How does MS AntiSpyware determine trusted applications?

[Zabersoft Inc.]

Hi,

We are a software publisher who have developed a popular
toolbar/BHO called "1ClickPicGrabber w/FloatBar" which
assists people in downloading movies (flash quicktime
etc.) and pictures from websites.

Our question is how to get on the "approved" list with MS
AntiSpyware, and whether you guys have thought about
appropriate protocols for us software developers to
follow?

As you are pretty unique on the anti-spyware area as you
have a pretty agressive realtime protector which has the
ability to block toolbars and BHO's at install-time, then
we have already experienced now that novice users might
have problems getting our product to install correctly on
their machines.

Even if people say that it is OK for our toolbar/BHO to
be installed, then they are not loaded automatically when
we throw up our walkthrough guide at the end of our
installation process. MS Antispyware blocks them
initially. This confuses some people, and it is a hassle
for them to have to manually activate the toolbar.

Anyway, back to the point: We have always had a very
strong opposition towards adware and spyware and NOTHING
in our product contains these. This combined with the
reason I gave you before leads us to investigate whether
it is possible to become a trusted application in your
database somehow?

We have been independently reviewed by organizations such
as CastleCops and have an extensive privacy policy which
we are pretty adamant about. Furthermore after reviewing
the items in http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892340 we
are sure that we would have no problems passing any tests
you would throw at us.

Which brings me back to the question: How do us good
software publishers let you know that we are safe and
legitimate? (saves you the trouble....)

PS: Don't dare let the bigwigs up at business development
come up with the clever idea of letting us software
publishers pay for getting MS "no-spyware"-certified...
Then I'll personally come over and kick someones ass

Thanks!

- Arni H. Johannesson
Zabersoft Inc.
1ClickPicGrabber - http://www.1cpg.com

 

[Bill Sanderson]

I'm reasonably certain that it doesn't cost.

If you want to try the "correct" route (which I am about to post!) and let
us know your experience, it'll both provide incentive/information to others
in your position, and some feedback to the beta management about how well
the procedures in place are working. So far, nobody's taken me up on this!

At present, the link to become a trusted application is the same link as is
used for vendor disputes about a listing:

http://www.spynet.com/vendors.aspx

You might also want to read the list of criteria that get a program listed
by Microsoft Antispyware for removal:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892340 Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)
identifies a program as a spyware threat (Listing criteria and Dispute
process)

There is also a link for false positives--your program is detected, but
named as something it is not--i.e. inaccurately described:

http://www.spynet.com/falsepositive.aspx