Hi everybody. I've just received a newsletter in my e-mail provided by a respectable software developer (I'm in no way related to him, just as a user of some of his freeware programs) and I think it's good idea to share it. Hope it will be useful. Here's a transcript: A New Spyware Tactic? I don’t usually publish a Newsletter unless I have a new program to release but in this case I think it’s more than warranted. Thanks goes out to JoeComputer for alerting me about this one. A program called Spyware Nuker was recently released boasting it can remove Spyware and Adware from your PC that others may leave behind. After testing this I was very surprised by what I found. Am I calling this Spyware? Read on for the results of mt tests and you can decide. What first caught my attention is that you have to first download a small installer that downloads and installs the main file. As a software developer I can tell you that it’s twice the work to create a file to download a file and unnecessary in my opinion. Most that do this will download to a temporary directory, install the program and then delete the main file. The only reason I see for this is if someone didn’t want you to have or see the main file. I managed to get it anyway and found that their files were compressed by a little known compressor and aren’t readable by standard Windows means. Is there something to hide? Here are a few excerpts from their 5 page license agreement: "You acknowledge that "Trek Blue" may, at their sole discretion and for any purpose, provide updates, automatic or otherwise, to the "Trek Blue" Program(s) including but not limited to the advertising or other value-added software and technology. By installing, downloading, copying, updating or otherwise using the "Trek Blue" Program(s), you specifically agree to include and/or accept the noted software and technology through which "Trek Blue", its subsidiaries, affiliates, partners, divisions, and clients provide value-added upgrades and applications to your computer." In other words, they can install anything they want, anytime they want without informing you “including but not limited to advertising or other value-added software and technology” on your PC. "You acknowledge that you desire to receive value-added content and applications as a condition to using the "Trek Blue" Program(s)." Translation: We’re covering our butts so you can’t sue us. On running a Domain name check I found that the Domain http://www.spywarenuker.com is actually owned by the following advertising company that according to them “specializes in integrated marketing, media branding and online advertising technologies” Domain Name: SPYWARENUKER.COM Organization: Lions Pride Enterprises, Inc. 1959 Palomar Oaks Way - 3rd Floor Carlsbad, CA 92009 US Phone: (760) 496-1600 Fax..: (760) 496-1601 Email: webmaster@lionsprideenterprises.com Web Site: http://lionsprideenterprises.com/ How about that? A Spyware removal program owned by an advertising company that specializes in installing Spyware/Adware on Computers. What’s wrong with this picture? I found this on the Spyware Nuker web site: “Some LSP products may overwrite system files such as wsock32.dll” The file wsock32.dll is written by Microsoft and it’s used to connect you to the Internet and you can't connect without it. Why would they need to overwrite that? As far as that goes, why does a program installed on your PC to scan for files even need to be connected to the Internet to be used? Again, it must be there to download and install their “advertising or other value-added software and technology”. JoeComputer and I both use Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware regularly (still the best in my opinion) and Spyware Nuker did find 6 more files it tagged as Spyware/Adware. The only problem is that they were wrong on all 6 counts and removing some caused problems. These were perfectly legitimate files and definitely not Spyware. One example is that it tagged a .dll in Microsoft Money as Spyware and quarantined it. After that any time My Computer, My Documents or any other directory was clicked on Windows asked for the MS Money disk. Huh??? Now here’s the kicker, this is Shareware that will show you which files it thinks are Spyware but if you want to remove them you’ll have to fork over $30 to do it. So if I’m right, and I believe I am, not only are they installing Spyware on our PCs but they’re charging us $30 to do it. Does the expression “Brass Balls” ring a bell? As I said at the beginning, am I calling this Spyware? No, I would never say anything like that! (I can also cover my butt) As Bill O’Reilly on The Factor says, “We report the facts and let the audience decide”. Regards, Jerry Campbell http://Camtech2000.net http://Camtech2000.com http://Camtech2000.org

Hi Alvaro, Very interesting indeed! I found some user reviews that were quite interesting themselves. USER REVIEWS Thanks again for the news. Oh by the way they can try and sue me as I will post their deceitful tactics after investigating this further. Take Care and thanks again, Mesich

Great post Alvaro. Everyone who is concerend about spyware/adware should read this. Well, everyone should read it whether they are concerned or not because they **should** be concered. On the security and virus forum there is an interesting thread about CNET and how they have sold out to spyware/adware: http://www.computing.net/security/wwwboard/forum/3509.html

Thanks for taking the time to give us all the heads up! Take care and all the best!

Has anyone had time to check the AD-Aware site and SpyBot site to find out how long before their programs detect this a Spyware? Hee.

I happen to work for the company that acquired SpyWare Nuker from it's previous owners over 2 months ago, and I can say without a doubt that the above post is full of misinformation. This reminds me of those emails that went around telling people thay would make 25 cents for every person they forwarded the email to. There is no spyware or adware in Spyware Nuker. That would be stupid and counter productive, and I can't imagine intelligent folk would even believe this. The end user license agreement states we can provide version updates to Spyware nuker and not what was posted above (read the EULA yourself.) As for download.com reviews, the negative response has been due to our product having a price point while Adaware is a free product. However, our paid version constantly monitors your system like a virus protection application does, so that you can't get infected with spyware/adware while you install software -- the free adaware does not do this -- you can only clean up spyware adware after you have been infected with that version. We are selling thousands of units of our software and download.com represents less than 5% of our overall sales, so we're not too worried about that, and quite frankly expected that kind of response due to Adaware being there. Adaware is a fantastic product, no doubt. Is it better than Spyware nuker -- we don't think so. Do we offer a free version like they do? No. There are some very good anti-virus applications and firewalls available, but both that I run here on my PC I paid for. My point is it's not all about being FREE, and most of the people that complain about that are people we're not going to get as customers anyway. If you want a free product, you can't beat Adaware. I just wanted to clear up the rumor that Spyware nuker is spyware -- absolotely false. Wayne