I'm not surprised.

I haven't recieved my registration info yet from the spywarrior website. Can you tell me if any of the spyware or adware are considered threats. The program classifies the threat level on some of them as critical so I would think that some of them are real threats, unless some are considered false positives. Does anyone else know if the programs are considered threats or not?

First of all, I could find no hits when I googled for adware.phoenican. There is however, but one hit for adware.phoenician (note the different spelling). And that hit was found only at Spyware Detectors website list of spyware detected. Not surprisingly.

 

This is totally in keeping with Spyware Detector's reputation of having a large number of false positives, which serve only as a goad to purchase their program. Until last year, Spyware Detector was on Spywarewarrior's list of rogue antispyware programs for just this reason. The fact it is now de-listed is hardly an endorsement for this program, and it is certainly not a recommended antispyware at any reputable site.

 

If your other reputable antispyware programs (and you surely must know which they are by now) do not detect anything, and you are not experiencing popups, hijacks or other problems, then the other detections you mention are almost surely false positives also.

 

And I would uninstall Spyware Detector, and stick with programs recommended here to you on numerous previous occasions.

 

 

You're telling me that all the threats listed are considered false positives even though two of the items have threat levels that are classified as critical?

I'm saying that if the threats are false positives, then the threat level is irrelevent.

 

Just out of interest, what other defensive programs are you using (AV, AS, firewall, suites)? Do any of them pick up these threats?

To answer both of your questions, here is the link about the spyware detector program:

http://www.defeatspyware.org/reviews.html?gclid=CLyx34rE64sCFQQRYwode0WmUg

 

The spyware detector program lists the following spyware and adware programs on my computer, they are:

1) adware.phoenician

2) adware.ISTbar

3) adware.CyDoor

4) spyware.PCWatch

 

No other spyware program that I have detects the above programs listed, only tracking cookies.  The spyware program doesn't list any advice. The first item has a file which is c:\windows\system32\flashax\flash.ocx. The second item has one registry data, one registry value, and one registry key. The third item has five registry keys listed. The fourth item has four registry data items listed, four registry values listed and one registry key listed. I'll be happy to list more detailed information if requested. In my experience with spyware and adware, I know that not every item listed for any program is considered a threat. None of the names listed ring any bells to me, but if there is anything that I should keep. Other spyware programs that I have are spybot search and destory, ad aware se personal, ca antispyware, system mechanic 6 (has a spyware removal tool) and spyware detector.

I think the point I was trying to make got lost:  regardless of the version (old or current), Flash player should not be considered spyware.

 

And while Flash is now owned/distributed by Adobe, it's a completely separate product from Adobe Reader (and Adobe Acrobat).

Lets focus on the first spyware program listed. I do have adobe reader 8 and AOL 9.0. I don't know the current version of my macromedia flash player, but I will be happy to list the version that I have if you tell me how to look it up.

Ok, so you're saying that I should set spyware detector to ignore the first program listed?

c:\windows\system32\flashax\ flash.ocx is a version of the Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Flash Player.... it's probably an OLD version, as the current one is flash 9c.ocx

(Also, I believe the flash ax subdirectory is an indication it was installed via an AOL-related download, but I'm not sure about this.)

 

if the first item, adware.phoenician, is picking up only on the one file,  flash.ocx , then I would say you could probably tell your detector to ignore this.

 

I say "probably" because in so doing, I am taking for granted that the flash.ocx file is in fact legitimate... that is to say, that it is indeed the Adobe/Macromedia Flash Player, and has not been tampered with in any way.   You need to realize that malware can often disguise itself, and "masquerade" as legitimate files, so as to entrap you.   So simply considering a name is not 100% foolproof.

 

I would agree with the consensus of the other participants in this thread:   rather than relying on spyware detector, I would instead scan with several well-known and accepted scanners.  Specifically, I would advocate Ad-Aware SE, Spybot Search & Destroy, SuperAntiSpyware, and Windows Defender.   [If you're really paranoid and want yet another opinion, I'd use AVG AntiSpyware (formerly EWIDO)].  If these 4 [or 5] programs all agree that you're clean of malware, I would accept their verdict and not look any further.   [Emphasize that this list of programs scans for malware, but not viruses.  Use your anti-virus program to scan for viruses & trojans.   Also, I would not worry about the many scanners that only find "cookies".]

 

P.S.  I know you've already received lots of HJT help, both here at DELL as well as elsewhere.   If the HJT experts say you're clean, if you follow-through with their advice on what preventive programs to install, and if you "surf-safely", you should not be getting all the "infections".

 

BugBatter:

 

The only question I am left with, given your info plus what was posted before about Spyware Detector, is why the OP continues to worry about what this dubious program finds, and why the OP even keeps using it!