5/6/09 - Spybot, and Wednesday's other updates

Please refer to Calendar of Updates.

The Calendar of Updates is devoted to bringing you the latest information about new and upcoming updates for almost every security software.

If anyone would like to discuss a specific update, please reply in this topic.

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(Please note my comments in the lower portion of this post...)

 

 

 

SpyBot 2009-05-06
Malware
++ Fraud.AntiVirus360Remover ++ Fraud.AVAntiSpyware ++ Fraud.SpybotSearch ++ Fraud.UltraAntivir2009 ++ Fraud.WinCleaner + Win32.BHO.je ++ Win32.Inject.mby ++ Win32.Virut.ce + WinWebSecurity
PUPS
++ PerfectUninstaller
Trojans
+ Vanbot + Win32.Agent.boym + Win32.Agent.bt ++ Win32.Agent.ext + Win32.Seneka.rtk + Win32.TDSS.cl + Win32.TDSS.gen + Win32.TDSS.qa + Win32.TDSS.rtk + Win32.VB.aqt
Total: 1409006 fingerprints in 481516 rules for 4641 products.

for those who use SpyBot's IMMUNIZATION** feature ---  which, in my opinion, is the main reason for average* users (XP or earlier) to keep spybot around nowadays --- be sure to RE-immunize after updating.

(*):  I am also a "fan" of SpyBot's TeaTimer (for XP only).   However, TeaTimer requires that the user respond to its occasional prompts to allow or deny various system changes.   Unless the user feels comfortable/confident doing so, it is preferable that a person NOT use TeaTimer, rather than risk using it haphazardly.

I do *NOT* advocate SpyBot for its scanner --- I believe MBAM and SAS are far superior.

 

(**):  Please be advised that there is currently an issue with SpyBot's Immunization of Restricted Sites slowing down IE8.   If you experience this problem, you will have to decide between the pros and cons, of extra protection vs. system slowdown.

Here's a "partial" solution:   SpyBot itself offers multiple layers of protection:  its SDHelper BHO for IE, its Immunization of Restricted Sites & Cookies (for specified/compatible browsers), and its HOSTS file protection (for all manners of internet access).   Admittedly, there are overlapping redundancies here, with each covering many (all??) of the same things.   Why?  Because, quoting PepiMK (the creator of SpyBot)  "There is malware attacking each layer, but rarely all [three], so we prefer multiple [redundant] layers".

HOSTS file protection is the first thing that "kicks in".   If a website is blocked by your HOSTS file (by virtue of a 127.0.0.1 local loopback entry for that site), no program [web browser, anti-virus / anti-malware, instant messenger, &etc.] will be able to access that particular website.   Meaning that, as long as your HOSTS file remains intact, IE will not have to "worry" about considering a duplicated list of restricted sites.   In other words, if you use SpyBot's Immunization to add its sites to your HOSTS file, then you don't also have to immunize against the same collection of multiple thousands of restricted sites that are currently interfering with IE8 running smoothly.   Be explicitly advised, however, that if you don't (also) immunize the restricted sites, and if malware somehow manages to attack and alter your HOSTS file, it will then leave these non-immunized restricted sites open to further attack you... meaning that this is not a "perfect" solution to the "congestion" problem... but it's certainly better than not using SpyBot's immunization at all.

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There are currently no  Spybot/SpywareBlaster immunization conflicts :emotion-1: