Not finding anything to remove

[Guest]

It's because SpyWare is a definition, some programs are
considered Spyware by some and not by others and MSAS
doesn't remove tracking cookies.

 

[Frank]

Don't you think MSAS SHOULD remove cookies or at least
give someone the OPTION of having them removed... MSAS is
supposed to simplify such things isn't it. I know how to
go to Internet Options and handle it but novice users are
probably not as adept. MSAS should add the removal of
tracking cookies. DON'T YA THINK ?

 

[Bill Sanderson]

They've said that a) they don't scan for cookies at all now, and b) they are
considering providing this functionality in a future beta release.

--

 

[Robin Walker [MVP]]

MSAS should add the removal of
tracking cookies. DON'T YA THINK ?

Actually, no. Tracking cookies are not a threat to the correct operation of
a PC system in the way that installed executable malware can be. I care
very greatly that no PC under my care should acquire any executable malware.
I really don't care much how many tracking cookies they get. So the present
implementation of MSAS suits me, and many others, just fine. I particularly
welcome its many preventive features, which place it in advance of most of
the competition. Prevention is better than cure.

Tracking cookies pose no risk at all to the PC or the operating system. The
only possible risk they carry is to the privacy of the user, which is a
subjective issue for that user. But there are so many other privacy
exposures on the internet, just by merely browsing on the web, or
sending/receiving unencrypted e-mail, that I sometimes wonder whether all
the anti-cookie enthusiasts have misplaced priorities, or have the issue out
of proportion.

Cookies are merely pieces of plain text in a file. They are not executable.
They cannot harm your PC or your operating system.

If a user has so much concern about their personal privacy that they wish to
eliminate cookies, then they should configure their web browser not to
accept them in the first place, and/or not to send them back to web servers.
Or they could install privacy-protecting software that specialises in
weeding cookies on the fly: this preventive approach would be better than
periodically deleting cookies that you allowed the browser to install. Even
MSAS has some run-time protection options controlling which sorts of cookies
are acceptable.

There are many users who misunderstand the risks associated with cookies.
This is not helped by the way in which some anti-spyware products make such
a big issue about cookies: for instance, labelling a cookie as a "critical"
risk is just baloney. Many anti-spyware products are in competition with
each other for market share, so producing a long list of cookies all
labelled as "critical" risks no doubt influences naive users into believing
that these products are more effective than others which take a more
measured approach to assigning degrees of risk to cookies, or don't remove
them at all.

 

[plun]

Actually Yes...........

I dont want these sites to track me !
Also, tracking cookies and spyware are linked to
each other and something which must
be removed for trustworthy computing.

No one can make me to believe that this is something good.

* 0
* 0cents
* 276
* 2o7
* accumail
* adbureau
* ad-flow
* ad-logics
* adman
* adsag
* adrevolver
* adsag
* adserver
* adtech
* advertising
* adviva
* addynamix
* adrevolver
* alltheweb
* atdmt
* atwola
* autotrader
* bannerbank
* bfast
* bluemountain
* bluestreak
* bravenet
* burstnet
* cantport
* casalemedia
* casinolasvegas
* centrport
* cgi-bin
* clickagents
* clicktracks
* clickz
* comclick
* commission-junction
* counted
* coremetrics
* datamation
* dbbsrv
* domainsponsor
* doubleclick
* euniverseads
* excite
* euniverseads
* eyeblaster-bs
* falkag
* fastclick
* fortunecity
* gator
* hitbox
* hitslink
* hotlog (.ru)
* humanclick
* inet-traffic
* internetfuel
* linksynergy
* liveperson
* lycos
* maxserving
* mediaplex
* metriweb
* netshelter
* netster
* onestat
* opentracker
* overstock
* overture
* please
* pointroll
* popupsponsor
* pro-market
* qksrv
* questionmarket
* realmedia
* realtracker
* revenue
* ru4
* serving-sys
* sexlist
* sextracker
* specificpop
* specificclick
* spinbox
* spylog
* statcounter
* targetnet
* thunderdownloads
* tickle
* tmpad
* tradedoubler
* trafficmp
* tribalfusion
* tripod
* tripod.lycos
* tucows
* valueclick
* xxxcounter
* zedo


--
plun







Robin Walker [MVP] laid this down on his screen :

 

[Bill Sanderson]

So--do your chosen browser settings allow these cookies to be installed?

 

[plun]

Hi

Yes of course, I dont want to change default normal safety level for
both IE and Firefox which I am running. To many sites refuse
to open if I rejects third party cookies................

And for a normal user all this alternatives in IE are a real joke.
Six levels to adjust this ( for small text files) ..........
IMHO


I am sure about that this probably will be a problem in future.

--
plun



Bill Sanderson has brought this to us :

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I don't think it will go away soon--if anything, the issues will get more
complex as spyware companies "go straight," and contract with third-party
cookie providers who also work with non-spyware, etc.

 

[plun]

Well, this is something from "the new market" and some major IT
companys
push this and makes us to believe that this tracking is something
normal
and good for us consumer.

Example Alexa

When you download the software, and at times during your use of the
Alexa website and Toolbar Service, we transmit Alexa cookies to the
hard drive of your computer. These cookies assign your Web browser a
unique series of numbers, letters, or characters that enable Alexa's
servers to recognize and identify your Web browser when you are using
the Toolbar Service. They also enable Alexa to track and store
information about your Web usage path and online shopping while using
the Toolbar Service. See below for more information about how Alexa
uses this data.

Really bullsh..t and I really hope that som malware maker plant some
"mines" also within tracking cookies combined with spyware so this
stops.

We don?t need this !

http://pages.alexa.com/help/terms.html

---
plun





Bill Sanderson formulated the question :