Microsoft's malware remover - is it spyware?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Si
  • Start date Start date
S

Si

Automatice updates has notified me of the Microsoft Malware Remover - anyone
know whether it sends any info back to MS?

Si.
 
Si said:
Automatice updates has notified me of the Microsoft Malware Remover -
anyone know whether it sends any info back to MS?

Si.
Click to expand...

Automatice...? What was I on there...

Apparently, according to Microsoft's site, anonymous info is reported
back...

Si.
 
Automatice updates has notified me of the Microsoft Malware Remover - anyone
know whether it sends any info back to MS?
Click to expand...

The version which is downloaded via windows updates doesn't. I'm not
sure about the web version. I think this is an ActiveX component so
the webside probably records stats and stuff.


Regards,
Ian Kenefick
http://antivirus.ik-cs.com
 
Automatice...? What was I on there...

Apparently, according to Microsoft's site, anonymous info is reported
back...

Si.
Click to expand...
It is a tool aimed mainly at new / inexperienced users / help clean up
thousands of zombie machines and part of MS belated struggle to secure
their software, too little too late IMO but they are trying to help
bless em!

No its not spyware it just reports if it removes something but no user
specific info just whatever it removes so MS can tweak it if
necessary. OK technically it is spyware but nothing to get paranoid
about.

For eg I use a non MS remote access app which the Automatic Malware
Remover automatically removes. This is annoying but MS will have the
info from my pooter and many thousands of others from which this
particular app is being falsely flagged as malware and removed, they
will then tweak the tool to leave it alone.

Oh look flying pigs!
 
It is excellent to outstanding at removing spyware. The best out there,
better than ANY other spyware remover ... period. But, and it is a big but,
it requires Internet Explorer 6.x before it will install AND IE 6.x is the
biggest spyware attractor extant.

Anyhow, if it would install with just ANY browser, I'd use it. It won't ...
I don't.
 
Colon Terminus said:
It is excellent to outstanding at removing spyware. The best out there,
better than ANY other spyware remover ... period. But, and it is a big but,
it requires Internet Explorer 6.x before it will install AND IE 6.x is the
biggest spyware attractor extant.

Anyhow, if it would install with just ANY browser, I'd use it. It won't ...
I don't.
Click to expand...

That's a good point. I have IE installed, and I'm running MS Antispyware,
but I use Firefox as my default browser. Are you saying that it will not
protect me? Is there a test I can do?

Johnie.
 
That's a good point. I have IE installed, and I'm running MS Antispyware,
but I use Firefox as my default browser. Are you saying that it will not
protect me? Is there a test I can do?

Johnie.
Click to expand...

of course it will protect you. IE6 is just a pre-requisite for the
install.

Regards,
Ian Kenefick
http://antivirus.ik-cs.com
 
Colon Terminus said:
It is excellent to outstanding at removing spyware. The best out there,
better than ANY other spyware remover ... period. But, and it is a big
but,
it requires Internet Explorer 6.x before it will install AND IE 6.x is the
biggest spyware attractor extant.

Anyhow, if it would install with just ANY browser, I'd use it. It won't
...
I don't.
Click to expand...

But is it any better than Spybot?

Si.
 
But is it any better than Spybot?

Si.
Click to expand...

Detection wise - yes
Ease of use - yes
Frequency of updates - yes
Disinfection routeens - yes

It is better than Spybot and Ad-aware not by much but it is. I don't
think anyone can argue against this.

Regards,
Ian Kenefick
http://antivirus.ik-cs.com
 
Ian said:
Detection wise - yes
Ease of use - yes
Frequency of updates - yes
Disinfection routeens - yes

It is better than Spybot and Ad-aware not by much but it is. I don't
think anyone can argue against this.
Click to expand...

There are two completely separate products: Microsoft's Anti-Spyware (which
used to be Giant Anti-Spyware) and the MS Malware Removal Tool. The first
is a separate application that you can download that works in the same way
as Ad-aware and Spybot S&D. The second comes once a month from Windows
Updates and it scans for a handful of specific trojans and viruses and
removes them if it finds them.

I think the OP was asking about the second one, and I think you were
referring to the first. Both are useful.
 
There are two completely separate products: Microsoft's Anti-Spyware (which
used to be Giant Anti-Spyware) and the MS Malware Removal Tool. The first
is a separate application that you can download that works in the same way
as Ad-aware and Spybot S&D. The second comes once a month from Windows
Updates and it scans for a handful of specific trojans and viruses and
removes them if it finds them.

I think the OP was asking about the second one, and I think you were
referring to the first. Both are useful.
Click to expand...

Agreed - my reply was in response to the 'Si' and no the OP.

Regards,
Ian Kenefick
http://antivirus.ik-cs.com
 
Back
Top