imax0991 said:
Your beta program did not detect any spyware on my
computer. But when I ran a spyware program called Counter
spy by sunbelt software.com It found some. It found one
called eSpy Now 2.0 A high risk threat. and another
called Password Highjacker. So I dont think your beta
program is ready yet?
According to
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm:
Sunbelt CounterSpy
sunbelt-software.com
powered by GIANT (code independently owned by Sunbelt)
So it looks like Giant, at one time, generated some revenue by selling
off a static instance of their code. The buyer, Sunbelt, is not privy
to any further code changes that were substantiated by Giant nor can
Sunbelt reverse-engineer the Giant product to obtain those changes.
That also means Giant couldn't incorporate any specific enhancements
made by Sunbelt (so Microsoft doesn't get them, either). That code
exchange allowed Sunbelt to bootstrap itself into the anti-spyware
software market. I sincerely doubt Microsoft is inclined to work with
Sunbelt. Sunbelt didn't buy Giant, Microsoft did. Sunbelt only paid
for a copy of the code as it existed at the time of transfer.
http://board.iexbeta.com/lofiversion/index.php/t50298.html
http://www.nwfusion.com/news/2004/1216legalquest.html
Notice that Sunbelt never went after Giant from whom Sunbelt purchased a
version of the code. Well, duh, because it was Giant that sold the code
to Sunbelt. I'd have to see more of whatever was the contract between
Giant and Sunbelt to know just exactly what Sunbelt really was entitled
to. From what I've read so far, the real argument is over who can
develop an SDK for the Giant/Sunbelt/Microsoft product. Sunbelt claims
they have exclusive rights to develop an SDK. That won't stop Microsoft
from updating the code or updating the spyware signature but will
eliminate them from providing a 3rd party from getting the SDK from
Microsoft and instead have to go through Sunbelt (but who doesn't own
the Giant version of the code so Sunbelt's SDK would probably be
worthless).
Obviously Microsoft and Sunbelt aren't in bed together to share secrets
regarding features and coding of their different code versions of the
same product. "Because of a legal agreement between Sunbelt Software
Distribution and Giant that preceded the Microsoft acquisition,
Microsoft will provide spyware signature updates to Sunbelt through July
2007"
(
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2004/dec04/1217statement.asp).
Now you know why the *beta* version of Microsoft AntiSpyware ends in
July. Since it is *Microsoft* that provides signature updates to
Sunbelt, it is damn peculiar that MSAS doesn't catch spyware that the
Sunbelt version manages to catch. Sunbelt doesn't analyze the spyware
to generate signatures. They get them from MICROSOFT!
If you are expecting one anti-spyware product to catch all spyware,
malware, or other nasties then you are programming yourself for
disappointment. You will need multiple malware scanners to provide the
widest range of detection. Maybe one day there will be one product that
dominates so severely and so completely that none of the other
anti-spyware/anti-malware products aren't needed, but we aren't there
yet.
