? Missed spyware

[Bill]

I installed MS Spyware hoping to remove all others

I ran MS spyware nothing found.
I ran Adware 6 and found 2 "data miners"
I ran SpyDoctor and found 3 cookies as follows
gostats.com
ugo.com
apmebf.com

WHY cannot MS Spyware do the whole job?

Regards
Bill

 

[Bill Sanderson]

The current build of Microsoft Antispyware does not scan for cookies. The
reasons for this have not been announced, but they are considering this
functionality for a future build.

 

[Adrian]

I have had the same problems as this it MS Spyware missed
13 data miners which adaware found this was after running
real time and the daily scan. This is very worrying as
this leads you to believe that MS Spyware is missing BIG
chunks of Malware and Spyware

 

[Robin Walker [MVP]]

I have had the same problems as this it MS Spyware missed
13 data miners which adaware found this was after running
real time and the daily scan. This is very worrying as
this leads you to believe that MS Spyware is missing BIG
chunks of Malware and Spyware

So called "data miners" (in fact just cookies) are not Malware: they are
just passive text files, and quite incapable of damaging your PC in any way.
This version of Microsoft AntiSpyware neither detects nor removes cookies.

The issue with cookies is not a malware one at all, and I don't understand
why other so-called spyware products get so hysterical about flagging them
and deleting them. Maybe these other products just feel the need to impress
naive home users with how much they can find and shriek to the user about,
as a self-justification.

Unlike the true malware that MSAS attempts to detect and offer to remove,
cookies are an issue only in relation to personal privacy: a very different
thing from Malware which hijacks a PC. The information that a cookie can
leak to a website is very very limited indeed. Personally, I'm not prepared
to allow programs to delete files on my PC merely on the grounds that the
program thinks my privacy is being affected: I'll be the judge of that. I'm
happy for MSAS to concentrate on things that really matter, like hardening
Windows to hijack attempts, rather than fiddling about bleating about
cookies. Cookies are trivial: concentrate on the real issues!

 

[ChriRobe]

Excellent Answer Robin!
There are better cookie management tools than an AntiSpy
application.
Don't clutter up the objective of this software with
cookie crumbs.

 

[Emory]

If it does'nt scan for tracking cookies (aka data miner)
it doesnt appear that it is doing a full job of scanning.
These types of spyware are a much more common problem than
some of the more severe ones I believe.

 

[Bill Sanderson]

More common certainly, but also relatively negligable in impact compared to
the more serious issues posed by executables. Aside from real trojans and
keyloggers, many items removed by this program significantly impact
reliability and performance. Cookies don't do that. There are others here
far more qualified than I am to argue this point, but I'm glad Microsoft has
focused on the more significant issues with this first release.

 

[greybear70]

HERE,HERE! Great answer, Robin. Especially liked the part
about NAIVE USERS! Carry on MS

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

I have had the same problems as this it MS Spyware missed
13 data miners which adaware found this was after running
real time and the daily scan. This is very worrying as
this leads you to believe that MS Spyware is missing BIG
chunks of Malware and Spyware

So called "data miners" (in fact just cookies) are not Malware: they are
just passive text files, and quite incapable of damaging your PC in any way.
This version of Microsoft AntiSpyware neither detects nor removes cookies.

The issue with cookies is not a malware one at all, and I don't understand
why other so-called spyware products get so hysterical about flagging them
and deleting them. Maybe these other products just feel the need to impress
naive home users with how much they can find and shriek to the user about,
as a self-justification.

Unlike the true malware that MSAS attempts to detect and offer to remove,
cookies are an issue only in relation to personal privacy: a very different
thing from Malware which hijacks a PC. The information that a cookie can
leak to a website is very very limited indeed. Personally, I'm not prepared
to allow programs to delete files on my PC merely on the grounds that the
program thinks my privacy is being affected: I'll be the judge of that. I'm
happy for MSAS to concentrate on things that really matter, like hardening
Windows to hijack attempts, rather than fiddling about bleating about
cookies. Cookies are trivial: concentrate on the real issues!

--
Robin Walker [MVP Networking]
(e-mail address removed)


.