Deja Vu As The FTC Continues Shutting Down Spyware Operations

from the again-and-again-and-again dept

Tue, Nov 21st 2006 5:09pm — Mike Masnick

Apparently, November is the month for the FTC to go after spyware companies. It kicked off with them getting a settlement out of Zango, and was quickly followed up with getting another player in the space shut down. Today they've announced two more spyware shut downs as well, though these appear to be much smaller operations. Both shutdowns come from "settlements" between the firms and the FTC that supposedly bar the owners from continuing their practice of surreptitious installs, exploiting security vulnerabilities and collecting data on users without their knowledge. Of course, as security researchers have been noting, the FTC's similar limitations on Zango haven't amounted to very much, and it's worth wondering whether or not these smaller players plan to abide by their agreements, or simply open up shop under a different name somewhere else.

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6 Comments

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Tin Ear, 21 Nov 2006 @ 6:06pm

It won't be long...
Until they find a loophole and start doing the same old thing from a different angle. The internet is so full of opportunities to exploit the stupidity of people that it's only a matter of time.
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BigDaddy, 21 Nov 2006 @ 6:43pm

Spy King
If the FTC is truly concerned with this type of activity,
then they should go after the kingpin,...Microsoft.
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bendodge, 21 Nov 2006 @ 8:30pm

What?
Microsoft? That's bunk. They don't take any data that they didn't say they would. (Of cource, those huge EULA's let them take a ton anyway...)
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Rico J. Halo, 21 Nov 2006 @ 9:59pm

uneducated computer owners
I think if people would take even a few min to learn basic rudimentary care and feeding of their computers this wouldnt be near such a huge issue. You have to know to add gas and oil to your car why not the same for using a computer? Im certainly not standing up for those scumbag spyware types. But people should take some initiative to educate themselves about something they say is so important to them.

www.thatpoliticalblog.com
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response, 22 Nov 2006 @ 7:52am

Re: uneducated computer owners
ignorance is bliss, no thought no headache, stupidity is natures way of filtering out intensity of competition large fish eat the small fish and so on. There will always be predator on prey. Whether we realize it or not we all fall somewhere in the hyarchy.
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Spyware, 22 Nov 2006 @ 8:05am

Spyware, bots, trojans, viruses, blah, blah, blah, It's probably the same guys that make spyware removal programs. Working it from both angles. I tellin' ya It's a friggen conspiracy...
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