Benedelman exposes CNetmedia shady practices
Benjamin Edelman just released an interesting article "Critiquing C-NetMedia's Anti-Spyware Offerings and Advertising Practices" in which he exposes CNetmedia's shady practices. These Rogue Products are popping up everywhere, and with little detection by the major vendors.
AdwarePro2 is detected by both eTrust and Symantec, while Kaspersky detects antispywarebot.com as: FraudTool.Win32.Antispyware.c ... RegClean2Sqr is detected by both SecurityLab and EmsiSoft
These are just a few download locations examples from the CNetmedia / 2Squared Group
209.85.65.52 download.spywareremover.com
209.85.65.52 download.spywarebot.com
209.85.65.52 download.regsweep.com
209.85.65.52 download.regrecall.com
209.85.65.52 download.registrysmart.com
209.85.65.52 download.registryclear.com
209.85.65.52 download.registrybot.com
209.85.65.52 download.regclean.com
209.85.65.52 download.malwarebot.com
209.85.65.52 download.macrovirus.com
209.85.65.52 download.evidenceeraser.com
209.85.65.52 download.errorsweeper.com
209.85.65.52 download.errorsmart.com
209.85.65.52 download.errorkiller.com
209.85.65.52 download.antispywarebot.com
209.85.65.52 download.antispyware.com
209.85.65.52 download.adwarealert.com
There were quite a few entries already listed in the HOSTS file, however in light of this latest review and several others I have elected to add all the other known entries. This is covered in the "Criteria for Detection" which states:
"A software program or website including any other Web sites or domains owned, maintained or affiliated with, that are detected by an but not limited to any Antivirus or Anti-Spyware type program or mentioned in their Database"