Shame On Lavasoft

Sjaak · Feb 15, 2005

Many of you will know and use the program ad-aware which has been famous for thoroughly cleaning out a computers registry and file system of 'evil' software.

However, it seems something has changed. According to This Source Ad-aware systematically skips files from the adware company WhenU. In ad-aware's definition files from earlier then 29 december, WhenU would still be signed as malicious and to-be-removed, but in definitions of a more recent date it isn't, eg. the files and programs from that company are left on the pc. The same happened for the anti-spyware program Pest Patrol

Its hard to translate from dutch for me, but it comes down to the suspection that Lavasoft and possible other companies have made a deal with an adware producing company to leave their software alone...

theMonster · Feb 15, 2005

WhenU? As in WhenU gonna quit using that glorified cookie deleter called AdAware?

Sjaak · Feb 15, 2005

As in, the suspection that Lavasoft is being paid by adware companies to skip their software in the ad-aware malicious databases.

JerMe · Feb 16, 2005

Thanks for the info. It's always good practice to have multiple scanners, so if Lavasoft won't catch it, then Spybot, Spysweeper, or Giant hopefully will.

thegreek · Feb 16, 2005

JerMe said:
so if Lavasoft won't catch it, then Spybot, Spysweeper, or Giant hopefully will.

that's what I'm talking about

9mmCensor · Feb 16, 2005

psss. just be smart and dont install spyware.

TUK101 · Feb 16, 2005

9mmCensor said:
psss. just be smart and dont install spyware.

Then that pretty much means staying off from the internet.

TollhouseFrank · Feb 16, 2005

95% of spyware/malware/name-it-ware can be avoided by smart useage of your compy and the net. However, i HAVE run into problems with people embedding it in a program i really wanted, or embedding it in a javascript. Those are 99.9% of the ones i get.

Mr.Guvernment · Feb 16, 2005

^^ ever since i switched to firefox i installed spybot after about 2 months of usage - it found 1 spyware which was a tracking cookie and the usual windows DOS problem.

and i visit more then my share of sites that try to install crap (no-cd patch sites)

Sjaak · Feb 16, 2005

Let's stay on topic.

I read the article on tweakers.net more thoroughly. It seems that lavasoft carries the argument that WhenU suddenly 'no longer poses a spyware threat to the user, therefor it doesn't need to be removed' (eg. they de-classed it as spyware).

Its weird that they didn't gave an official note about it untill someone noticed...Also, two forum threads (on their official forums) about it were removed..reason: 'something went wrong while merging two threads'

WhenU was recently raised in 'ad-ware status', the makers of Aluria's Security Center included it in their malware database not too long ago. That makes the Lavasoft reasons sound kinda weird...

Oni · Feb 16, 2005

9mmCensor said:
psss. just be smart and dont install spyware.

95% of my clients barely know how to turn their computers on, let alone know that most things on the internet are malicious.

MonroeM · Feb 16, 2005

^^Ain't it the truth?

Sjaak · Feb 16, 2005

ghettocomp · Feb 16, 2005

I was wondering why I Had to remove all the WhenU by hand lately!
I'm wondering what else they have 'forgotten'

Sjaak · Feb 16, 2005

ghettocomp said:
I'm wondering what else they have 'forgotten'

Or skipped on purpose? If it turns out they actually got paid for it by WhenU or any affiliated company, it can turn out really bad for Lavasoft.

Oni · Feb 16, 2005

I just lost a whole lot of faith in Lavasoft. Ad-Aware was the premier free spyware removal tool. Something everybody could use to stop annoying popups or spyware that grinds your computer to a halt. Now they've sold out. Even if they reneg and start scanning for this particular piece of badware, I don't know if I'll ever be truely able to trust the job that their software is doing.

Super Nade · Feb 16, 2005

Allow me to add my 0.02 here.
This is disgusting if true, simply because you are paying for non-existent protection.
I may have to warn my University authorities about this. I personally don't use Adaware because it cannot coexist with the XP on my system. Spybot is way better and more stable IMO. Frankly though, I think I'm smart enough to avoid clicking on "I agree" blindly

Skeen · Feb 16, 2005

Yeah but like you said (Oni) it is free. I may stop using a program that doesn't do its job or isn't reliable, but I'm not going to be filled with righteous indignation about it. I mean, they don't owe me anything.

I.M.O.G. · Feb 16, 2005

but they charge people for it also skeen, thats the point - the scanner we are using for free is the same scanner other people pay for, and still not be protected by.

Skeen · Feb 16, 2005

I see, yes I'd be ****ed too. I know its beside the point but why would people pay for it? Is it sort of like the way you could pay for 3dMark if you want to? Are there added functions?

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