Spyware Gurus - Forum regulars get deserved spotlight

Spyware Gurus
Forum regulars get deserved spotlight
(old news - 02:19PM Wednesday Nov 24 2004)
tags: security · spyware

Some time ago BBR security forum regular Eric Howes offered his analysis of dozens of spyware applications, guiding our users through the minefield of poor quality (and often bogus) apps. His work is finally getting the attention it deserves, by both the users over at Slashdot and publications such as EWeek. Ben Edelman, another security forum regular we illuminate frequently, is also finally getting some attention for his work on spyware, and his exploration of the money machine behind it.

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Forums » Spyware Gurus


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The Beer I Love It When A Plan Comes Together Premium join:2001-07-24 Omaha, NE clubs: 1 edit	I Use Giant I had never even heard of Giant before Eric's tests, I use it exclusively in our company now. THANKS!
	permalink · 2004-11-24 14:04:01 ·

techwench I Work For Food Premium join:2003-06-26 Sherman, TX	Great news! It's about time these guys got recognized. All I can say is that the guys (and gal) in our security forum are awesome. I like lurking in there. -- www.prissed.com \| prissed.stumbleupon.com
	permalink · 2004-11-24 14:28:41 ·

dp Go Steelers Premium,MVM join:2000-12-08 Greensburg, PA	Kudo's It's always great to see these guys get the attention they richly deserve. Well done, there efforts are very much appreciated. -- Write your questions down on the back of a $20 dollar bill and send them to me
	permalink · 2004-11-24 14:47:06 ·

cevans59 Premium join:2003-08-14 Smithton, IL	Much Deserved Congrats Eric and Ben, you two really deserve the attention for all your hard work. Thanks to everybody that chimes in and helps out us less tech savvy users. We appreciate you all
	permalink · 2004-11-24 14:48:29 ·

bmorrisj join:2001-04-11 Buena Park, CA	which two to use? so whats the best combo of anti-spyware apps to use?
	permalink · 2004-11-24 14:49:15 ·

2kmaro
Think
Premium,ExMod 1 BC
join:2000-07-11
ColossalCave
clubs:

1 edit

Re: which two to use?

The most cost effective combination seemed to be:
AdAware SE - Freeware
Spybot S&D - Donateware
Spyware Blaster - Freeware
Spyware Guard - Freeware
Pest Patrol - $39.95
Giant Anti-Spyware - $29.95
Spyware Doctor - $39.95
BOClean - $39.95
gets rid of 90.44% (at cost of $149.80 U.S.)

But to move up to the 'next level' adds a heavy cost for just a little over 2% improvement:
Spy Sweeper - $29.95
BPS Spyware/Adware Remover $29.00
ups it to 92.65% (total cost of $208.75)

I came up with those after analyzing the lists and test results that Eric put up. I put together the top list (the $149.80 package) for myself and used it on all of our systems at work for a quick cleanup. I forget the exact order I ran them in, but each one ALWAYS found something that had been left behind by all the others run ahead of it.

I run Spyware Guard, BOClean and Giant Anti-Spyware continuously on this machine - somehow they don't get in each other's way

. Add Kaspersky Anti-Virus for actual anti-virus protection and you can imagine what my running tasks bar looks like!

Using the "immunize" and "innoculate" features of a couple of those seems to really help also - preventing certain ActiveX controls and access to many malicious web pages automatically.

A couple of tools that can help you identify these things are:
HiJackThis from »www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html
which can be very helpful in eradicating new versions of CoolWWWSearch and variants. But you generally need help interpreting the results to separate the wheat from the chaff.

Another tool to help find what's behind the various services running that are shown in the Windows Task Manager is Process Explorer from SysInternals at
»www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freew···xp.shtml Both of those are free tools.
--
Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment. Barry LePatner

permalink · 2004-11-24 15:02:30 · Print ·

Logan 5
Silver and Black and blue in 2009
Premium,MVM
join:2001-05-25
The WasteLAN

·Pacific Bell - SBC

Yes, it's about time

That the people here @ BBR who actively support the hordes of people looking for fixes for their security woes finally begin to get the recognition in the wider community outside the site that they so richly deserve.

They all have my respect, as the job that they do they do well, and without complaint no matter what, and that's a dying trait in today's "Give me the answer NOW" mentality....

permalink · 2004-11-24 15:02:43 ·

deadi Premium join:2001-08-26 Perry, OH	yep been lurking here for years. a great resource.......... -- ERROR:Bad Command or File Name, go stand in corner.
	permalink · 2004-11-24 15:13:02 ·

hardflip
Mindfield
Premium
join:2002-02-28
Andover, MA

Security Forum Has My Respect

And it has for a long time. I have learned a lot from that the people that post in there.

And Eric Howes in particular is to be commended. Not only for his ridiculously thorough test, but for IE-SPYAD. For those who have never heard of it, it is a registy file that adds a huge list of malware sites to the restricted zones of IE, and in turn OE. If the restricted zone is properly configured, which it is pretty much out of the box, then javascript, activex, cookies, etc will be blocked. It is very easy to use, updated often, and no resources. It should be used by all as a first line of defense.
--
There's three ways to do things. The right way, the wrong way, and the Max Power way. Isn't that the wrong way? Yeah, but faster.

permalink · 2004-11-24 15:33:30 · Print ·

Chosing Not To Log I @151.143.x.x	Re: Security Forum Has My Respect IE-SPYAD is great and I use it. Only downside is that on a low end machine, running HiJackThis takes a big hit during the system scan with all those banned sites in the registry. This is a small price to pay for the added security. Other than that, I have only good things to say about IE-SPYAD and recommend it highly.
	permalink · 2004-11-24 16:38:52 ·

pcdebb RIP dadkins Premium join:2000-12-03 Tampa, FL clubs:	Has my respect as well. If something is up this is the first place I go. The recognition is well deserved. Great going guys -- babbling
	permalink · 2004-11-24 17:07:04 ·

TheMetrix R.T.F.M. - P.E.B.K.A.C Premium join:2002-06-15 Utica, MI clubs: ·WOW Internet and C..	I've been using it for about 6 months now. I love it. Have it installed on all of the domain controllers at my admin job and all of my personal customers machine. Have heard nothing put praise. -- If you think an expert is expensive just wait until you hire an amateur.
	permalink · 2004-11-25 00:01:19 ·

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Host:
Road Runner
PC gaming GAMES
PC gaming Tech

3 edits

Follow the Money

Something that impresses me about both Eric Howes and Ben Edelmen is they focus on the technical solution, and they follow the money trail to the source.

People spend hours with their HT logs, and installing 75,000 cleaners, but they stop there. Users complain about outfits like WhenU & Claria, but they don't complain about the dozens of "legit" companies that fund them.

There's a ridiculous circle going on where an ISP is paid by you, gives WhenU that money to infect your machine, then sells you spyware/adware removal software that doesn't clean adware they push. You then applaud your ISP for being nice.

»www.benedelman.org/spyware/whenu···rtisers/

»WhenU Enters the Anti-Spyware Market

»Lop.com Goes to the FTC

IMHO there needs to be much more of this type of attention so that funding these operations becomes an unpopular PR move.

permalink · 2004-11-24 15:36:56 · Print ·

Ericthorn
It only hurts when I laugh
Premium
join:2001-08-10
Paragould, AR
clubs:

·Paragould.net

I said it before, and I'll say it again..

This is the site where I come for my info on spyware/virus/etc....

DSLR (as I still refer to it, BBR just doesn't come out as easily because I drink to much) is my main source for info on how to cure ill PC's.

Many of my company's customers ask us how to fix their Windows based PC's that have net access, and even though we don't support their idiot employees who go to 'company unauthorized' sites, we still tell them where to find the tools necessary to fix their issues.

Major kudos to those that contribute to this community!
--
Ever try stuffing a melted marshmallow up a wildcat's ass? It can be done, but you have to like your job. - This Is The Way The World Ends by James Morrow - Join a DC club, it can't hurt you!

permalink · 2004-11-24 19:12:45 · Print ·

kabhal Premium join:2002-02-05 Oklahoma City, OK	Re: I said it before, and I'll say it again.. The best applause is money.
	permalink · 2004-11-25 13:14:23 ·

k_o Que Hora Es? Premium join:2002-12-05 Lakeport, CA clubs: 1 edit	Altruism oops double post
	permalink · 2004-11-28 13:45:25 ·

k_o
Que Hora Es?
Premium
join:2002-12-05
Lakeport, CA
clubs:

These folks have invested a great deal of time and effort to volunteer this help. Outstanding!!
The detailed anaylsis is incredible.

Great post, 2kMaro. Thanks for the summary:D

Not only has Eric Howe/ BBR/ Spywarewarrior/ Ben Edelman/ Ed Foster etc. helped me to understand the inner workings of this mess, but make it so non-techie people can understand it without triggering their geek-phobia. The internet IS a better place because of them.

Since last holiday season, I have done my best to educate others. It took awhile and a certain level of pain before the people around me listened. Most of the people I know just surf and use email, and cover their ears when the subject of security comes up. It reminds me of Schultz in Hogan's Heroes "I know nothing, I see nothing!"

--
DC Cruncher for Teams ECO & Starfire * MoveOn for democracy!

permalink · 2004-11-28 13:45:35 · Print ·

DonoftheDead Premium join:2004-07-12 USofA clubs: ·Comcast	About time these people got some recognition. I've watched the pro's here help people even when the people argue with them! A big thanks to Eric and the other pro's who come here to help for nothing more than a thank you and sometimes they don't even get that much. So thanks for all your help!:)
	permalink · 2004-11-28 18:16:14 ·

your comment..

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I Use Giant

Great news!

Kudo's

Much Deserved

which two to use?

Re: which two to use?

Yes, it's about time

yep

Security Forum Has My Respect

Re: Security Forum Has My Respect

Follow the Money

I said it before, and I'll say it again..

Re: I said it before, and I'll say it again..

Altruism