Spyware 'Rampant' in UK Computers

NewsBot · #1 20th Oct 05, 10:30 PM

The UK has one of the highest rates of computers infected with secret programs that can track what people do with their machines, research shows.

Only Thailand and the US had more infected PCs, found a study by security firm Webroot.

It was released to coincide with a meeting in London of MPs and computer experts to discuss what can be done to combat so-called spyware programs.

These hide themselves on hard drives and can gather information about users.

News source: ieXbeta

Full story: View Here

KingCobra · #2 20th Oct 05, 11:39 PM

I've been working on a spyware & virus infected laptop for a friend for the last 4 hours.

If I got paid, I'd be $RICH$

DoG · #3 21st Oct 05, 01:57 AM

Tell me about it, i did some work for a local company on their computer- 39 problems and only 4 were worms/trojans. The rest was spyware, its a wonder the damn machine started at all

KingCobra · #4 21st Oct 05, 03:21 AM

Hey DoG, it don't help me being a Pent3

Now you know why it's taken over 4 hours. I installed all current and up to date version of SpyBot Search & Destroy, SpywareBlaster, AdAware, and ran HouseCall. Let me say a firewall worked best! Currently I'm doing a DeFrag on it just to help out.

freezer121 · #5 21st Oct 05, 07:53 AM

I do about one a week for the local area - like KingCobra I'd be rich if I charged! The worst I've seen in this village - and I still have the screenshot I took in awe - was 2306 infected files. Where did they all fit???

KingCobra · #6 21st Oct 05, 06:35 PM

Oh, the GOOD OLD DAYS!

KingCobra · #7 22nd Oct 05, 02:22 AM

Accused Spyware Installer Settles Lawsuit

"Greenspan, 32, served as CEO of Intermix from July 2002 to October 2003. Investigators said he directed employees to bundle adware with other free programs and to make the software difficult to remove.

Adware and spyware deliver nuisance pop-up advertisements and can slow and crash personal computers. Spitzer said such programs are fraudulent and threaten to discourage e-commerce."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051020/...pitzer_spyware

Edit - I tried to remove WeatherBug from the laptop I spoke of previously and there was no uninstall under programs or add/remove. I did find an uninstall under c:/Windows/Programs/WeatherBug folder but when I tried to use it I was asked, "Are you sure?" "Please give us another chance" I've never see such a program act like this when you want to uninstall! I continued forward, but of course the uninstall failed. I didn't think they would allow me to uninstall it after acting like that!