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Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
http://www.x404.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=2862		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  pcernie [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:17 am ]
Post subject:  Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/index.c ... d=3202109&

Haven't read this myself yet, but it'll be interesting to see where it goes... Not that it'll really stop this sort of thing happening in the future ;)
Author:  l3v1ck [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
MS are doing something good for the public? Hell just froze over. :lol:

Seriously, this is a good move from MS.
Author:  rustybucket [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure? Wouldn't MS's energies be better directed at their operating system rather than litigation?

Just me then. :?
Author:  gavomatic57 [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:50 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
l3v1ck wrote:
MS are doing something good for the public? Hell just froze over. :lol:

Seriously, this is a good move from MS.


Well, you could look at it that way. On the other hand, this scareware shows up a big hole in their operating systems - first they tell you that your system is insecure (although, it is flawed as they show up on linux and OSX too) and then proves it by installing itself on your system and playing silly buggers with your files. This makes Windows look bad...and by extension, MS too.
Author:  saspro [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
rustybucket wrote:
Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure? Wouldn't MS's energies be better directed at their operating system rather than litigation?

Just me then. :?



The idea of these programs is that after you see the warning box you install it manually by clicking the link.
This could effect users of all systems.
Author:  rustybucket [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 4:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
saspro wrote:
rustybucket wrote:
Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure? Wouldn't MS's energies be better directed at their operating system rather than litigation?

Just me then. :?



The idea of these programs is that after you see the warning box you install it manually by clicking the link.
This could effect users of all systems.

Does this happen with every browser (in vanilla config) or just with IE?
Author:  big_D [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 5:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
rustybucket wrote:
Does this happen with every browser (in vanilla config) or just with IE?

All browsers on all platforms (if JavaScript is enabled).

The malware is probably only aimed at Windows, so will only cause a problem if a user is dumb enough not to spot that it is a web page they are looking at, purporting to be from software they haven't installed and doesn't look anything like their actual malware software... :?
Author:  cloaked_wolf [ Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
rustybucket wrote:
Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure?


But then the security software companies complain about not being able to produce software for Vista, which is what happened. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.
Author:  F_A_F [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 1:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
cloaked_wolf wrote:
rustybucket wrote:
Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure?


But then the security software companies complain about not being able to produce software for Vista, which is what happened. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.


Yup. And if you do make Windows more secure by adding "Do you really want to install this?" bubbles, the wags of the internet start complaining that they are sick of Vista popups and what a crock Vista is.

All I know is on my XP PC, my Mrs was always cliCking one box or another and getting us in the [LIFTED]. Now as soon as she sees the "do you really want to install?" box on Vista, she checks with me first :)
Author:  big_D [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 5:04 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
cloaked_wolf wrote:
rustybucket wrote:
Please don't flame me but wouldn't stopping this phenomenon be better achieved by making Windows more secure?


But then the security software companies complain about not being able to produce software for Vista, which is what happened. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

To be honest, this is social engineering, not a security flaw in Windows... It will only affect the machines of people dumb enough to click through...
Author:  l3v1ck [ Sat Sep 19, 2009 6:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Microsoft takes legal action against scareware
Even if Windows was 99% more secure, you'd still need Anti-Virus for the other 1%. So people not in the know would still fall for this scam.
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