dalek9
join:2005-07-02
Canada
| reply to eburger68
Re: Informal Adware Risk Survey
Ignore my first post, I had the numbers backwards, consider this one the correct post.
Rank
180search Assistant 1
IBIS Websearch/Wintools 2
CoolWebSearch (HomeSearchAssistant) 3
Hotbar 4
Tracking cookie (Doubleclick) 5
New.net 6
SearchMiracle/Elitebar 7
GAIN OfferCompanion 8
WhenU Save! 9
ABetterInternet (Aurora) 10
Download Accelerator Plus 11
Weatherbug 12 |
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TeMerc
join:2004-01-22
Phoenix, AZ
| reply to eburger68
Here is my .02 on the list:
ABetterInternet (Aurora)
SearchMiracle/Elitebar
CoolWebSearch (HomeSearchAssistant)
180search Assistant
IBIS Websearch/Wintools
Hotbar
GAIN OfferCompanion
WhenU Save!
New.net
Download Accelerator Plus
Weatherbug
Tracking cookie (Doubleclick)
This is pretty much based on experiences with users removing each, how easy\difficult they were to rid. |
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Uncle Jean
join:2005-07-17 | reply to eburger68
Hi all,
I'd just like to know if Eric will post here what he considers to be "the right list".
Thanks,
UJ |
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Cudni
La Merma - Vigilado
Premium,MVM
join:2003-12-20
Someshire | reply to eburger68
I would like to post the list, however, as it is constantly being adjusted/lowered maybe ...;)
Cudni
--
Help yourself so God can help you |
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eburger68
Premium,MVM
join:2001-04-28
| reply to Uncle Jean
Jean:
There's no single "right list," but I will post the list as I called it:
1. CoolWebSearch (HomeSearchAssistant)
2. SearchMiracle/Elitebar
3. ABetterInternet (Aurora)
4. IBIS Websearch/Wintools
5. 180search Assistant
6. New.net
7. GAIN OfferCompanion
8. Hotbar
9. WhenU Save!
10. Weatherbug
11. Download Accelerator Plus
12. Tracking cookie (Doubleclick)
A few observations:
1) Most users who posted here or on Suzi's blog came up with rankings that generally resemble the above. Here and there folks ranked a particular program vastly differently than I did, but if you look over all the rankings, a general pattern emerges and my list certainly fits the pattern.
2) This survey was obviously non-scientific and highly biased, as the respondents were entirely self-selected. The folks who would respond to such a survey would tend to be people who already had some familiarity with the programs involved, unlike the vast majority of "normal" users.
3) Despite the self-selection, there were a few people who posted who admitted that they recognized one or two programs, but that the majority of them were an undifferentiable mass, given their general unfamiliarity with the software. I suspect this would be the case with the majority of "normal" users.
4) It needs to be reiterated that my list should not be taken as the definitive list, that there is plenty of room for disagreement. Most disagreements among knowledgeable folks, I expect, would stem from different weightings given to various functionality and behavior associated with the programs. Some people regard LSP hijackers as more dangerous than others, for example, and would tend to push New.net further up the list than others would based on that functionality.
In any case, I hope readers here found this informal survey interesting, informative, and thought-provoking.
Best regards,
Eric L. Howes |
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Uncle Jean
join:2005-07-17 | reply to Uncle Jean
OK and I thank you, Eric. Yes, interesting and informative.
Regards,
UJ |
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Mowergun
join:2004-02-15
Charleston, IL
 ·Consolidated Commu..
1 edit | reply to eburger68
I have no first hand experience with any of those listed except new.net.
I have removed "about" easily from a relative's computer using aboutbuster and hyjackthis. I have removed new.net and comet cursor from another relative's computer. I had my own experience with Conducent Timesync and Webhancer when they first appeared a few years ago.
So, I am not qualified to rank the twelve threats listed. I am surprised that so many rated new.net so high. As I understand it new.net usually appears in add/remove and the uninstaller does a pretty good job of uninstalling new.net. For those installs that do not appear in add/remove, new.net provides pretty good instructions along with a down-loadable uninstaller at »www.newdotnet.com/removal.html. Of course if you use a ready made hosts file, chances are it has a redirection to your local machine for the new.net domain so you cannot access the new.net removal instructions or download the uninstaller. Sort of shooting yourself in the foot.
A couple of people have mentioned that an improper removal of new.net can break a users internet connectivity due to the removal of LSP's without restoring continuity to the remaining LSP's. My understanding is that this is usually caused by the improper removal of the LSP by some anti-spyware program. I would blame the anti-spyware program for that, especially when an effective uninstaller is readily available, and also because this is an old known issue. Any anti-spyware program that is still improperly removing new.net and breaking a users internet connectivity, I would not regard as trustworthy. |
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