G
Guest
Does Windows Defender detect WebWatcher? It's a software that monitors
computer use.
computer use.
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D
Dave M
I'm not sure if anyone here can tell you that, or if Defender will then
remove it, which I would presume is where your headed. But I think you'd
be more likely to have the result you're after if you trial an
Anti-Keylogger specialist, rather than a generalist anti-malware program.
Here are a few suggestions, the last of which is free without expiration.
http://www.anti-keyloggers.com/download.html
http://www.snoopfree.com/default.htm
remove it, which I would presume is where your headed. But I think you'd
be more likely to have the result you're after if you trial an
Anti-Keylogger specialist, rather than a generalist anti-malware program.
Here are a few suggestions, the last of which is free without expiration.
http://www.anti-keyloggers.com/download.html
http://www.snoopfree.com/default.htm
T
Terance Healy
I have a confirmed 'infection' by WebWatcher. They are by far the most
irresponsible software company I have ever encountered.
- It was installed in February 2007... and I noticed within a day that
something wasn't right.
- In May 2007, I reported to Awareness Technologies that it was illegally
installed on my business computers. They denied it.
- In June 2007, I found so much collateral information on my machines and
witnessed the traffic WebWatcher was generating. Awareness Technologies
denied it again.
- In July 2007, I bought the program myself, as it can only be installed
once on any pc. Within seconds of starting the install it reported it WAS
ALREADY INSTALLED and to contact them for an upgrade. With arrogance beyond
beleif, they denied it still and became beligerent.
- In late July feeling beaten, I broke down and bought a new laptop to try
to hold my business together. Guess what arrived via email. YES, EMAIL.
- Vista's Windows Mail program opened the mail without me ever seeing it - I
think it was possibly part of the builtin sorting process when mail is
downloading. Mail crashed with a suggestion I notify Microsoft for an update
if available. It seemed reasonable. I clicked...then I had second thoughts
and crashed the entire machine myself. And lo and behold, after a little
digging around I found the appcompat file with WEBWATCHERINSTALL.EXE that was
being downloaded.
- The ability to deploy their program 'wrapped in an email' has been
confirmed by Awareness Technologies. Over the course of a week, we exchanged
information. I told them the tools I used to isolate their program. They
admitted to how it was deployed on my machine...
THEN... I heard from their lawyers insisting I cease any further
communications with their company and staff.
There is some good news... The updates released this week (Dec 10-12) by
Microsoft seem to have had an impact on the areas that WebWatcher exploits.
Several of the virus scanning companies I have communicated with in the last
weeks (when their software didn't block a 5 year old email account) have
decided to detect this program. They finally looked at the capabilities of
it and on review realized it is NOT your typical monitoring program. It's
features are quite easily adapted to confuse, obfuscate, redirect prevent and
destroy. Detecting it was the single most frustrating experience in my 20+
year IT career. Had I not detected it, the incredible number of coincidences
might have happened, BUT they would simply be coincidences.
The software IS as invisible as any program I have ever encountered.
In the hands of an unscrupulous lawyer, a tool like this creates an amazing
'ability' to anticipate the oppositions every move. That lawyer can make
sure you hit bankruptcy before you can find an attorney to listen, and before
you are out of cash - because your chances of finding an attorney, to go
against another attorney, on a contingency basis. Reality Check! Not gonna
happen.
It is very difficult to trace back to the perpetrator, and Awareness
Technologies will not cooperate.
In my case the FBI is now involved. But I am thrilled to see the Microsoft
updates this week. I'm hoping I can get them all running correctly before
Awareness Technologies comes up with another new version.
If anyone would like further info on my experience with this program, feel
free to contact me. If you have it on your equipment, I totally understand
your situation. I'm hoping mine has been an extreme, because I wouldn't wish
this program on anyone, anytime, anywhere, ever.
irresponsible software company I have ever encountered.
- It was installed in February 2007... and I noticed within a day that
something wasn't right.
- In May 2007, I reported to Awareness Technologies that it was illegally
installed on my business computers. They denied it.
- In June 2007, I found so much collateral information on my machines and
witnessed the traffic WebWatcher was generating. Awareness Technologies
denied it again.
- In July 2007, I bought the program myself, as it can only be installed
once on any pc. Within seconds of starting the install it reported it WAS
ALREADY INSTALLED and to contact them for an upgrade. With arrogance beyond
beleif, they denied it still and became beligerent.
- In late July feeling beaten, I broke down and bought a new laptop to try
to hold my business together. Guess what arrived via email. YES, EMAIL.
- Vista's Windows Mail program opened the mail without me ever seeing it - I
think it was possibly part of the builtin sorting process when mail is
downloading. Mail crashed with a suggestion I notify Microsoft for an update
if available. It seemed reasonable. I clicked...then I had second thoughts
and crashed the entire machine myself. And lo and behold, after a little
digging around I found the appcompat file with WEBWATCHERINSTALL.EXE that was
being downloaded.
- The ability to deploy their program 'wrapped in an email' has been
confirmed by Awareness Technologies. Over the course of a week, we exchanged
information. I told them the tools I used to isolate their program. They
admitted to how it was deployed on my machine...
THEN... I heard from their lawyers insisting I cease any further
communications with their company and staff.
There is some good news... The updates released this week (Dec 10-12) by
Microsoft seem to have had an impact on the areas that WebWatcher exploits.
Several of the virus scanning companies I have communicated with in the last
weeks (when their software didn't block a 5 year old email account) have
decided to detect this program. They finally looked at the capabilities of
it and on review realized it is NOT your typical monitoring program. It's
features are quite easily adapted to confuse, obfuscate, redirect prevent and
destroy. Detecting it was the single most frustrating experience in my 20+
year IT career. Had I not detected it, the incredible number of coincidences
might have happened, BUT they would simply be coincidences.
The software IS as invisible as any program I have ever encountered.
In the hands of an unscrupulous lawyer, a tool like this creates an amazing
'ability' to anticipate the oppositions every move. That lawyer can make
sure you hit bankruptcy before you can find an attorney to listen, and before
you are out of cash - because your chances of finding an attorney, to go
against another attorney, on a contingency basis. Reality Check! Not gonna
happen.
It is very difficult to trace back to the perpetrator, and Awareness
Technologies will not cooperate.
In my case the FBI is now involved. But I am thrilled to see the Microsoft
updates this week. I'm hoping I can get them all running correctly before
Awareness Technologies comes up with another new version.
If anyone would like further info on my experience with this program, feel
free to contact me. If you have it on your equipment, I totally understand
your situation. I'm hoping mine has been an extreme, because I wouldn't wish
this program on anyone, anytime, anywhere, ever.
A
Anonymous Bob
mel111111 said:Does Windows Defender detect WebWatcher? It's a software that monitors
computer use.
The problem with such grayware programs is that they do have legitimate
uses. My observation is that Microsoft avoids these monitoring programs.
However if the owner of the system hasn't installed the program it is a
critical problem.
http://research.sunbelt-software.com/threatdisplay.aspx?name=WebWatcher&threatid=44200
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/startups/shellservice-19389.html
http://forum.sysinternals.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=12535
Bob Vanderveen
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