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[Me#1You#10]

I recently installed and ran a scan of my system using Microsoft's recently obtained spyware program from Giant software.

I'm pretty paranoid when it comes to PC security (software and hardware firewalls, Ad-Aware, Spybot, Norton Anti-virus) and try to keep my system as secure as I can. However, the MS Spyware beta recognized 5 villains that were not caught by ad-aware or spybot (perhaps they were residuals and I don't believe were active).

Nevertheless, I was somewhat impressed that it managed to catch them and thought others here might like to give it a try...nice GUI as well.

You can check it out at Microsoft Windows Antispyware Beta.

Just as an FYI, here's what it caught on my system....

[1991932]

It's free.

What's the catch?
_________________
Former "War Criminal"

[GoophyDog]

The catch, if you will, is that if you do not pay attention to the install prompts you can inadvertantly start up automatic updates (if not already there), and you can "subscribe" to an anti-spyware network which in itself is sort of a spyware when you think about it.

Not to mention you are required to "register" or validate your microsoft installation.

Is it a good product? Time will tell.

I simply have a bit of heartburn when it comes to Microsoft having this type of power. The cynical in me says that if M$oft doesn't like an application or add-on, they could easily slam a spyware tag to it. M$oft's track record, in my opinion, is just plain terrible.

As I said, time will tell.
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Why ask? Because it needs asking.

[Me#1You#10]

[DaveS]

times. So far it has no founc a single known piece of spyware. I find that strange.

[DaveS]

It has not found a single piece of known spyware.

[Navy wife]

The Microsoft program has not found anything on my machine either. I'm like you all and do not sign up for automatic updates etc.

However, I do run spybot and spyware blaster, and one of these always alerts me when something is detected when I get on a commercial website that is labeled a threat. I always tell it not to download. Don't know if that is what has helped, but my machine seems to be clean lately! I also run lavasoft's ad-aware, winpatrol, and cleanup! Good little programs.

[SBD]

It's still in Beta and is already a target for virus writers.

Virus Writers Target Microsoft Anti-Spyware

Malware aimed at disabling Microsoft Corp.'s anti-spyware product has been discovered by security experts who expect the virus to be the first of many to follow.


By Antone Gonsalves, TechWeb News
Feb. 10, 2005
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=60300219

Malware aimed at disabling Microsoft Corp.'s anti-spyware product has been discovered by security experts who expect the virus to be the first of many to follow.

The Trojan horse, which is also designed to steal online banking passwords from Windows computers, was discovered by security experts at Sophos Plc and Symantec Corp.

The virus, called Troj/BankAsh-A and PWSteal.Bankash.A, disables Microsoft AntiSpyware, which is available only as a beta download from the company's website. The malicious code attempts to suppress warning messages displayed by the product and to delete all files within the program's folder.

Experts believe this virus is only the beginning of what will be a salvo of malware attacks on Microsoft security products.

"It's likely that these attacks will continue," Gregg Mastoras, senior security analyst for Sophos, said Thursday. "This is the beginning of a wave of attempts to undermine the effectiveness of this new product."

Beyond targeting Microsoft, the latest trojan also targets users of online banks in the United Kingdom, such as Barclays, Cahoot, Halifax, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, Nationwide, NatWest and Smile. Stealing online banking passwords has become a priority target for criminals.

The British banking industry has responded to the threat by posting on the web information on how online banking customers can secure their computers.

Microsoft AntiSpyware 1.0 Beta, released in January, is the company's first version of the anti-spyware program it acquired through the purchase in December of Giant Company Software of New York.

Earlier this week, Microsoft announced that it was buying Sybari Software, a maker of antivirus, antispam and content-filtering technologies. Sybari, East Northport, N.Y., is a longtime Microsoft ISV partner that makes security add-ons for Exchange Server and other products.

In an odd twist, security companies that are partners with Microsoft in selling software for Windows computers now find themselves becoming competitors with the Redmond, Wash., software maker. In addition, in related news, anti-virus vendors' stock prices have taken a beating since Tuesday, when Microsoft announced the purchase of Sybari.

In security, however, Microsoft is seen by competitors as the new kid on the block.

"We believe that we have a certain expertise that we've built up for a number of years," Mastoras said. "It's going to be difficult for anyone to come in new and duplicate the level of security that we'll be able to offer."

Copyright © 2004 CMP Media LLC

SBD

[Me#1You#10]

Thanks SBD...good info.