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aBenG
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 Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 3:57 am Post subject: Browzar news |
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5310114.stm
Looks like another waste-of-space IE front end.
From the article:
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| Mr Ahmed said at the time of its release: "Although it's possible to delete history folders and empty cache with existing internet browsers, the majority of internet users worldwide don't have the time or expertise to do this." |
But it is so easy to do without Browzar's 'help'... 
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ld
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| Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:01 am Post subject: |
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I guess this company sent out a press release this past week because all of a sudden every new site seems to have an article on them. It is just a wrapper for IE. One person on full-disclosure did a quick test to see if cleaned up index.dat and it does not. So it doesn't even thoroughly clean your browsing history. What is the point of this software then? This company wants to make money by redirecting you to their search page. More info here:
http://web3.0log.org/2006/09/01/new-secure-browser-browzar-is-fake-and-full-of-adware/ |
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hornet777
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| Posted: Sun Sep 03, 2006 6:39 pm Post subject: |
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| In regard of cleaning the index.dat files, even for NT-Windows users, wouldn't it be easy enough to create an autoexec.nt to delete these files upon reboot? Works fine in 98 (autoexec.bat), and since I run 4DOS, i even have it check the size of the file before doing anything; it its over 32k, it gets axed, and =<32k, its left alone.... |
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Erikalbert
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 12:58 am Post subject: |
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Of course it works, Hornet even on NT machines, but how many normal users today know how to use batch files?  |
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Turtledove
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paperghost
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| Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2006 9:35 pm Post subject: |
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thanks
im still not sure how this shambles of a product has managed to generate so much press - looks like a combination of mainstream tech sites jumping on a press release bandwagon combined with frankly hysterical claims of spyware and adware.
i note that not one mainstream tech site (to my knowledge) has presented any kind of more "balanced" view on this since it all kicked off. i imagine theyre scared of sounding even less than remotely hardline on this, in case some new horrible thing spills out the woodwork and they end up with egg on their face. but really, its just a completely rubbish IE shell thats hogging way too many mainstream tech site frontpages. theres far worse things out there - the supposed "threat" posed by browzar is completely laughable. |
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Erikalbert
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| Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2006 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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These days "spyware" and "adware" are terms that when mentioned immediately causes a emotional reaction and all rationality goes out of the window.
The irony is , this is at least partly because you anti-spyware and adware advocates from the earliest day sucueeded far beyond your wildest dreams when you tried to push the concept to the public. |
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mikey
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| Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2006 4:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Erikalbert wrote: |
These days "spyware" and "adware" are terms that when mentioned immediately causes a emotional reaction and all rationality goes out of the window.
The irony is , this is at least partly because you anti-spyware and adware advocates from the earliest day sucueeded far beyond your wildest dreams when you tried to push the concept to the public. |
True.
We didn't forsee the anti-malware industry and every half a$$ coder turning our zeal to make folks aware into a hugh scam.
But you are absolutely correct about the outcome.
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mikey
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Erikalbert
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| Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:47 am Post subject: |
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| mikey wrote: |
True.
We didn't forsee the anti-malware industry and every half a$$ coder turning our zeal to make folks aware into a hugh scam.
But you are absolutely correct about the outcome. |
So with the rootkit scare coming in strong, do you expect to see rogue rookit removers (RRR)? |
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Coldmoon
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| Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Erikalbert wrote: |
These days "spyware" and "adware" are terms that when mentioned immediately causes a emotional reaction and all rationality goes out of the window.
The irony is , this is at least partly because you anti-spyware and adware advocates from the earliest day sucueeded far beyond your wildest dreams when you tried to push the concept to the public. |
Hello Erikalbert,
The reality of AD/Spyware had to be addressed period. Even though the topic of this thread has been shown to be less than the hype would lead you to believe, it is important that the facts were investigated and the debate took/takes place.
Look at it this way:
Say you and some friends are walking along a trail somewhere in a forest. Suddenly one of your companions stops and yells and then runs back to the group saying that there he/she almost stepped on a snake.
One of the group happens to be familiar with the area and knows this area has some dangerous species of snakes and decides to investigate.
After this person comes back to the group it is explained that the snake is a harmless grass snake and poses no real threat to the group.
My questions are the following:
1) Was the person who encountered the snake and then had a "strong" reaction to discovering the snake wrong for yelling out a warning?
2) Did this person then learn something about snakes after the investigator in the group revealed the truth about the snake?
In the early days the security industry did not take the subject seriously or at least avoided it all together as these programs did/do not fit into the strict parameters that existed at that time regarding what was potentially harmful or unwanted (on whatever level) and therefore legitimately targeted as having privacy and/or security issues.
It took the passion of some very special people from around the world, which worked tirelessly, discussed endlessly, yelled loudly, and as a result, changed the world. The fact that the public has embraced this on an emotional level validates the work and passion of everyone who has been involved in the fight and has lead to better protection in the long run IMHO
No matter the relative threat that something represents, it must be discussed and the public has to know so that the user has the information they need to make the right choices.
There is no security or privacy without knowledge, preparation, and diligence. If no one is there to shout a warning about the snake chances are that you could get a nasty bite…
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Erikalbert
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| Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 9:09 pm Post subject: |
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| So anyone here used GRC Optout in the early days? |
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Crap Wear Worrier
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| Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 3:10 am Post subject: |
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Hm, from what I’ve seen, the anti-spyware and adware advocates have, by and large, behaved very reasonably and pretty diligently in trying to make fellow pc users aware of a very real problem.
That hasn’t always been easy.
The mainstream media have (finally) become aware of the threats but some of the reporting, IMO, shows that many of the journalists have a very sketchy idea of the subject and, in too many cases, simply quote press releases as reports or reviews.
Still some way to go. |
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bob30880
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| Posted: Sun Sep 24, 2006 3:56 am Post subject: |
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| Erikalbert wrote: |
| So anyone here used GRC Optout in the early days? |
 I did, in fact it's what brought my attention to spyware.
I was using IE and one day whenever I was online everything started to act slow, IE would crash for no reason, pages would lock up etc.
I started searching for answers and came across a link to GRC.com and found Optout.
I remember that I was one of the first few hundred to download it.
It found Aureate and Radiate, removed them and my problems were gone!
I used to go back to his page every few days and found Ad-Aware when he "passed the torch" (for lack of a better term) to Lavasoft.
I know to some Gibson is a bit controversial and self-promoting but I certainly felt a debt of gratitude to him at the time.
I've been interested in the fight against spyware ever since.....
(and luckily I've never again been infected).
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