Spyware is illegal?

[Boardin087]

whats the deal with spyware. Everyone is sick of it and there are a few LARGE contributors to it. why are these companies not sued. Can there be no legal action agaisnt them. Sorry i jsut find it rediculous that all kinds of junk can go on to my computer if left ungaurded..... that i personally didn't download.

[neomage2021]

*Most* of the spyware/adware is listed or refered to in the EULA on the website or software it come in and by agreeing to the EULA you have agreed to having the spyware/adware on your computer.

[zombiebeat]

Yeah like the man says when u click "OK I agree to your shit" when installing a new prog and it installs spyware you've legally agreed to it.

You can't install a prog without the click and so you're stuck...

Swear to god these guys have big retainers on mafia lawyers when encoding their shit.

[Flipside]

Though off topic - Just run Spybot frequently and be done with it all...

[tim_m]

spybot and adaware both should be run for maximum spyware kickthecrapoutofness

[Hyper_Psycho]

ad adware scan every week .... it keeps your computer happy

[DevilMan]

Yeah sure you are saying I agree to install your software I downloaded but not the shit that is attached that you do not know is there.

Then there is the spyware that cannot be uninstalled without being some sort of programmer (CommonName to name one). That thing about renders your system useless.

Smart people can recognize what is not healthy for your system and stay away from it. The average everyday user is in trouble because they just trust way to much and do not spend enough time on the computer to know what is out there and what can harm them.

[defcom_1]

That's why I hate spyware. Hopefully it'll become a big enough problem that legislation is introduced that'll let us neuter the bastards. :p (or force them to run all their spyware on their own computers!)

[Qualm]

Well, perhaps someday there will be a Global Treaty Amongst All Nations Including Lower Kreblokistan and North Purrmania Outlawing Spyware For The Greater Good of all Humankind, signed and ratified by Every Corrupt Oligopoly and Quasi-Dictatorship listed therein, vigorously enforced by heroic cadres of nigh-omniscient & omnipotent WebCops!(tm) acting on behalf of the International Court for Spyware, Virus, Trojan, and Spammail Justice ...

But I'm not holding my breath.

- Qualm

[emorphien]

Originally posted by DevilMan
Yeah sure you are saying I agree to install your software I downloaded but not the shit that is attached that you do not know is there.


Exaclty, thats what really gets me shitting sideways. Technically if they have it listed then you have to deal with the consequences when you hit accept, but many programs that install the shit you don't want hide the other components that will be installed. This should not be legal, yet nobody has done anything about it. :confused:

[Ice Czar]

everything that is not proscribed is mandatory eh? (http://print.google.com/print/doc?isbn=0195107853)

no thanks, there are more laws, codes and rules than any one person can keep track of now

laws rarely solve problems

example spam, now that spam is illegal (to one degree or another) its gone underground (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/2987558.stm) a much more malicious problem to the user

use information as the weapon against spyware
Spybot and Adaware are reasonably good aps
but Id highly recommend you become familiar with
your legitimate processes, registry entries, Browser Helper Objects, and Programs. Exactly what starts up on boot and use a registry monitor

HijackThis (http://mjc1.com/mirror/hjt/) (Freeware)
RegistryProt 2.0 (http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=regprot) (Freeware)

In addition understand the vulnerabilities that Active X, JavaScripts, and Visual Basic Scripts ect pose

a few more freeware patches & aps

HTAstop (http://www.nsclean.com/htastop.html)
shut down Microsoft's "HTA" (Hypertext Application) capabilities in any version of Windows. It also permits you to UNblock HTA should it be required momentarily and then turn it right back off once you've used any necessary "legitimate" HTA applications downloaded from a website. "HTA" is a part of Microsoft's "VBS Scripting Host" capabilities which is provided with Internet Explorer and other Microsoft products.

DSOstop2 (http://www.nsclean.com/dsostop.html)
Exploit Description: Executing arbitrary commands without Active Scripting or ActiveX (http://security.greymagic.com/adv/gm001-ie/)

WSH Anti-Polymorphism Patch (http://www.diamondcs.com.au/index.php?page=patch1)
To prevent Windows Scripts (such as VBScript and Javascript) from being able to read/write themselves, making Windows Script polymorphism nearly impossible through conventional means.

Script Defender (http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/system/sdefend.htm)
"AnalogX Script Defender will intercept any request to execute the most common scripting types used in virus attacks, such as Visual Basic Scripting (.VBS), Java Script (.JS), etc and can even be configured to intercept new script extensions as needed

and or simply Disable (http://www.sophos.com/support/faqs/wsh.html) or Remove (http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/venc/data/win.script.hosting.html) Windows Script Hosting (WSH)