Hi All:
As you probably know, there are a number of anti-spyware "review" sites out on the web that purport to provide reliable reviews of anti-spyware products. Until now, the main problem with these "review" sites was that they pushed questionable, dodgy products. At least one has gone a step further, we now know.
Suzi at Spyware Warrior happened to notice that the TopTenReviews site is now offering a free online anti-spyware scan:
»
www.anti-spyware-review. ··· can.htmlTopTenReviews is listed on the Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware page under the "Sites" section because the site pushes rogue/suspect products and the webmaster is an affiliate for the products "reviewed."
Curious, I tried the free scanner (see screenhshots 1 & 2). The scanner ran briefly and then opened up a results page in Internet Explorer on the Top10 site. Of course, it claimed to find a load of adware and spyware on my system, which is in fact spyware and adware free. Worse, it did not divulge the basis for those detections, just pronounced my system "compromised" and urged me to consider the purchase of anti-spyware scanner through the Top10 site.
But the scan results aren't the most interesting aspect of this scan. Those of you who are familiar with free Webroot SpyAudit scanner ( »
www.webroot.com/services ··· t_03.htm ) should find something very familiar about this Top10 scanner.
Compare the first two screenshots with the second two screenshots, which are of the Webroot scanner, run just minutes after the Top10 scanner. The resemblances are more than striking. The big difference, of course, is that the Webroot scanner pronounces my system spyware and adware free (correctly), unlike the Top10 scanner.
At this point I do not know if the Top10Reviews site licensed a version of SpyAudit from Webroot, but the similarities are disturbing. Even more worrisome is that the Top10Reviews site is apparently a Webroot affiliate and urges visitors to purchase Webroot's Spy Sweeper (which is itself a fine anti-spyware scanner) through the Top10 site.
At the very least users ought to be warned to stay away from the TopTenReviews scanner, which appears to be extremely unreliable. It would also be helpful to have a Webroot representative clarify Webroot's relationship with TopTenReviews and the free scanner being used at that site.
Best,
Eric L. Howes