Final working report and risk model description for public comment

[Bill Sanderson]

http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/index.htm

--

 

[plun]

Bill Sanderson laid this down on his screen :

http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/index.htm

Hi

The best I found was this:

http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/documents/safetytips.htm

Nothing about to handle these pests in practise with antispyware-
programs ;(

 

[Guest]

Is adware a form of spyware or are the two separate?

Engel

 

[Dave M]

From DoxDesk http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/definitions.html
Adware
Unsolicited commercial software that shows advertising materials to its user.

(Often this means pop-up adverts appearing during web browsing that were not
opened by the site being browsed, or pop-ups during general desktop use, but
there are other models of adding advertising to the web and desktop.)

Adware may also be used by some people to cover any software that shows ads,
including programs like the free version of Opera, that have advertising built
into their interfaces. DOXdesk does not cover this kind of 'adware' and does not
consider it harmful, as it is not 'unsolicited', and does not run independently
of its host program.

Spyware
Unsolicited commercial software that silently leaks information to a third
party, that, when collated, might constitute an invasion of privacy.

(This includes parasites which sends the URL of pages viewed to its controlling
server along with a unique ID of some sort which allows a person's web usage
patterns to be tracked, but not parasites that just send URLs without tracking
ID/cookies to tie together browsing sessions.)

Spyware, however, has as many meanings are there are people who use the term.
The above is DOXdesk's long-standing definition. But for some it refers to
keypress-logging tools and usage monitors installed by employers; for some it is
any software that sends information to a third party. Many people use it as a
pejorative catch-all term for any kind of undesirable software; meanwhile
companies that distribute parasites tend to craft their own meaning for the term
to explicitly exclude their own software from the definition.

For this reason, I prefer to avoid using the word 'spyware'.

 

[Guest]

Thank you Dave

Engel

From DoxDesk http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/definitions.html
Adware
Unsolicited commercial software that shows advertising materials to its user.

(Often this means pop-up adverts appearing during web browsing that were not
opened by the site being browsed, or pop-ups during general desktop use, but
there are other models of adding advertising to the web and desktop.)

Adware may also be used by some people to cover any software that shows ads,
including programs like the free version of Opera, that have advertising built
into their interfaces. DOXdesk does not cover this kind of 'adware' and does not
consider it harmful, as it is not 'unsolicited', and does not run independently
of its host program.

Spyware
Unsolicited commercial software that silently leaks information to a third
party, that, when collated, might constitute an invasion of privacy.

(This includes parasites which sends the URL of pages viewed to its controlling
server along with a unique ID of some sort which allows a person's web usage
patterns to be tracked, but not parasites that just send URLs without tracking
ID/cookies to tie together browsing sessions.)

Spyware, however, has as many meanings are there are people who use the term.
The above is DOXdesk's long-standing definition. But for some it refers to
keypress-logging tools and usage monitors installed by employers; for some it is
any software that sends information to a third party. Many people use it as a
pejorative catch-all term for any kind of undesirable software; meanwhile
companies that distribute parasites tend to craft their own meaning for the term
to explicitly exclude their own software from the definition.

For this reason, I prefer to avoid using the word 'spyware'.

 

[plun]

Dave M used his keyboard to write :

Spyware, however, has as many meanings are there are people who use the term.
The above is DOXdesk's long-standing definition. But for some it refers to
keypress-logging tools and usage monitors installed by employers; for some it
is any software that sends information to a third party. Many people use it
as a pejorative catch-all term for any kind of undesirable software;
meanwhile companies that distribute parasites tend to craft their own meaning
for the term to explicitly exclude their own software from the definition.

Hi

Spyware is spyware and nothing else.
Every program which transmits anything to someone else without an
owners/users permission is Spyware. So "calling home" is also Spyware.
Usage monitors are also spyware as keyloggers and other trojans.

And this spyware must be removed to 100 % from every PC without any
thoughts.

"Ohhh , this nice app from this respected company............." ;-(

No one can change this fact. If it´s OK to use "Spyware" with
Microsoft Windows or Vista I directly uninstalls it and goes to Linux.

All users privacy must be respected to 100% except if it is
a police investigation and then it is something else or if it is
security related works which needs tracking for the employee and
the workers safety.

And this is basic civilian rights for all human being in all civilized
country in our world.

 

[Guest]

Thank you "plun".

Engel

 

[Guest]

I haven't had a chance to read anything at the site yet--just alerted by
Donna Buenventura about the posts. I'm certain that the definitions and
agreement by this coalition will shape the operations of Windows Antispyware,
and antispyware apps by other vendors in the months to come.

 

[Claudio Valderrama C.]

Adware may also be used by some people to cover any software that shows ads,
including programs like the free version of Opera, that have advertising built
into their interfaces.

This part is outdated:
http://www.opera.com/free/
says
"Opera has removed the banners, found within our browser, and the licensing
fee."

C.

 

[Claudio Valderrama C.]

http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/index.htm

At least this organization has some reputable members:
Lavasoft
Safer-Networking Ltd.
Websense
etc.

C.

 

[Guest]

That has been the failure of previous coalition attempts. I'm not convinced
of the reputation of all the current members--bull-guard antispyware, in
particular is not an outfit I'd want to associate with--but the organization
as a whole seems worthwhile.