When will this be taken seriously ?

By    John Garner on  Friday, July 21, 2006
Summary: I have spent at least five hours recently, over the phone and on site, fixing computers that have been infected, not by viruses because I have got family and friends to install antivirus software like NOD32, but by spyware ! Annoying pop-up messages that often sound scary to novices, "You have been infected by spyware" […]

I have spent at least five hours recently, over the phone and on site, fixing computers that have been infected, not by viruses because I have got family and friends to install antivirus software like NOD32, but by spyware !

Annoying pop-up messages that often sound scary to novices, "You have been infected by spyware" "you must download this software"... And they are real pains to get rid of. You either have to install Spyware removal software, that have twice in my experience crashed the computer, or manually search and destroy (sorry remove) !

I just don't understand, like with Spam, why there isn't more done against people that advertise through this medium. A practice that can also result in seriously damage people's lives when hackers take advantage of this to take the issue one step further...

Ads can be served to you by reputable web sites, that are unaware of the malicious intent behind the spyware installing companies, engaging in this type of business. Ads like these suddenly pop-up on your computer sometimes before you have even typed anything in the browser :

ClickSpring Ad Example

An article at the washingtonpost.com's Security Fix discusses a recent spyware campaign and does a great initial job of researching the people behind the so called DeckOutYourDeck ad. This extract explains how the iDefense analyst Michael La Pilla followed as far as possible the security flaw that comes from the images in the Windows Metafile format :

Using software that captures and analyzes Web traffic, La Pilla found that the installation program contacted a Russian-language Web server in Turkey that tracks how many times the program was installed, presumably because most of this adware is installed by third parties who get paid for each installation. The data there indicate that the adware was installed on 1.07 million computers, La Pilla said, adding that all seven of the Internet addresses contacted by the downloader Trojan appear to be inactive at this time.

Article written by  John Garner

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

Check out the most recent posts from the blog: 
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
The ONHT Framework for Intermediate users

This Intermediate Guide for the ONHT (Objective, Needs, How, Trajectory) Framework transforms you from someone who uses GenAI into someone who thinks with GenAI by adding the missing cognitive functions that current GenAI lacks. The framework works through three critical pillars – Empathy (understanding all stakeholders), Critical Thinking (challenging assumptions), and Human in the Loop (active partnership). Master these patterns and you'll be solving complex problems others can't even approach, becoming indispensable by designing interactions that produce exceptional results rather than just functional outputs.

Read More
Monday, June 16, 2025
The ONHT Framework: Beginners Guide

Stop getting generic AI responses. Learn the four-letter framework that transforms vague requests into precise results. The ONHT framework: Objective (what problem you're solving), Needs (key information that matters), How (the thinking approach), and Trajectory (clear steps to the answer), teaches you to think WITH AI, not through it, turning "analyse customer feedback" into board-ready insights. Real examples show how adding context and structure gets you from Level 1 basics to Level 3 mastery, where AI delivers exactly what you need.
The difference? Knowing how to ask.

Read More
Sunday, June 15, 2025
The ONHT Framework: GenAI Prompting Solutions That Actually Work for People

GenAI tools are transforming work, but most people get poor results because they don't understand how to communicate with AI built on structured data. This guide is a series of articles that teaches the ONHT framework—a systematic approach to prompting that transforms vague requests into exceptional outputs by focusing on Objectives (what problem), Needs (what information), How (thinking approach), and Trajectory (path to solution). Master this framework and develop an expert mindset grounded in human-in-the-loop thinking, critical analysis, and empathy, and you'll excel with any AI tool, at any company, in any role.

Read More
Sunday, September 24, 2023
The reliability & accuracy of GenAI

I question the reliability and accuracy of Generative AI (GenAI) in enterprise scenarios, particularly when faced with adversarial questions, highlighting that current Large Language Models (LLMs) may be data-rich but lack in reasoning and causality. I would call for a more balanced approach to AI adoption in cases of assisting users, requiring supervision, and the need for better LLM models that can be trusted, learn, and reason.

Read More
crossmenuarrow-down