The list below depicts the spyware threats most frequently identified
by Webroot's Spy Audit, a free spyware scanner tool.
Webroot's dedicated team of expert spyware researchers compiled the
threat background and additional spyware information provided.
Spy Sweeper, Webroot's anti-spyware software, can detect and remove
all of these spyware threats:
Name: CoolWebSearch (CWS)
Description: CoolWebSearch may hijack any of the following: Web
searches, home page, and other Internet Explorer settings. Recent
variants of CoolWebSearch install using malicious HTML applications or
security flaws, such as exploits in the HTML Help format and Microsoft
Java Virtual machines.
Name: Gator (GAIN)
Description: Gator is an adware program that may display banner
advertisements based on user Web surfing habits. Gator is usually
bundled with numerous free software programs, including the popular
file-sharing program Kazaa.
Name: 180search Assistant
Description: 180search Assistant is an adware program that delivers
targeted pop-up advertisements to a user's computer. Whenever a key
word is entered into a search engine or a targeted Web site is
visited, 180search Assistant opens a separate browser window
displaying an advertiser's Web page that is related to the key word or
site.
Name: ISTbar/AUpdate
Description: ISTbar is a toolbar used for searching pornographic web
sites that may display pornographic pop-ups and hijack user homepages
and Internet searches.
Name: Transponder (vx2)
Description: Transponder is an IE Browser Helper Object that monitors
requested web pages and data entered into online forms, then delivers
targeted advertisements.
Name: Internet Optimizer
Description: Internet Optimizer hijacks error pages and redirects them
to its own controlling server at http://www.internet-optimizer.com.
Name: BlazeFind
Description: BlazeFind may hijack any of the following: Web searches,
home page, and other Internet Explorer settings. BlazeFind may
redirect Web searches through its own search engine and change default
home pages to www.blazefind.com. This hijacker may also change other
Internet Explorer settings.
Name: Hot as Hell (one of the worst!)
Description: Hot as Hell is a dialer program which dials toll numbers
in order to access paid pornographic Web sites. Hot as Hell may
disconnect a user's computer from a local Internet provider and
reconnect the user to the Internet using an expensive toll or
international phone number. It spies on the user, and it may
accrue significant long distance phone charges. It may run in the
background, hiding its presence. It often times does not even ask
permission; it simply seizes the user's line and makes credit card
calls to porn sites, based on information it has accumulated such
as credit card numbers, for instance during overnight hours.
Name: Advance Keylogger
Description: Advanced Keylogger has the ability to monitor keystrokes
and take screenshots.
Name: TIBS Dialer
Description: TIBS Dialer is a dialer that may hijack a user's modem
and dial toll numbers that access paid, pornographic Web sites.
Copyright 2005 Webroot Software, Inc.
NOTE: For more telecom/internet/networking/computer news from the
daily media, check out our feature 'Telecom Digest Extra' each day at
http://telecom-digest.org/td-extra/more-news.html . Hundreds of new
articles daily.
*** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. This Internet discussion group is making it available without
profit to group members who have expressed a prior interest in
receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the
understanding of literary, educational, political, and economic
issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. I
believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material
as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish
to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright
owner, in this instance, WebRoot Software.
For more information go to:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml
(no name) ((no email))