Can someone give us an example where this tool would make a difference? i mean...if your already running an up to date AV software...why would MS bother releasing this? are there any benefits?
Tek-Tips is the largest IT community on the Internet today!
Members share and learn making Tek-Tips Forums the best source of peer-reviewed technical information on the Internet!
-
Congratulations wOOdy-Soft on being selected by the Tek-Tips community for having the most helpful posts in the forums last week. Way to Go!
Microsoft's NEW Malware Removal Tool
- Thread starter brendaluv
- Start date
erikhertzel
MIS
Hi!
Because AV software does not pick up several varients of spyware/malware/adware that Antispyware, Spybot, etc...does. It's a completely different world from malware spyware to regular viruses. Most AV products will not pick up these problems. Hope that helps.
Erik
Because AV software does not pick up several varients of spyware/malware/adware that Antispyware, Spybot, etc...does. It's a completely different world from malware spyware to regular viruses. Most AV products will not pick up these problems. Hope that helps.
Erik
erikhertzel
MIS
Oh, plus using this protects you from getting Reinfected and immunizes your machine against the specific spyware threats that tradational AV products are picking up.
Erik
Erik
MasterRacker
Active member
I would amplify Erik's comments from "several varieties". Traditional Anti-Virus programs pick up almost NO spyware. They are very different animals and require a different toolset.
[purple]Jeff
It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
[purple]Jeff
It's never too early to begin preparing for [/purple]International Talk Like a Pirate Day
Heya Brenda,
As the others have stated this is part of a "new" beast. Over the passed several years several advertising companies/programs have begun to pop up that installs software on your system without consent. Or through an exploit in security browsers.
These programs are responsible for "random" pop-ups (generally based on web habits), tracking of online habits, and general nuisance activities. You've probably seen several versions of spyware already (Gator, Bonzi Buddy are just two examples).
In response to this several programs have been created to check for and remove spyware/adware.
Spybot
Adaware
Microsoft's Beta (Formerly GIANT)
Microprose
Spysweeper
These programs are not "malicious" in intent but cause general problems and havoc for users (Eating bandwidth and random pop-ups). Not to mention that many users feel it is an invasion of privacy to track how they spend their time online without express consent.
As the others have stated this is part of a "new" beast. Over the passed several years several advertising companies/programs have begun to pop up that installs software on your system without consent. Or through an exploit in security browsers.
These programs are responsible for "random" pop-ups (generally based on web habits), tracking of online habits, and general nuisance activities. You've probably seen several versions of spyware already (Gator, Bonzi Buddy are just two examples).
In response to this several programs have been created to check for and remove spyware/adware.
Spybot
Adaware
Microsoft's Beta (Formerly GIANT)
Microprose
Spysweeper
These programs are not "malicious" in intent but cause general problems and havoc for users (Eating bandwidth and random pop-ups). Not to mention that many users feel it is an invasion of privacy to track how they spend their time online without express consent.
- Thread starter
- #6
symantec seems to think that there AV product can detect and remove spyware :
from link
<Symantec Client Security and Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition will automatically detect and remove spyware, as well as provide integrated fix tools and repair damage caused by these threats (please see separate press release issued today, "Symantec Announces Enterprise-Class Anti-Spyware Solutions"). >
from link
<Symantec Client Security and Symantec AntiVirus Corporate Edition will automatically detect and remove spyware, as well as provide integrated fix tools and repair damage caused by these threats (please see separate press release issued today, "Symantec Announces Enterprise-Class Anti-Spyware Solutions"). >
It (Symantec) doesn't. That's why we all have spy bot and run it every so often.
A lot of the back door spyware programs don't come on email but through an open DSL connection. The worst of these are key loggers and DSO type programs which are enabled by flaws in Microsoft. While pop ups are annoying, someone gathering watching your activity for possible credit card numbers is grave, and someone gathering information from your files is pretty bad. While you can get patches for the MS weak spots (DSO stopper seems to have stopped a recent rash of those), it is possible that this program patches registry gaffs as well as seeks and destroys. Just a guess of course.
I haven't checked that out yet, but I assume it updates itself and thus is able to apply patches from time to time. Going there now. Thanks for the pointer.
A lot of the back door spyware programs don't come on email but through an open DSL connection. The worst of these are key loggers and DSO type programs which are enabled by flaws in Microsoft. While pop ups are annoying, someone gathering watching your activity for possible credit card numbers is grave, and someone gathering information from your files is pretty bad. While you can get patches for the MS weak spots (DSO stopper seems to have stopped a recent rash of those), it is possible that this program patches registry gaffs as well as seeks and destroys. Just a guess of course.
I haven't checked that out yet, but I assume it updates itself and thus is able to apply patches from time to time. Going there now. Thanks for the pointer.
- Status