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story category Microsoft: Many Users LIKE Spyware
Wide gap in spyware identified, versus spyware removed...
(old news - 06:32PM Tuesday Apr 22 2008)
tags: business · security · software
Tipped by LiamJunket See Profile
According to Microsoft, some of you actually like having adware on your system. The company's free Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is currently installed on 450 million systems worldwide, and provides the Redmond giant with some interesting data. Of the 129.5 million potentially unwanted programs detected by the MSRT, only 71.7 million were removed by users. Judging from this Information Week report, it's not clear if the users actually "like" having spyware like WinFixer (3.4 million instances) on their systems, or if they're just not tech savvy (or bright) enough to know it should be removed.


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Forums » Microsoft: Many Users LIKE Spyware
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INT0CABLE
BANNED
Premium
join:2007-10-22
Bronx, NY

1 edit

winfixer is spyware????

i paid for that program and is running on my taskbar as we speak. its protecting me

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
·Cox HSI
·AT&T Southwest

Re: winfixer is spyware????

said by INT0CABLE See Profile :

i paid for that program and is running on my taskbar as we speak. its protecting me
Quote:

"The most prevalent rogue security software detected in the second half of 2007 was Win32/Winfixer, with more than five times as many detections as any other single family [of potentially unwanted programs]," said Microsoft's latest Internet Security Threat Report, released on Tuesday.

Winfixer often ends up installed on machines by exploiting vulnerabilities in the operating system or browser. Once on the machine, it displays persistent warnings that the machine is infected, and the user can pay around US$39.95 to fix the machine. It is extremely difficult to remove from a machine once it has been installed. The people who profit from Winfixer have been hard to track down."

End Quote.

Congratulations, you got scammed....


--
"Regulatory capitalism is when companies invest in lawyers, lobbyists, and politicians, instead of plant, people, and customer service." - former FCC Chairman William Kennard (A real FCC Chairman, unlike the current Corporate Spokesperson in the job!)

Doctor Four
My other vehicle is a TARDIS
Premium
join:2000-09-05
Dallas, TX
·AT&T U-Verse
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1 edit

Re: winfixer is spyware????

That FAIL picture is a new one on me - even more epic of one
than this one I've posted before:

I wonder if it's the same cargo company?

As for the subject, the dunce cap image in the news item
fits to a tee here. I really hope the OP was being sarcastic.
--
"The trouble with computers, of course, is that they are very sophisticated idiots." - Doctor Who (from Robot)

knightmb
Everybody Lies

join:2003-12-01
Franklin, TN
·AT&T DSL Service
·Comcast
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2 edits

Re: winfixer is spyware????

Click for full size
Shipment of Fail
said by Doctor Four See Profile :

That FAIL picture is a new one on me - even more epic of one
than this one I've posted before:

I wonder if it's the same cargo company?

As for the subject, the dunce cap image in the news item
fits to a tee here. I really hope the OP was being sarcastic.
Pretty to easy to make one really with enough ship wreck photos from Google.

Here's mine

Sly
Premium
join:2004-02-20
Johnson City, TN
clubs:
OMG that is too funny~!

Mike
Premium,Mod
join:2000-09-17
Pittsburgh, PA
clubs:

Imagine how many it missed

If Forefront is as accurate as MSRT, I can see how there is still garbage on machines after a scan.

Dominokat
"Hi"
Premium
join:2002-08-06
Boothbay, ME
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable

Most don't know squat

Many internet users don't know squat about their computer. As long as it turns on and does what they expect, they don't care.
Allot of software based protection, ASK before it removes something. Most choose "ignore" or something instead of fixing. Or worse, they ignore any warnings all together.

Then their computer stops working and the call for help start.
--
Pray for Rebekah

Adam20
Premium
join:2007-07-19
Sarnia, ON

Re: Most don't know squat

winfixed is soooo spyware, good luck removing it, you might need it

Dominokat
"Hi"
Premium
join:2002-08-06
Boothbay, ME
clubs:
·RoadRunner Cable

Re: Most don't know squat

said by Adam20 See Profile :

winfixed is soooo spyware, good luck removing it, you might need it
I don't use it. Nope, no way sorry. It won't be on my computer.
--
Pray for Rebekah
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
Time for computer licenses like car licenses. Everyone else gets dumb terminals or internet appliances.

brocnizer

@comcast.net

Re: Most don't know squat

idiots still drive, so why wouldn't still use a computer with a license?

Smith6612
Premium
join:2008-02-01
united state
Exactly, which is why I make some big cash off of the people in my area because of having to bring their computer to my house to clean/wipe/update their system because of spyware, adware or viruses.

NJxxxJon
something good. or your mom.
Premium
join:2005-10-22
00000

Not me

I use spybot, adaware, firefox, .....and something else. Im find without Microsoft Denfender and Firewall.
--
___________Post a VIDEO...or it DIDN'T HAPPEN_____

odreian615

join:2006-01-18
Chicago, IL

Re: Not me

Adaware is full of bloat now
patcat88

join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
I dont use anything. Filemon, netstat, HijackThis, process explorer and my HD light is my anti-spyware/anti-virus system.

NJxxxJon
something good. or your mom.
Premium
join:2005-10-22
00000

Re: Not me

said by patcat88 See Profile :

I dont use anything. Filemon, netstat, HijackThis, process explorer and my HD light is my anti-spyware/anti-virus system.
Norton sucks too.
--
___________Post a VIDEO...or it DIDN'T HAPPEN_____
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?

join:2004-09-07
Bellingham, WA

they're just not tech savvy (or bright) enough to know

Sorry to say this is the most likely reason.

idjk

@embarqhsd.net

Re: they're just not tech savvy (or bright) enough to know

Bill needs to import some more 'tech savvy' people from other countries to run the programs that other imports built for us dumb ass Americans

Dagda1175

join:2001-06-17
Goleta, CA

Burn4free

I've recently been told by a couple of programs that this is spyware. But i've kept it because I like it and it is easy to use.

newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
Premium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD

Re: Burn4free

said by Dagda1175 See Profile :

I've recently been told by a couple of programs that this is spyware. But i've kept it because I like it and it is easy to use.
Well . . . the mind just boggles.

»www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=wi···e+Search
--

Ö¿Ö
The Rules of Spam | Maryland's Newest Anti-Spam Law
Where are we going? And what's with the hand basket?

NetFixer
Freedom is NOT Free
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Murfreesboro, TN
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Re: Burn4free

said by newview See Profile :

said by Dagda1175 See Profile :

I've recently been told by a couple of programs that this is spyware. But i've kept it because I like it and it is easy to use.
Well . . . the mind just boggles.

»www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=wi···e+Search
It certainly does, but what does a Google search for WinFixer have to do with Burn4free?

This search for Burn4free »www.google.com/search?q=Burn4free does not turn up such a large number of dire warnings.
--
We can never have enough of nature.
We need to witness our own limits transgressed, and some life pasturing freely where we never wander.
Test your firewall.

newview
Ex .. Ex .. Exactly
Premium
join:2001-10-01
Parsonsburg, MD

Re: Burn4free

oops . . . sorry. I thought the poster was still referring to Winfixer.

Dagda1175

join:2001-06-17
Goleta, CA

Re: Burn4free

Oh hell no.

KrK
Heavy Artillery For The Little Guy
Premium
join:2000-01-17
Tulsa, OK
Burn4Free... They talking about afterlife prospects or something?

anomynous

@rr.com

MSRT phone's home?

quote:
The company's free Malicious Software Removal Tool (MSRT) is currently installed on 450 million systems worldwide, and provides the Redmond giant with some interesting data.
MSRT "phone's home"?
MeKuN

join:2004-07-21
Eugene, OR

Re: MSRT phone's home?

I was thinking the same thing. WTF i dont want to be sending anyone any info from my pc. I dont care what its used for.

ahulett
Life Without Walls
Premium
join:2003-02-02
Bellevue, WA

Re: MSRT phone's home?

You can disable reporting if you'd like to still use MSRT by setting the following registry entry. From »support.microsoft.com/kb/891716/

Q3. How can I disable the infection-reporting component of the tool so that the report is not sent back to Microsoft?

A3. An administrator can choose to disable the infection-reporting component of the tool by adding the following registry key value to computers. If this registry key value is set, the tool will not report infection information back to Microsoft.
Subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\MRT
Entry name: \DontReportInfectionInformation
Type: REG_DWORD
Value data: 1
Hope this helps,
Aaron
--
Aaron Hulett | Senior Spyware Researcher | Microsoft Malware Protection Center
This posting is provided "AS IS" without warranty, and confers no rights.

Link Logger
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-29
Calgary, AB
·Shaw

Its important to report this stuff back otherwise how else would we know to go and write some filthy crap like Winfixer, I mean just think about it:

3.4Million * $39.95 = way more money then I'm making writing honest software

Plus its good for your health to know that there 3.4 Million idiots out there that you are free to laugh at and taunt whenever you like, great stress reducer.

Blake
--
Vendor: Author of Link Logger which is a traffic analysis and firewall logging tool

capecoddah

join:2005-03-18
Yarmouth Port, MA
David Lightman: Joshua called me.
McKittrick: [incredulous] David, computers don't call people!
David Lightman: [shrugs] Yours did.

War Games, 1983

Jodokast96
R.I.P Bassman442
Premium
join:2005-11-23
Erial, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: MSRT phone's home?

said by capecoddah See Profile :

David Lightman: Joshua called me.
McKittrick: [incredulous] David, computers don't call people!
David Lightman: [shrugs] Yours did.

War Games, 1983
Just watched that last night on AMC!

Doctor Olds
I Need A Remedy For What's Ailing Me.
Premium,VIP
join:2001-04-19
1970 442 W30
clubs:

said by capecoddah See Profile :

David Lightman: Joshua called me.
McKittrick: [incredulous] David, computers don't call people!
David Lightman: [shrugs] Yours did.

War Games, 1983
Actually Joshua the (computer) was returning the call. David (Matthew Broderick) had contacted Joshua first to play games to impress Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) ....
--
What’s the point of owning a supercar if you can’t scare yourself stupid from time to time?

AlexNYC

join:2001-06-02
Edwards, CO

IDIOTS

Yep, the same users who like spyware, like Microsoft too ... for the rest of us there's always MAC and Linux.

See 6 replies to this post

dcsos

@verizon.net

Gator please

Whatever happened to GATOR?
Some spyware rocks! (your workspace that is)
Forums » Microsoft: Many Users LIKE Spyware


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