Microsoft introduces FREE (yes FREE) Spyware protection starting TODAY (1 Viewer)

[Ronald Epstein]

Responding to escalating complaints about
viruses and other unwanted programs entering
its Windows OS -- Microsoft has released
FREE software to erase spyware.

Click Here

I downloaded the BETA version this morning. No install
problems other than the fact that it didn't like the
fact I was using FIREFOX to download it -- so I
switched over to Internet Explorer. No big deal.

Before you can download you are asked to verify your
Windows product key, so have that located and ready to
submit. There is an option to bypass verification but
I am unsure if you get the same protection without
verification.

The program remains active in your system tray as
I presume it detects any spyware trying to enter your
computer. Not very happy that it is yet another program
taking up my memory, but it does seem to be an essential
one.

Ran a system scan and it detected over 20 spyware
incidents. Removed all of them with little effort.

I would recommend that everyone download and install
this program, though for some reason I expect there
to be some sort of negative feedback about any program
Microsoft releases for free.

 

[anthony_b]

I installed it yesterday and it found things that went undetected with ad-aware, good tool and easy UI...

 

[Rob Gillespie]

It's free while it's in Beta. Can't see it being free once it goes live. You'll probably find once it does, the updates wont work on Beta editions either.

The software is actually written by Giant who MS just bought out. They charged for it, no reason to think MS wont.

It's just a joke really isn't it. I mean, if it wasn't for the fact that IE is so utterly useless at giving at protection against spyware this type of program would hardly have any market. And then they force you to use IE just download the thing? They're amazing, they really are.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Well, I downloaded it OK without given them my product key.

UI is nice, no surprises there.

Scan found 0 threats in 18403 files, 42 processes and 8868 registry keys.

This is on an machine that was rebuilt six months ago with slipstreamed XP SP2 and is subject to some pretty heavy-use internet browsing. No spyware threats? That's because I use Firefox instead of IE.

Also interesting to see that the app doesn't work on anything prior to Windows 2000. That means they're ignoring those millions of Windows 95 and 98 machines out there hijacked by spyware and malware and chucking out spam and godknows whatelse quite unbeknown to their users.

 

[MikeGee]

I had 17 threats and like 2000+ registry keys affected lol... i think its time someone reformats his computer considering i cant even open IE anymore without it freezing before the first page loads.
Thanks for the link

 

[James_S]

Well that's me. I am still using Win98 SE and I was going to download it but I guess I can't, I will stick with my AdAware.

 

[Bob_Chase]

While you're at it you might want to download the latest, in a never-ending series of critical security patches.

What a joke.

 

[Jason Kirkpatri]

Just thinking out loud:

Why do people get so pissed at MS? I mean, if Apple/Linux, etc, isn't your thing (not for me) and you're only left with having a computer or not having a computer, why complain about something that you choose to use? Seems contradictory - I choose to have a computer but I will complain about it as much as I can because it's not 100% perfect - and MS is the reason, as they provide the OS (valid statement - just not a valid argument, IMO). My computer runs XP, it's not perfect, it does some things that annoy me, but given the choice between this or no computer at all....Sure, MS is the reason it's not perfect but so long as people are intent on crashing the System (Microsoft), will it ever be perfect?

My house cost way more than my computer, and my house sure isn't perfect, but I don't rant about it every chance I get. A computer is not a house, I realize this. But perfection isn't present in my house that costs thousands of dollars, or my car that also costs thousands of dollars. Why should my computer be perfect? I guess it's all relative and this is just my thoughts. I personally see no reason to live to dispell/rant/vent about a company that provides a choice that I choose to excersise, even if that choice is all or nothing.

Spy-bot does the job for me so I'll check this beta out, but I'll probably just stick with what is (currently) working for me. Thanks for the link, Ron.

 

[Harold Southard]

I use ad-aware and spybot. This is ok, but far from great. Before you say ad-aware andor spybot miss something, make sure your up to date. You need to run the update everytime you use it. I have other spyware removers also that I use from time to time to get some of the harder to remove items off my hd.

 

[aaron campbell]

I like it. Working good so far.

 

[Christ Reynolds]

i completely agree with jason's post. people like to get on the back of the giant. MS sure isnt perfect, but they are making tons of money, and they have a central (stereotypical computer geek) figure to direct all their anger/frustration at. i dont mind windows, but i'm in the process of learning linux and making windows my secondary OS, instead of the other way around. i think people bash MS all the time are really just directing their anger at the wrong place, they are probably angry with themselves for not being bold enough to try something new.

CJ

 

[MarkHastings]

Did you check the names of the reg keys? I forget what they show up as, but a lot of spy-ware software will detect cookies as possible threats and since most people have legitimate cookies, a lot of those instances might not be "threats".

Although 2000+ may be too many to go through, but I once just deleted all of them and started over again with my web browser cookies (i.e. entering all of my passwords again).

 

[Neil Joseph]

This is interesting. I am currently using adaware se and was wondering just how easy it is to de-install adaware (completely) and if so, what tips can you give.

 

[Wayne Bundrick]

I wouldn't rule out Microsoft making the finished product available as a free download. It wouldn't be the first time they bought a company and folded its product into the OS.

And it seems I'm not the only one who is rubbed the wrong way by the idea that Microsoft is considering charging people to fix the problems Microsoft themselves have enabled with their own ridiculous design decisions. So this is one that Microsoft really should just give away and write off the cost as a PR expense.

I downloaded it and tried it out, it seems like a pretty slick program, but my system is clean so it's not a good example. I want to see it do battle against a BHO that spawns multiple processes that watch each other's backs to block their removal. I've had to deal with some really nasty shit four or five times on other people's computers, it was rooted in so bad I've had to boot into Recovery Console to kill the files once I managed to discover what their names were.

Ironically, today I downloaded and installed Firefox and Thunderbird because I was curious to try the tabbed browsers that Firefox has, having recently had 30 IE windows open at once in a wild goose chase to find some info I needed.

 

[Vince Maskeeper]

I kept Adaware and Spybot 100% up to date and the MS solution still found stuff the others didn't. The MS solution has pounded adaware and spybot in every review/comparison I have read.

-V

 

[NickT]

It is important to note that MS Antispyware is a BETA program that is still undergoing testing. There are some false positives that it has come up with so far, including one that will break your internet connection. If you have webhancer adware and the MS Atispyremoves it, it won't do it the proper way and delete an important dll from the LSP stack and you won't be able to get onto the Internet.

Also reported here

Ad Aware had the same problem about two years ago with webhancer, but that has been long since resolved. If you do find webhancer on your computer, the easiest thing is to use Ad Aware SE. Here is more info on webhancer and how it can kill your Internet connection as well as fixes that you can do. http://www.cexx.org/webhancer.htm Only try this if you have a problem. Don't do anything with the LSP fix unless you already have a broken Net connection. Messing around in the LSP stack without knowing what you are doing can cause serious problems...

On another note, MS Antispy Beta doesn't look for tracking cookies, so the poster with 2000 results does have some serious problems. I would Ad Aware and Spybot Search & Destroy and they should clean up most of the garbage.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

If it removed Internet Explorer it would truly be a great malicious software remover.

 

[John Watson]

"If it removed Internet Explorer it would truly be a great malicious software remover"

As a de facto world standard for computers and communication, Microsoft's dominance is a great misfortune.

Very profitable for Chairman Bill, but overly complex, and dangerous to boot.

The only hint of a better side of this story that I have ever heard, is that MS may be developing a basic system for use in societies not plagued by affluence. But I'll wait to see it before I believe.

 

[Bob_Chase]

Does anyone here enjoy worrying about spy-ware, or downloading security patches on a bi-weekly basis, or which virus has infected the PC today?

With the "tons of money" they're making you'd expect them to protect the end user. But they're not. This is why people bash MS. And personally, I derive no enjoyment from doing so.

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I don't have any issue with their security patches because on the whole, they do their job.

The only real MS-bashing you'll hear from me concerns IE. Internet Explorer itself is a security hole. It gets compromised hundreds of thousands of times a day and hijacked by all manner of shite. All because they don't lock the security down, they let Active X controls run with the same priviliges as the current user. It doesn't prompt the user about software that's about to change the homepage, or add a toolbar or godknows what else and it seems quite willing to let anything in regardless of source. IE sucks and the single most effecitve way to not pick up all this spyware/adware/malware junk is to not run it and use Firefox, Mozilla or Opera instead.

So please, run the spyware checker. Get your system clean then do yourself a favour and stop using IE!.