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Spyware Defined
John Stith
Staff Writer
2006-01-13
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The Anti-Spyware Coalition completed its guidelines for providing a common way to classify spyware. Big companies including Microsoft, Symantec, McAfee, AOL, Yahoo and Computer Associates are on in this program. Spyware remains one of the top annoyances on the Internet and has been for quite some time.
 | | Spyware Guidelines Complete |  |
Perhaps the most notorious form of Adware/Spyware to date was the nefarious Sony Rootkit. While most of the companies were fairly limited in their initial response, definitions like they've put together should help solve these problems in the past. The big question to ask though should be: Are these companies the best choices to determine what spyware is and what it isn't?
There are a couple of points to make here which draw into question the credibility of some of the firms involved. First and most recently has to be Symantec. Symantec had a noticeably muted response when the Sony rootkit issue came out. Perhaps the primary reason for that was the fact they had rootkits in their own SystemWorks software. While their intent doesn't appear to have been malicious, they have duty to inform people of the software they load onto a computer.
Then there's Microsoft issue. Back in July, Microsoft changed their own AntiSpyware program and how it dealt with some software from companies some consider questionable. The company in question was Claria, makers of the notorious Gator software that would download into one's PC and wedge in their good. Microsoft changed the status from quarantined to ignore. Alex Eckelberry commented at the time:
"The heart of the problem is philosophy. Why is Claria any different than Hotbar (which is still listed a default action of "Quarantine"). And why is Claria being put into an "Ignore" status in the first place?"
With these issues coming up, it certainly leaves one to question their motivations and their judgement. While most of these companies built stand-up reputations in many ways, they're certainly not spotless. Also consider that as these definitions get more play, companies, like 180Solutions perhaps, will challenge the definitions and push the limits of what they can achieve.
About the Author:
John is a staff writer for SecurityProNews covering cyber security.
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