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Kazaa And Others Flunk Badware Test
Jason Lee Miller
Staff Writer
2006-03-24
 Security News RSS Feed
StopBadware.org, a consumer protection initiative developed to combat spyware, released its first Badware Watch List report since the organization's launch in January of this year. Kazaa, MediaPipe, SpyAxe, and Waterfalls 3 all flunked.
The organization, comprised of experts from Harvard and Oxford, and a slew of corporate contributors, found that:
KaZaa, a peer-to-peer file-sharing program that "misleadingly" advertises itself as spyware-free, makes undisclosed changes to Internet Explorer, and does not completely remove all of its components during the uninstallation process.
MediaPipe, identifies itself as a Download Manager. MediaPipe does not fully disclose what it is installing and does not completely remove all components and obligations during the uninstallation process.
SpyAxe, advertises itself as a spyware removal program. StopBadware.org found it to be badware due to inadequate disclosure during the installation process, the failure to remove itself completely during uninstallation, and repeated, difficult-to-avoid requests to purchase the full version of the product.
Waterfalls 3, is a screensaver, and includes components that are generally considered spyware, and modifies other software without disclosure.
"Today, we're shining the spotlight on four applications pointed out by consumers that failed our test for badware in our lab," said John Palfrey, co-director of StopBadware.org and Executive Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard Law School.
"Our intention is for these reports to help consumers make a more informed decision before they download one of these applications. And we hope our work will encourage these and other application developers to clean up their act."
According to a recent Pew Internet & American Life Project, roughly 59 million American adults today have badware on their computers. Problems related to badware forced home computer users to spend roughly $3.5 billion in 2003 and 2004 to replace or repair their hardware, according to Consumer Reports.
Internet users can visit StopBadware.org to check whether programs they want to download are infected with badware and alert others to programs they have encountered that include malicious software such as spyware, incessant pop-up ads or other obtrusive programs.
View the full report about these four applications here.
About the Author:
Jason is a graduate of the University of Kentucky. He covers business, technology, and security issues.
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