second page?
quote:
I'm still going to continue distributing anti spyware removal programs.
Notice the redundancy between "anti" and "removal". Could that have been a freudian slip? Is he really planning on writing "anti-spyware, removal" programs?
Following along this train of thought, then taking into account his apparent threats to write malware. Hmm.
Edit: I guess I need to read more fully. He *does* apparently envy Gator/Claria, and perhaps fancies himself a competitor in their market.
quote:
Listen, I'm 22 years old and making more money then most of you old enough to be my parents. We all need to make living. Just like the ppl at Gator and all the spyware companies. We all need to make money (Smile) As long as my money making ways continue to be legal, i'll continue to do them. Including the distribution of spyware for the means of selling advertising (Wink)
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