Alexa and updates

[Mintie]

I found Alexa as spyware after running a scan with my
spyware program today; after research I found that it is
installed with Microsoft updates. What's the deal?

Thanks,

MJS

 

[siljaline]

I found Alexa as spyware after running a scan with my
spyware program today; after research I found that it is
installed with Microsoft updates. What's the deal?

If you're running IE6 SP1 - Alexa *may* be re-installed using the repair IE
feature, otherwise Alexa has nothing to do with Windows Updates.
You mention a Spyware scanner... which one are you running?

Ad-aware will clean up Alexa for you, http://www.lavasoft.de/res/aaw6.exe
Ad-aware home: http://www.lavasoftusa.com
Support: http://www.lavasoftsupport.com

HTH




--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_

 

[Alex Nichol]

I found Alexa as spyware after running a scan with my
spyware program today; after research I found that it is
installed with Microsoft updates.

There is a third party Alexa program , which AdAware at least regards as
spyware. Aspects of its methods are used by Microsoft to support the
'related sites' facility of Internet explorer. This puts in a couple
of registry entries that AdAware includes under the spyware head -
whether you take it as such is perhaps a measure of paranoia.

 

[Mintie]

-----Original Message-----

If you're running IE6 SP1 - Alexa *may* be re-installed using the repair IE
feature, otherwise Alexa has nothing to do with Windows Updates.
You mention a Spyware scanner... which one are you running?

Ad-aware will clean up Alexa for you, http://www.lavasoft.de/res/aaw6.exe
Ad-aware home: http://www.lavasoftusa.com
Support: http://www.lavasoftsupport.com

HTH
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_
.

Thanks, I do use Adaware; the Adaware log per Alexa
reads "installed with IE and some Microsoft updates".
Also says that Alexa is the 'What's Related' feature on
the Explorer toolbar and that it uses a 'bot' also. I
found also info in Google that says Alexa was installed
with a critical update for IE; I was wondering why
microsoft would include this with an update.

Actually, I scanned because I found the "Wild Tangent
Control Panel" in my control panel and thought it could
be spyware. I'm sure that it was downloaded with a game,
but I am not familiar with Wild Tangent and am not sure
whether to uninstall it or not.

Thanks,

MJS

 

[siljaline]

<snipped>

Actually, I scanned because I found the "Wild Tangent
Control Panel" in my control panel and thought it could
be spyware. I'm sure that it was downloaded with a game,
but I am not familiar with Wild Tangent and am not sure
whether to uninstall it or not.

Thanks,

MJS

Wild Tangent is confirmed Spyware.
http://security.kolla.de/index.php?lang=en&page=knowledgebase/threats/spybots-wildtangent

Use SpyBot to remove.

HTH


--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_

 

[Mintie]

-----Original Message-----

Wild Tangent is confirmed Spyware.
http://security.kolla.de/index.php? lang=en&page=knowledgebase/threats/spybots-wildtangent

Use SpyBot to remove.

HTH


--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_
.

Thanks much.

MJS

 

[siljaline]

<snipped>

Thanks much.

MJS

You're welcome. Check here for SpyBot updates:
http://www.net-integration.net/cgi-...=ef25bc14c41549e72608322f1e2ae529;act=SF;f=37

If the above URL wraps, use this one: http://tinyurl.com/gpaf

Regards,




--
siljaline

"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game
because they almost always turn out to be -- or to be indistinguishable from
-- self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
- Neil Stephenson, _Cryptonomicon_

 

[Mintie]

-----Original Message-----


There is a third party Alexa program , which AdAware at least regards as
spyware. Aspects of its methods are used by Microsoft to support the
'related sites' facility of Internet explorer. This puts in a couple
of registry entries that AdAware includes under the spyware head -
whether you take it as such is perhaps a measure of paranoia.

Paranoia per Microsoft or Spyware? lol... I don't
consider it paranoia, I call it 'computer maintenance
awareness' and covering my a#$.

Thanks,

MJS