Bugtraq mailing list archives

Re: iDownload/iSearch responds to Spyware Critics


From: bkfsec <bkfsec () sdf lonestar org>
Date: Fri, 11 Mar 2005 09:58:57 -0500

Paul Laudanski wrote:

Slashdot ran two stories earlier on how iDownload/iSearch sent letters to
anti-spyware companies/websites telling them to [
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/02/23/1830243&from=rss ] stop
listing their brand as spyware or malware.  The spyware critics [
http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=05/03/02/0229222&from=rss ]
responded back indicating they do not agree with iDownload's assertions. iDownload has now responded back to the spyware critics. Two sites to
date received replies, read [
http://castlecops.com/article-5793-nested-0-0.html ] CastleCops and [
http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2005/03/idownloads-response-to-sunbelt.html
] Sunbelt Software for details.  Other sources picked up this story
including [
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/science_technology/story.jsp?story=615884
] The Independent, [ http://www.broadbandreports.com/shownews/60608 ]
Broadbandreports, [ http://castlecops.com/article5772.html ] Robin, and
ZDNet Blog [ http://blogs.zdnet.com/Spyware/index.php?p=28 ] Spyware
Confidential.

What's truly interesting is that the legal counsel for iDownload/iSearch indicates that there is a "lively debate" going on on the internet about whether or not their program is spyware or not.

Maybe I'm not looking in the same places, but I have never seen any debate regarding the classification of these programs, at least not a lively one. As for my own experience, I've witnessed iSearch/iDownload packages being installed on systems during adware/spyware infestations. Only one conclusion can be gained from that: You guys are on the right side of this argument and these people need to be opposed.

Their assertions are laughable.

              -Barry



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