Hi all,

First and foremost, Lavasoft does not have collaborations with any company that has or will have content detected by Ad-Aware. WhenU was indeed removed from our database by research in the last definition file. This was due to WhenU not scoring more than 2 TAC points at the time. In case it turns out that the removal was incorrect, WhenU will naturally be reintroduced to the database.

Thanks Chris Fry
www.lavasoft.de

quote:

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I'm inclined to believe the official explanation, but I've been known to be gullible before. Corrine, would you care to show us WhenU's category by category TAC score breakdown, please?

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Threat Assessment Chart

(Removal): Given one point.

Determining factors:
Provides no uninstaller at all or non-functional application uninstaller.
Lacks clear evidence of intention. In other words, there is no available evidence to suspect the application's developer of intentionally making his/her software difficult to uninstall other than having a poorly coded or buggy uninstaller.

(Integration): Can cause system instability and is worth two points.

Determining factors:
This category is self-explanatory and refers only to the effect a given database candidate has on a user's system.

(Distribution): Unsolicited Install and is given two points.

Determining factors:
Intentionally hidden (stealth) install and/or clear evidence of Intention. The application is designed with the clear intention of either making it difficult or impossible to remove using normal removal procedures.
Bundled install that is undisclosed. This is different from number one in that it may contain an uninstaller, but there was no notice given to the user pre-install and/or the host application's EULA (End User License Agreement) attempts to hide the application's inclusion as a condition of the host application's install and/or use.
Program does not disclose info in EULA, has a confusing EULA, or a hidden EULA listing what is done with collected information.

(Behavior): Malware is given three points automatically regardless of the stated behaviors. All other intentional behaviors are given three points.

Determining factors:
Virus / Trojan Horse
Connects to perform or aid in a DDoS (Dedicated Denial of Service) attack.
Program masks as doing one thing, but does another.
Use or creation of Tracking Cookies.
Changes browsing results (browser hijack/redirect, replace text/graphics, opens random websites)
Operates in stealth (Runs hidden from the user).
Opens web sites not initiated by the user/unsolicited popups and/or requests to join a different site.
Auto-updates without user permission and/or knowledge.
Dials an unprompted or unauthorized Internet connection.
Opens or Exploits a System Vulnerability.

(Privacy): Privacy Violations are worth two points.

Determining factors:
Connects to a remote system with or without the user's awareness to transmit usage statistics and/or personally identifiable information.
Connects to a remote system without the user's awareness to transmit/receive information
Tracks the user's surfing habits.