Spyware

Privacy advocates say there's momentum in the U.S. Congress for a broad new privacy law.

One of 38 people charged in a global crime ring that allegedly stole personal information from unsuspecting Internet users pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal fraud charge.

CLEARWATER, FL, Jul 22, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- As part of its ongoing efforts to address the rapidly evolving malware landscape facing PC users, Sunbelt Software today announced the release of its all-new security solution, VIPRE(TM) Antivirus + Antispyware. VIPRE is a completely new product that combines antivirus, anti-spyware, anti-rootkit and other technologies into a seamless, ...

Antivirus Protection, also known as AntivirusProtection or Antivirus.Protection, is a rogue anti-spyware program. Antivirus Protection may infect your computer with the help of Trojan Zlob, which may have come bundled in a fake video codec installer download. Antivirus Protection promotes itself as a spyware remover application able to solve your spyware problems after it has detected an exaggerated amount of threats with its fake system scanner. Antivirus Protection has the ability to confuse you with misleading security alerts and warnings stating that your computer is infected with spyware. Antivirus Protection's messages may be titled: "Alert! Your system is infected!". Antivirus Protection will try to confuse you with its advertising methods into purchasing the AntivirusProtection's "licensed" program to remove the supposed threats. Antivirus Protection may also hijack your desktop and display a Google page stating that your computer is infected with spyware. Antivirus Protection or AntivirusProtection is NOT a program related to Windows XP or any other Microsoft product. Do not click on any links provided by Antivirus Protection. Antivirus Protection is a scam and should be removed without any hesitation.

Otherhomepage.com, also known as Otherhomepage.com/xp and Otherhomepage.com/vista, is a browser hijacker created to promote rogue anti-spyware programs, such as, Window Antivirus 2008, Ultimate AntiVirus 2008, AntiSpyCheck, AntiSpyware Shield, Win SpyKiller, among others. Otherhomepage.com installs itself and some Trojan friends into your computer with one finale: computer system massive destruction. Once installed, Otherhomepage.com may redirect your Internet browser to Otherhomepage.com/xp, where rogue anti-spyware programs are sold. Otherhomepage.com may run its fake system scanner to lure you into buying its products. Otherhomepage.com may also show fake popups, like: "Warning! W32.Myzor.FK@yf is a virus that infects files with .exe extensions. It attempts to steal passwords and private information from the infected computer. Type: Virus Infection Length: 138,293 bytes Systems Affected: Windows 95, 98, ME, NT (all versions), 2003, Windows XP (all service packs) Systems Not Affected: DOS, EPOC, Linux, Macintosh, Novell Netware, OS/2, UNIX Technical details: Creates files in %Windir%\ directory. By default, this is C:\Windows. Adds values to registry keys: HKEY_LOCAL_MNACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run Scans the hard drive for .exe files and infects any executable files. Searches for passwords/information, which it may send to a remote attacker. Recomendations [SIC]: Click "OK" to download officially approved security software. Always keep your patch levels up-to-date." Otherhomepage.com will insist on your W32.Myzor.FK@yfis infection, only to push you to buy the rogue softwares it advertises. Otherhomepage.com is a clone of SafeBrowseNow.com, DoBrowSesecure.com, SecureArticle.com, ProtectStartPage.com and InstantSafePage.com. Otherhomepage.com may boot every time IE or Firefox are launched.

XP Antivirus Protection, also known as XPAntivirus Protection, is a rogue anti-spyware program. XP Antivirus Protection may install onto your computer by a Trojan (such as Zlob) through security loopholes in the computer system. As soon as XP Antivirus Protection is installed, it will issue (as the other rogues) an enormous amount of of popups and rogue security alerts "informing" you about supposed spyware threats. XP Antivirus Protection is also able to use it's fake system scanner and generate endless scans insisting on terrible security risks due to the spyware flood supposedly found on your system. However, keep in mind that, XP Antivirus Protection and Zlob are the major spyware threats found in your system. XPAntivirus Protection is only capable of generating this ridiculous amount of system scans and popups in an attempt to trick you into buying the full XPAntivirus Protection program to remove the supposed threats. If you click on any message generated by XP Antivirus Protection, you're most likely to be redirected to XP Antivirus Protection's homepage (or another rogue website), where the full XPAntivirus Protection version of the program is sold as a legit software.

SpyBro or Spy Bro, is a rogue anti-spyware program usually installed by a Trojan Zlob or Vundo from a fake video codec installer found in adult websites. Once SpyBro is installed, it will flood your system with popups and fake system notifications stating that you're infected with an exaggerated amount of threats. SpyBro's messages are only designed to trick you into buying a product that doesn't alleviate any of your spyware problems, moreover, SpyBro is a problem itself. SpyBro may cause your computer to slow down and even put yout personal and financial information at risk. There is no such thing as a SpyBro's licensed version, it is all a huge scam.

clipped from www.informationweek.com Microsoft Admits Windows Vista Mistakes, Criticizes Apple Ads “We broke a lot of things. We know that, and we know it caused you a lot of pain. It got customers thinking, hey, is Windows Vista a generation we want to get invested in?” So Brad Brooks, Microsoft’s VP of Windows Vista consumer marketing, fessed up publicly this week.

Softpedia posted today a small review of three anti-virus software that are free to use, complete with screenshots. Consider using Microsoft's or Adaware's anti-spyware utilities too to keep your XP healthy.