MS anti-spyware took a liberty !

  • Thread starter Thread starter RJK
  • Start date Start date
R

RJK

Yesterday, Ms anti-spyware beta popped up a box with a message, saying in as
many words, that because I use Google a lot, instead of something else, it
was going to automatically change something in my browser toolbar settings,
or menus, or whatever it was, to "Google" ...and then it proceeded to do so
without a "by your leave" !!!

I don't know what it changed, and I have a feeling it's something I don't
use but, I would prefer such software to NOT change things for me, or at the
very least give me the option of refusing the change !

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

regards, Richard
 
RJK said:
Yesterday, Ms anti-spyware beta popped up a box with a message, saying in as
many words, that because I use Google a lot, instead of something else, it
was going to automatically change something in my browser toolbar settings,
or menus, or whatever it was, to "Google" ...and then it proceeded to do so
without a "by your leave" !!!

I don't know what it changed, and I have a feeling it's something I don't
use but, I would prefer such software to NOT change things for me, or at the
very least give me the option of refusing the change !

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

regards, Richard
Click to expand...

Another reason not to use a Beta. Have you opened IE and clicked on the
Search button to see what your new default search engine is? MSN per chance?

Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.
 
I just did, ...(never used button that before! ...you mean the one with the
magnifying glass on it?), and Google popped out in a left-hand pane.
....was it set to something else before ? as I said I've never used it
until then.
I usually never use beta software but, this one is widely reported as being
very well behaved, and I particularly liked the peer-to-peer like, or
"inter-communication" like, feature that does something along the lines of,
rapidly communicate and arm other users of the MS Anti-spyware program
against new threats. :-) ...I think I got that nearly right !

regards, Richard
 
| Yesterday, Ms anti-spyware beta popped up a box with a message, saying in
as
| many words, that because I use Google a lot, instead of something else, it
| was going to automatically change something in my browser toolbar
settings,
| or menus, or whatever it was, to "Google" ...and then it proceeded to do
so
| without a "by your leave" !!!
|
| I don't know what it changed, and I have a feeling it's something I don't
| use but, I would prefer such software to NOT change things for me, or at
the
| very least give me the option of refusing the change !
|
| http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
|
| regards, Richard
|

MSAS didn't change anything. It notified you that it was allowing a change.

The change was made by some other action and would have been made anyway,
and gone unnoticed had it (MSAS) not been installed.

Should it ask permission or just make a notification is a matter of opinion
and will vary depending on who you ask.

I personally agree with you and think a permission should be asked. For
every one like you and I however there is another User who will say "I don't
want to be interrupted with a lot of questions..."

Welcome to BETA software. Instead of spending as much money on research and
development they get us to do it for free. :-)

--
Doug

I'm not an MVP a VIP nor do I have ESP.
I was just trying to help.
Please use your own best judgment before implementing any suggestions or
advice herein.
No warranty is expressed or implied.
Your mileage may vary.
See store for details. :)

Remove shoes to E-mail.
http://spaces.msn.com/members/hillbillybuddhist/
 
MSAS did not make the change. Something else did.

At least it let you know what was happening- Whatever action you had made,
site you had opened, email... your action triggered it.

It did detect the change so it did its job. It's a shame *your* choice of
program didn't let you stop the change- but the program is *your* choice.
Get a program that allows you to do the things you want and has the
capabilities you want- that is your own responsibility.

It may be an idea to not rely on a Beta program for what is a fairly
important security item- but it is *your* own choice.
 
Richard

Have you made enquires in the private newsgroups?

In MSAS in Options, Settings, General have you selected
Experienced User or Novice?

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
Richard

Settings: General
User Modes
Microsoft AntiSpyware comes equipped with a number
of user modes. These user modes generally reflect the
experience and expertise you have when using a
computer. You should try to select a user mode that
best meets your experience when using your computer.
The following are the user modes:

Knowledgeable User. A knowledgeable user is familiar
with many of the functionalities of a computer. This can
range form a very technical user to a skilled power user.
If you select the Knowledgeable User Mode, you will
have complete control of blocking, deactivating, and
removing installed applications. Selecting this mode
will allow you to take any action on various alerts
regardless if the action selected is the recommend
action for the software. It is extremely important that
when using this mode and presented with actions
such as blocking a program’s full installation or parts
of the installation you completely understand what you
are doing.

Novice User. A novice user will be restricted on some
of the actions that they can perform when presented
with various alerts. These restrictions will generally be
based on Microsoft AntiSpyware’s recommended
action under the circumstances.

Include technical information in selection details.
Select this option to include various technical details
for most information presented. An example of this is
including class IDs (CLSIDs) for some of the various
System Explorers, in addition to the names and file
information.

Hide the AntiSpyware icon on the system tray. Select
this option to hide the AntiSpyware icon in the system
tray. This is generally located in the bottom right corner
of your screen. If you disable the system tray icon you
will not be able to activate the menu associated with
the icon.

--

Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~
FCA
Stourport, England

Enquire, plan and execute
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
RJK said:
Yesterday, Ms anti-spyware beta popped up a box with a message, saying in
as many words, that because I use Google a lot, instead of something else,
it was going to automatically change something in my browser toolbar
settings, or menus, or whatever it was, to "Google" ...and then it
proceeded to do so without a "by your leave" !!!

I don't know what it changed, and I have a feeling it's something I don't
use but, I would prefer such software to NOT change things for me, or at
the very least give me the option of refusing the change !

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

regards, Richard
Click to expand...

You may have installed something, like the Google Toolbar or that new
instrusive and completely foobar Google Pack or some such other Google Tool.
The Anti-Spyware program was simply notifying you of the change THAT YOU
SELECTED during the installation of the Google-ware being made to IE.

carl
 
RJK,

You can set your default Internet Explorer settings that MSAS monitors from:
-open Microsoft Antispyware > Tools > Advanced Tools > System Explorers,
-click the 'IE Settings' under the Internet Explorer heading.
-set your preferred settings
-click 'Save these settings as default'

ps-an application of some kind attempted to change your 'default' settings,
which was already Google. Microsoft Antispyware saw this attempted change
and returned it to your Internet Explorer default setting, Google.

Drew
 
Vagabond said:
You may have installed something, like the Google Toolbar or that new
instrusive and completely foobar Google Pack or some such other Google Tool.
The Anti-Spyware program was simply notifying you of the change THAT YOU
SELECTED during the installation of the Google-ware being made to IE.

carl
Click to expand...

Spyware Guard does that.

Any information on what MS' program does that AdAware, Spybot,
Spywareblaster, CWShredder, CCleaner and Spywareguard don't do?

Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.
 
Drew said:
Microsoft Antispyware saw this attempted change
and returned it to your Internet Explorer default setting, Google.

Drew
Click to expand...

Internet Explorer's default setting is not Google but MSN search, of course!

Alias

Use the Reply to Sender feature of your news reader program to email me.
Utiliza Responder al Remitente para mandarme un mail.
 
....it definately was MSAS, it popped out an orange coloured info/pop-out
telling me what it was going to do, similar to the blue coloured one that
advises that a web address listed in IE's Trusted Sites zone is about to be
accessed.

regards, Richard
 
Alias said:
Spyware Guard does that.

Any information on what MS' program does that AdAware, Spybot,
Spywareblaster, CWShredder, CCleaner and Spywareguard don't do?

Alias
Click to expand...

I have used most of those you named in the past, but I don't know that the
MS AntiSpyware application has any features the others don't. I only need
one spyware scanner that I could trust and trust on my clients' machines,
and the MS AntiSpyware Beta is that software for the time being.

Since I am a big fan of allowing scripting in Trusted Site or Intranet
security zones, I like the way the MS AntiSpyware informs me when a site
attempts to add itself to the Trusted Sites zone. The others probably do
this as well.

carl
 
I selected "Knowledgeable User" etc. , whenever I install anything like this
I always go for the "Show and Alert me to everything" type option :-)
....and if there's a "Custom" install I always go for that so that I know
where things are going, and what's going to be stuffed where ! :-)

regards, Richard
 
....I have just checked all settings in MSAS, and it looks as though I got
what I asked for btw of alerts but, the orange pop out box, (from system
tray), didn't give me the choice of 'not' having IE's "Search" button
settings changed. I'm not really complaining because I've never throughout
the history of IE ever used that button ! It just struck me that it was
little bit of an oversight on the part of whoever built that part of a
seemingly otherwise superb application.

regards, Richard
 
....you'r the 2nd person that tells me that it wasn't MSAS but, I assure you
it did seem that way, and the system tray pop out was mostly orange in
colour, differing from the usual blue alert messages.

regards, Richard
 
Google's been there for ages, perhaps it was Google making the change and as
you say MSAS was just advising me of that :-)
....I'm not sure anymore !

regards, Richard
 
RJK said:
Yesterday, Ms anti-spyware beta popped up a box with a message, saying in as
many words, that because I use Google a lot, instead of something else, it
was going to automatically change something in my browser toolbar settings,
or menus, or whatever it was, to "Google" ...and then it proceeded to do so
without a "by your leave" !!!

I don't know what it changed, and I have a feeling it's something I don't
use but, I would prefer such software to NOT change things for me, or at the
very least give me the option of refusing the change !

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

regards, Richard
Click to expand...

Don't use BETA software.

Steve N.
 

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