spybot question

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Me

Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.

Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.

What do you think/know?
 
from the said:
Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.

Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.

What do you think/know?
Click to expand...

Yes, it will find the Alexa related stuff on all WinXP IE6.x
installations, iirc.
It is not 'really' spyware (says MS, who ISTR put it there in the first
place) on the other hand it isn't actually necessary either, so you can
safely trash it (I did).
 
Me said:
Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.

Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.

What do you think/know?
Click to expand...

I think that it is up to you to decide whether or not you desire
this feature. Some "spyware" actually *does* enhance your
browsing experience just as some "adware" is legitimate for
ad supported freeware. It is not *all* malware as some believe.
 
Me said:
Just downloaded SB 1.3 and when I run it, it finds an Alexa entry.

Googling on this gives mixed messages about it.

What do you think/know?
Click to expand...

I have WinME, and when I run SpyBot it generally find the Alexa along with a
few others. I just tell it to clean and it takes care of everything. I
have never had a problem with my system or any programs not operating
properly because of this. But, if you are not sure, then just have that one
omitted from the fix list.

HTH

Jan :)
 
I think that it is up to you to decide whether or not you desire
this feature. Some "spyware" actually *does* enhance your
browsing experience just as some "adware" is legitimate for
ad supported freeware. It is not *all* malware as some believe.
Click to expand...


Spyware and adware do constitute the definition of malware if a) you didn't
deliberately decide to install it, and b) it does something you would
rather it didn't. No excuses, end of.

If you install something and spyware piggybacks in on it unbeknowst to you,
then that something, spyware or whatever, is technically a trojan.

In my opinion, obviously.
 
David Qunt said:
Spyware and adware do constitute the definition of malware if a) you didn't
deliberately decide to install it,
Click to expand...

Did you deliberately install Windows and IE/OE? Alexa is
part of that "deliberate" installation (and IIRC it comes back
sometimes if you visit WindowsUpdate - deliberately).

I didn't deliberately decide to have websites place cookies on
my machine, yet my browsing experience is enhanced somewhat
by sites I visit addressing me by name and displaying things of
interest to me instead of generic 'one size fits all' offerings. Cookies
are only one aspect of what is commonly called "spyware" by many
people and programs.
and b) it does something you would
rather it didn't.
Click to expand...

I have never installed a program that didn't do something I rather it
didn't do - in fact my "MailWasher" give me a close look at papa
smurf's butt almost every time I close it.
No excuses, end of.
Click to expand...

So, *everything* is malware in your view?
If you install something and spyware piggybacks in on it unbeknowst to you,
then that something, spyware or whatever, is technically a trojan.
Click to expand...

Just because someone doesn't know what a program does,
doesn't mean that that program is malware. Most of the time
the "not knowing" person is just uninformed because he or she
didn't read the documentation that came with the program.
In my opinion, obviously.
Click to expand...

Everything is malware because you don't know everything it
does, (some of which you would rather it not do) and you
didn't give your explicit permission, for each and every function
that the program performs, to execute.

I feel that that is too wide a definition to be useful.

....but of course you are welcome to it. ;o)
 
Did you deliberately install Windows and IE/OE? Alexa is
part of that "deliberate" installation (and IIRC it comes back
sometimes if you visit WindowsUpdate - deliberately).
Click to expand...

Well, my comp came with XP preloaded. But I did have a PC before that
which came pre-loaded with 98SE, which I more or less immediately put
2000 on and then XP. I have always cleaned out every OS I have ever used
to get rid of crap, and imaged the clean hard drive straight away. I have
never used IE/OE as my browser and mail client.
I didn't deliberately decide to have websites place cookies on
my machine, yet my browsing experience is enhanced somewhat
by sites I visit addressing me by name and displaying things of
interest to me instead of generic 'one size fits all' offerings.
Cookies are only one aspect of what is commonly called "spyware" by
many people and programs.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have personal prefernces set by websites too. I set my browser to
delete everything it places on my hard drive upon exit, and manually
check that this happens.
I have never installed a program that didn't do something I rather it
didn't do - in fact my "MailWasher" give me a close look at papa
smurf's butt almost every time I close it.
Click to expand...


I have no idea what this means, and even yet this papa smurf seems a bit
over-familiar :)
So, *everything* is malware in your view?


Just because someone doesn't know what a program does,
doesn't mean that that program is malware. Most of the time
the "not knowing" person is just uninformed because he or she
didn't read the documentation that came with the program.
Click to expand...

Yes I tend to agree with that. It doesn't make it right, or desirable.
Everything is malware because you don't know everything it
does, (some of which you would rather it not do) and you
didn't give your explicit permission, for each and every function
that the program performs, to execute.

I feel that that is too wide a definition to be useful.
Click to expand...

I know what the software on my computer has been put there to do, because
I put it there.

I also know broadly what it does, because my fiorewall tells me when it
requests internet access.

I have the choice to deny any software access if I want.

I also have the choice not to install it in the first place, which
carries with it the responsibility to research whether it should be there
or not.

So my definition stands, at least as far as I am concerned. You are free
to hold another opinion, as far as it affects you, and no matter how
wrong :)
...but of course you are welcome to it. ;o)
Click to expand...

Thank you for confirming that I am just as entitled as you are to have an
opinion, and to air it in a public forum :)
 
[snip]
Well, my comp came with XP preloaded. But I did have a PC before that
which came pre-loaded with 98SE, which I more or less immediately put
2000 on and then XP.
Click to expand...

Then you know what I mean, XP goes on and only later do
you discover that it had trapdoors galore. I'm not insinuating
that they were purposefully done, only that they existed. An
unwanted function that, had you known beforehand, you
would have not installed.
I have always cleaned out every OS I have ever used
to get rid of crap, and imaged the clean hard drive straight away. I have
never used IE/OE as my browser and mail client.
Click to expand...

Admirable. I can't say the same for myself, I take far too many
chances with my computer. It doesn't mean I don't know any
better. ;o)
 
[snip]
Well, my comp came with XP preloaded. But I did have a PC before that
which came pre-loaded with 98SE, which I more or less immediately put
2000 on and then XP.
Click to expand...

Then you know what I mean, XP goes on and only later do
you discover that it had trapdoors galore. I'm not insinuating
that they were purposefully done, only that they existed. An
unwanted function that, had you known beforehand, you
would have not installed.
Click to expand...


Unwanted function like what, sorry can't remember what we were talking
about 'cos you snipped it! :D

Just to clarify, my policy is that whatever unwanted stuff is in XP, or
anything else, I would (and did on my old PC) still install it, but then
I would immediately clear out the crap, and take a clean image as I said
below here >>>>>
Admirable. I can't say the same for myself, I take far too many
chances with my computer. It doesn't mean I don't know any
better. ;o)
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. I once installed a hacked NVidia
driver - that I was assured would sort out a sound problem, and it did -
only to discover the ethernet chipset driver had been overwriten too with
one that didn't work - so I couldn't get online to download the correct
one, and would have had to spend all night wading through a miilion
unlabelled CD-Rs to find the originals.

But then that's precisely where having a clean recent image of the hard
drive to restore helps - I can be back up and running in minutes, meaning
that taking chances like the one above is less, erm, chancier :)
 
David Qunt said:
[snip]
Well, my comp came with XP preloaded. But I did have a PC before that
which came pre-loaded with 98SE, which I more or less immediately put
2000 on and then XP.
Click to expand...

Then you know what I mean, XP goes on and only later do
you discover that it had trapdoors galore. I'm not insinuating
that they were purposefully done, only that they existed. An
unwanted function that, had you known beforehand, you
would have not installed.
Click to expand...


Unwanted function like what,
Click to expand...

Allowing intrusion.
sorry can't remember what we were talking
about 'cos you snipped it! :D
Click to expand...

I was attempting to point out that not all adware and spyware is
malware; you said that it *is* if....

Regarding your statement:
===
"Spyware and adware do constitute the definition of malware if

a) you didn't deliberately decide to install it,

and

b) it does something you would rather it didn't.

No excuses, end of."
===
Installing your OS does install some of what is considered spyware
by many, and even if you are one of those "many" you either did
install it deliberately as it is part of the OS suite you chose to install,
or you didn't install it *deliberately* only because you didn't realize
it was part of the package.

....so is it only malware if one didn't read the manual before installing?
Just to clarify, my policy is that whatever unwanted stuff is in XP, or
anything else, I would (and did on my old PC) still install it, but then
I would immediately clear out the crap, and take a clean image as I said
below here
Click to expand...

That's a good approach.
 
David Qunt said:
"FromTheRafters" <[email protected]> squirted these wordjisms deep
inside the bumtube of the newstwat in
[snip]

Well, my comp came with XP preloaded. But I did have a PC before
that which came pre-loaded with 98SE, which I more or less
immediately put 2000 on and then XP.

Then you know what I mean, XP goes on and only later do
you discover that it had trapdoors galore. I'm not insinuating
that they were purposefully done, only that they existed. An
unwanted function that, had you known beforehand, you
would have not installed.
Click to expand...


Unwanted function like what,
Click to expand...

Allowing intrusion.
sorry can't remember what we were talking
about 'cos you snipped it! :D
Click to expand...

I was attempting to point out that not all adware and spyware is
malware; you said that it *is* if....

Regarding your statement:
===
"Spyware and adware do constitute the definition of malware if

a) you didn't deliberately decide to install it,

and

b) it does something you would rather it didn't.

No excuses, end of."
===
Installing your OS does install some of what is considered spyware
by many, and even if you are one of those "many" you either did
install it deliberately as it is part of the OS suite you chose to
install, or you didn't install it *deliberately* only because you
didn't realize it was part of the package.

...so is it only malware if one didn't read the manual before
installing?
Click to expand...

A litle reasearch is all that's required, eithe before or afterwards.

If, that is, you care about having your computer perform well
consistently and are prepared to spend some time making sure that it can.

I do, and it does. :D
That's a good approach.
Click to expand...

Thank you, I agree. I would recommend it.
 
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