Thoughts, such as they are, interspersed:
--
FAQ for Microsoft Antispyware:
http://www.geocities.com/marfer_mvp/FAQ_MSantispy.htm
"George" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:06fe01c51385$0f39ee00$(E-Mail Removed)...
>I have not been able to down load and install Microsoft
> updates using the v5 installer since I installed MS
> AntiSpyware. After weeks of waiting for a response from
> the Microsoft help desk I started trying different
> things. I finally disabled the AntiSpyware Agents that
> monitor security check points. That allowed me to
> download and install 10 of 11 back security updates.
>
> Is this a documented feature of MS AntiSpyware that I
> overlooked?
This behavior isn't documented, and I can't recall others mentioning it.
I'd try removing Microsoft Antispyware, and reinstalling it.
>
> Another issue. I use IntegrityOnline as my ISP. I use
> their home page as my default home page on all accounts
> on my home PC. Every time any family member logs on to
> their account (Windows XP Pro) they get a pop-up from MS
> AntiSpyware that says IntegrityOnline is trying to hijack
> the homepage away from some Microsoft page. How do I get
> MS AntiSpyware to recognize that IntegrityOnline is my
> chosen, valid browser home page???
You may have to live with this behavior with this beta version. You can
disable the specific checkpoint giving this warning, but you will also be
giving up the protection it affords.
> _________________
>
> A third issue. I saw the article in the San Jose Mercury
> News last week that said Microsoft is struggling with a
> rogue spyware that is attempting to turn off or replace
> MS AntiSpyware. On Feb 14 after the automated download
> of MS AntiSpyware definitions I have no history of
> Spyware found or of a "Last Spyware Scan". This is a bit
> unnerving since I've run the scan at least 35 times. Has
> the rogue replaced the valid MS AntiSpyware code? Are my
> keystrokes now being read into a mafia database? Or did
> Microsoft just replace the code and wipe out the history
> in the last update without notifing us???
Microsoft Antispyware is meant to keep your keystrokes out of that mafia
database.
This is also one I haven't heard before. You can manually chose to truncate
the scan history, which would have this effect. The trojan that the
newspaper article mentioned isn't widely distributed, and simply disables
Microsoft Antispyware--nothing as subtle as modifying its behavior or
replacing it.
>
> Call me at 650 857 3492 if you want details.