Spyware Nuker

[Cricket]

Hello All,
I just bought Spyware Nuker. It seems to be working all right (I had tried
Ad-Adware and it kept freezing up my WinXP machine when "deep scanning" the
registry).

Anyone have any thoughts on Spyware Nuker? After I bought it (just last
week), I thought I heard some rumblings somewhere that it was spyware
itself.

Many thanks,
--Anita

[YK]

Cricket wrote:
> Hello All,
> I just bought Spyware Nuker. It seems to be working all right (I had
> tried Ad-Adware and it kept freezing up my WinXP machine when "deep
> scanning" the registry).
>
> Anyone have any thoughts on Spyware Nuker? After I bought it (just
> last week), I thought I heard some rumblings somewhere that it was
> spyware itself.

Try Google Groups Advanced search:
http://camtech2000.net/Newsletters/a...are_tactic.htm
http://www.safer-networking.org/inde...s/news20030212

[jayjwa]

Cricket wrote:
> Hello All,
> I just bought Spyware Nuker. It seems to be working all right (I had tried
> Ad-Adware and it kept freezing up my WinXP machine when "deep scanning" the
> registry).
>
> Anyone have any thoughts on Spyware Nuker? After I bought it (just last
> week), I thought I heard some rumblings somewhere that it was spyware
> itself.
>
> Many thanks,
> --Anita
>
>

Yup. I had it and had big troubles when I used Windows back then.
They make multiple connects with their "phone-home" server. I'd imagine
that's why it's freezing, it's doing something something that is most
likely been patched up. If you read below, you will see that they like
to "auto-update" your computer. Well, how can they "auto-update" it with
the remote execution of code? You certainly do not go to them and let
them do it, it happens automagically, without you knowing about it.
(Read: exploit!!!)
Did you read their liscensing agreement carefully? They almost TELL
you it is right there. I slammed these #$#@'s on my website long ago,
here's a part quoted directly from there liscensing agreement (or
whatever it is) and the the "english" translation underneath it. I used
to have a big problem with Spyware/Adware/Tracking Cookies?Webbeacons
etc, etc, etc,... I first deleted all of Internet Explorer (because it
is so vulerable to anyone that wants to monkey with it on a website),
started using Mozilla (no Pop-ups, and full control of cookies + far
fewer security issues), then finally just got tired of my computer doing
crap behind my back, connecting here and there (when I AM THE ONE that
is paying for MY online TIME, not the Spyware/Adware companies), and
being a target and just decided to move straight on over to Linux.
Bye-bye Spyware/Adware/virus/worms/microsoft/"auto-updates" and god
knows what else...

Here's the clip from their documentation, I too once had this program on
my computer. Check it out and read carefully.... Sneaky, no? Sorry about
the html, I didn't want to link out of this news group.

<br><h1>Spyware: attacks on your computer</h1>
> <br><p>
> <strong>From "Spyware Nuker"'s Licensing Agreement:</strong><br>
> <i>" You acknowledge that "Trek Blue" may, at <b>their</b> sole
> discretion and <b>for any purpose, provide updates, automatic
> or otherwise</b>, to the "Trek Blue" Program(s) (including but
> not limited to the advertising or other value-added software
> and technology described in paragraph 4, below); by your use
> of the "Trek Blue" Program(s) you acknowledge your desire to
> receive these updates."....."You acknowledge that the "Trek Blue"
> <b>Program(s) include technology which allows "Trek Blue" to
> provide auto-updates to the software directly to your computer</b>...<br>
> to make sure you are always running the most current version
> of the software. By installing, downloading, copying, updating
> or otherwise using the "Trek Blue" Program(s), you specifically
> agree to<b> include and/or accept the noted software and
> technology through which "Trek Blue" provides upgrades to
> your computer.</b>"<br></i>
> <br>

Did you get that? Let's look at this legal word-salad a little closer, huh?

"may, at THEIR sole discretion" and "provide"..."automatic
updates"..."including but not limited to ADVERTISING or other
VALUE-ADDED software (Read: Third Party applications, who knows what???)
"by your use of " (the program) "You acknowledge that the "Trek Blue"
Program(s) include technology which allows "Trek Blue" to provide
AUTO-UPDATES to the software DIRECTLY TO YOUR COMPUTER" "
you specifically agree to include and/or accept the noted software and
TECHNOLOGY THROUGHT WHICH "Trek Blue" provides "UPGRADES" to your computer.

Are you OK with that?
> Of course, they don't tell you this directly. But it doesn't say
> they can't; and in the world of legal contracts if it doesn't say
> that you can not, then they most certainly can and definately will.
> This program makes mutiple writes to your windows registery.
> Even if you delete the program, and don't accept the agreement,
> the changes to your system remain. This is an actual scenerio,
> taken from the setup licensing agreement preluding the program.<br>


Nice. In plain English, you WILL allow their adware to do what it wants
and advertise to you as it wants. They will change what they want to on
your computer when and how they want to, because you supposedly AGREED
to when you took in their little "trojan-horse". (This will most likely
be via an exploit in IE, or to do with RPC

Dump the idiots. Mail them a nasty letter letting them know you ain't
their slave.
I understand the majority of Windows users ain't gonna run out and get
Linux like I did, but if you must stay with Windows, I recommend
Spysweeper by Webroot (free, caught lots of spies for me...), Mozilla in
place of IE, a mail reader that reads in plain-text only with out
preview and that doesn't auto-run _anything_, and a good firewall. Those
kept me out of harm's way.

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[Andrew Clover]

Cricket <wschmidt@nospam.hvc.rr.com> wrote:

> I just bought Spyware Nuker.

Bad luck.

> I thought I heard some rumblings somewhere that it was spyware itself.

It's not - or at least, no-one has caught it attempting spyware-like
behaviour - but it *is* made by a company that makes, controls
and distributes spyware. (See InContext/AdGoblin, BlueHavenMedia,
historical links to Lions' Pride/Rankyou, etc.)

Additionally, Patrick Kolla has claimed to have found telltales from his
original spyware target database in Spyware Nuker's. I haven't
verified this personally, but if it's the word of the author of one
of the most widely-trusted free security applications against that
of a company whose business model is installing spyware, I know
who I'm going to give most credence to.

--
Andrew Clover
mailto:and@doxdesk.com
http://www.doxdesk.com/

[jayjwa]

Andrew Clover wrote:

> It's not - or at least, no-one has caught it attempting spyware-like
> behaviour -

Wrong. You don't belive that long post I posted yesterday? I don't make
this up for fun, that really happened. And this other person saying the
same only gives credit to what I say. Spyware, 100%.


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[Andrew Clover]

jayjwa <jayjwa@hotspam.microsoftsux.suk> wrote:

> Wrong. You don't belive that long post I posted yesterday?

Wasn't available at my feed at the time of posting, but FWIW your post does
not actually describe the software as spyware - for values X of "spyware"
where X is equal to spying on you.

The software has a highly objectionable licensing agreement, a silent auto-
update feature which could reasonably be considered an unacceptable
security risk, and an onerous activation scheme. Additionally its marketing
is questionable and its target database is alleged to be ripped off. *But*:
it has not itself been shown to leak user data.

SN is sufficiently awful that I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, but
let's be accurate with language here: software isn't automatically 'spyware'
just because we don't like it.

--
Andrew Clover
mailto:and@doxdesk.com
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