Maelstrom2160
01-11-2005, 05:30 AM
article from comp shopper
As previously announced, Microsoft has now placed the anti-spyware tools it acquired last month when it bought Giant Software.
Now that Windows XP Service Pack 2 has blocked many, although not all, of the vulnerabilities open to virus writers, spyware is set to become the biggest headache for end-users in 2005. The purchase of Giant Software is Microsoft's attempt to secure Windows from spyware before it reaches epidemic proportions, although some experts think that many computers already have dozens of pieces of spyware installed.
Depending on your definition, spyware ranges from tracking cookies set by advertising companies to software that hijacks your computer and applications (usually Internet Explorer) to display annoying ads. At its most serious, spyware can be used to monitor user activity to gather sensitive personal data.
The Windows anti-spyware beta consists of scanning software to check a system for infections and a 'security agent' that, Microsoft says, monitors 59 checkpoints at the Internet, system and application level on your computer and blocks any infection attempt.
Acknowledging that new spyware threats, like new viruses, are emerging every day, Microsoft has included an
automatic updater which downloads new spyware signatures daily. As part of the strategy of blocking new spyware as soon as it emerges, users can set a particular time of day to scan for new infections.
There is the choice of a full system scan, which includes memory, disk drives and deep search in folders, or an 'intelligent scan' of recently altered files.
Users can also subscribe to SpyNet, which Microsoft refers to as an 'anti-spyware community'. The idea is that if a new threat is identified by the anti-sypware suite on a PC, the information will be fed back to Microsoft, anonymously apparently, and all other machines in the SpyNet network are automatically alerted.
One of the most annoying features of spyware - and one which has proved a valuable recruiting sergeant for Firefox - is browser hijacking. Often spyware will reset the home page to one of the spyware's choosing, generate browser windows containing ads and even add their own toolbars - often blocking the user from resetting the options. Microsoft now allows you to reset the Internet Explorer defaults, overriding any changes that may have been made.
Finally, the tracks eraser automatically clears the history of commonly used document viewers like browsers, Adobe Acrobat and toolbars.
A word of warning though. Microsoft has labelled the software 'beta' which means it is not providing technical support other than saying it should be removed if it is causing problems.
The Microsoft anti-spyware beta is available from its downloads site.
Steve Malone
http://www.computershopper.co.uk/?news/news_story.php?id=67725
As previously announced, Microsoft has now placed the anti-spyware tools it acquired last month when it bought Giant Software.
Now that Windows XP Service Pack 2 has blocked many, although not all, of the vulnerabilities open to virus writers, spyware is set to become the biggest headache for end-users in 2005. The purchase of Giant Software is Microsoft's attempt to secure Windows from spyware before it reaches epidemic proportions, although some experts think that many computers already have dozens of pieces of spyware installed.
Depending on your definition, spyware ranges from tracking cookies set by advertising companies to software that hijacks your computer and applications (usually Internet Explorer) to display annoying ads. At its most serious, spyware can be used to monitor user activity to gather sensitive personal data.
The Windows anti-spyware beta consists of scanning software to check a system for infections and a 'security agent' that, Microsoft says, monitors 59 checkpoints at the Internet, system and application level on your computer and blocks any infection attempt.
Acknowledging that new spyware threats, like new viruses, are emerging every day, Microsoft has included an
automatic updater which downloads new spyware signatures daily. As part of the strategy of blocking new spyware as soon as it emerges, users can set a particular time of day to scan for new infections.
There is the choice of a full system scan, which includes memory, disk drives and deep search in folders, or an 'intelligent scan' of recently altered files.
Users can also subscribe to SpyNet, which Microsoft refers to as an 'anti-spyware community'. The idea is that if a new threat is identified by the anti-sypware suite on a PC, the information will be fed back to Microsoft, anonymously apparently, and all other machines in the SpyNet network are automatically alerted.
One of the most annoying features of spyware - and one which has proved a valuable recruiting sergeant for Firefox - is browser hijacking. Often spyware will reset the home page to one of the spyware's choosing, generate browser windows containing ads and even add their own toolbars - often blocking the user from resetting the options. Microsoft now allows you to reset the Internet Explorer defaults, overriding any changes that may have been made.
Finally, the tracks eraser automatically clears the history of commonly used document viewers like browsers, Adobe Acrobat and toolbars.
A word of warning though. Microsoft has labelled the software 'beta' which means it is not providing technical support other than saying it should be removed if it is causing problems.
The Microsoft anti-spyware beta is available from its downloads site.
Steve Malone
http://www.computershopper.co.uk/?news/news_story.php?id=67725