Spyware Sucks

# re: I've been quoted by The Register and spywaresucks is the 3rd most visited blog on msmvps.com

Re Right Media's response I say this:

"I also saw Winfixer malware advertisements from Right Media being served up to Messenger Plus! sponsor programs via Circle Distribution.

Frankly, your "automated auditing tool" is not working.

Patchou of Messenger Plus! and CiD ended up editing every Sponsor Program users' HOSTS file to block known Winfixer domains completely - so why can't *you* block Winfixer domains at your end?"

# re: I've been quoted by The Register and spywaresucks is the 3rd most visited blog on msmvps.com

Oh yay. Here comes the {insert alternative browser of choice} fan.

Peter - I don't think you realise the harm you do when you spout the rhetoric but forget to include security education.

I feel sorry for the 37.14% of FF 1.x users who are being hit via unpatched exploits - that browser gets targeted you know...

And the 99.85% of unpatched Opera 8x users...

And the 80.49% of unpatched Opera 7x users...

And the 13.63% of unpatched Opera 9x users...

Do me a favour. Instead of saying "IE sucks" and "not use IE" and leaving it at that, how about starting to EDUCATE users about safe hex.

Start saying "use {web browser} because {insert reason}" instead of just "IE sucks".

AND start telling people they have to patch their Web browser, NO MATTER WHAT BROWSER THEY ARE USING, OR WHAT THE VERSION IS.

As those of us with our heads in the real world say, "it only takes one exploit" and as far as I am concerned, patching, or lack thereof, is as important, if not more so, than the number of exploits.

# re: I've been quoted by The Register and spywaresucks is the 3rd most visited blog on msmvps.com

Chuck,

I have been down the road of submitting problem URLs when battling winfixer malware getting on to systems via the Messenger Plus! sponsor program.  In that case the advertisements were coming from Circle Distribution who happen to purchase their content from none other than Right Media (funny how that name keeps coming up) - I passed on captured URLs to Patchou of Messenger Plus! and he apparently forwarded those URLs on to those behind CiD - in the end CiD pushed out a HOSTS file update that blocks access to known Winfixer domains, and frankly I am tired of covering CiD and Right Media's back by monitoring their advertisements for problems and passing on URLs because:

1) I am doing *their* job for them by monitoring their advertisements - and doing it for FREE;

2) simply reporting problem advertisements is failing to address the primary problem - that the advertisers are getting through in the first place.

The winfixer malware advertisements always point to, and try to download malware, from the same set of URLs.  

It is up to Right Media to bite the bullet and start telling advertisers to submit content that Right Media will host.  

It is time for Right Media to find a way to stop the malware guys from using scripts to get malware on to systems on the sly.

It is time for Right Media to stop their advertisements from being able to access known Winfixer domains to download malware.

It is NOT up to me to be watching *their* back and watching for problems with *their* advertisements and telling them where *they* have problems.

Yes, we are watching the Right Media blog and know about "Media Guard" and will be watching to see what effect it has on the problems caused by Right Media's malware advertisements.