On Thu, 6 Jan 2005, James Patterson Wicks wrote: > While this was just a quick test to satisfy my curiosity about the > Microsoft tool, my initial feeling is that the Microsoft AntiSpyware is > worth a test deployment in the office. This beta expires in July. > Hopefully the final version will be free and allow for centralized > domain management. It's the least that Microsoft can do. I don't think it's going to be free. While doing a small amount of research on the "spyware community" I found this text string in the GianttAntiSpywareUpdater.exe: "Because your Microsoft AntiSpyware subscription has expired, needed spyware definitions could NOT be downloaded and installed. Your definitions should be updated as soon as possible to prevent spyware infections. Your Microsoft AntiSpyware Subscription has Expired" And within the gcASNotice.exe "We hope your trial went well. Unfortunately you are now no longer protected from the growing dangers of spyware, worms and trojans. Continue to keep your self protected, purchase the full version today with a full money back guarantee." I also have been a bit curious concerning the "user community" and the way this type of software updates, whether or not they can be exploited this way. Now I would like to RANT a bit here. After picking myself up off the floor from reading this I chose to post this. The primary reason most spyware and trojans get unauthorized access to "my" computer is because of my blind trust in the products I use. One such product was a browser embedded in the operating system I own. To rid myself of such unauthorized accesses I had to educate myself and find software to do it. Most of them are freely developed (God Bless Them Each and Everyone). Alone comes a program to do this own by the operating system and products I use. I was happy and thought, "who would be better equipped to do such then the owners themselves. After all they wrote and know all the programming of it. The can surely protect it. According to the above txt scans of this product I have to pay them to defend what they allowed. Its a strange strange world after all. I don't want to sound condescending but, if this is the case, this Company software needs some humility lessons brought to them through heavy exploitations of such software. On the other hand if such Company would provide this as a service to me then they need a community helping hand. thank you Randall M
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