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New Spyware Nuker may in fact BE spyware
[link|http://camtech2000.net/Newsletters/a_new_spyware_tactic.htm|http://camtech2000.n...pyware_tactic.htm]
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Chris Altmann
New 10 points - go to top of the class :-)
Yup, I also set up a virtual PC with winxp OS then downloaded & installed this program (because I strongly suspected it was actually spyware/adware in disguise). It has somehow got itself onto one of my lesser machines (a winxp home pc) & I haven't yet figured out where it is or how to eradicate it. Adaware doesn't see it. I am reinstalling Spyware to see if it can see it.

As your link points out, the agreement in this software is very odd - doesn't identify the originator or provide a corporate address, other than to mention trek-blue.

One amusing thing about it was that before installing it on the VPC I installed Adaware as I wanted to see if Nuker tried to delete adaware - well it does cite adaware cookie as spyware & to be removed.

I have now installed spyware on the VPC as well to see what it comes up with re adaware & nuker.

Anyway, the conclusions esp about the way this software installs itself and the tone of the parent web site, is that this is a new breed of application called

"Suckerware" (if you willingly download it and install it)
Cheers

Doug Marker

#2

From the link you provided I also obtained the spybot pgm (SpyHunter won't delete unless you pay - with spybot I donated $10US via paypal). I have used Spybot before & found it very usefull.

It seems that a lot of the adware/spyware programs replace core modules in the os - what I need to do now to backtrack on any past such incursions (I often get messages to do with disk not being mounted & am sure it is as a result of unintentionally downloading spy/ad-ware. The ideal program would scan all OS modules & identify ones that aren't original or part of an SP pack or approved package.
Expand Edited by dmarker March 25, 2004, 07:16:05 PM EST
New Spybot nuked Spyware Nuker incl icon on desktop :-)
Spybot did what AdAware couldn't - it recognised SpywareNuker & wiped out all traces of it (as best as I could tell).


I also took the advice in the linked article, to reactivate 'Ultimate Startup' that also located the rogue starters (Spybot later killed these).

Very useful & helpful episode
#2 some of the benefits I got from this were that Spybot is better than I had previously thought. At one time I suspected it was spyware itself & thus removed it. I went to the author's web site & did my best to satisfy myself that he is genuine - I was impressed at the effect of running it compared to SpyHunter & AdAware.

So my repetoire for each machine is as follows

1) Spybot
2) Ultimate Startup (to quickly look at what is permitted to start)
3) AdAware (to back up Spybot).

I also have a fast desktop (2.6GH + 1GB Ram) with Connectix VPC 5.2 running several VPCs incl a WinXP machine & this is the one I use to explore unknown web sites (I know one web site show to me in HK that is guaranteed to infect your machine with spyware). The benefit of this WinXP VPC is that I have a clone of the disk image & at any time can revert back to an essentially pristine install (as pristine as anything from MS can ever be !!!).

Thanks again for that link it was very helpful.

Doug Marker
Expand Edited by dmarker March 26, 2004, 02:18:27 AM EST
     Spyware Nuker ? - anyone used this ? - (dmarker) - (3)
         Spyware Nuker may in fact BE spyware - (altmann) - (2)
             10 points - go to top of the class :-) - (dmarker)
             Spybot nuked Spyware Nuker incl icon on desktop :-) - (dmarker)

Nature has its own cure for stupidity.
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