RSSNew Group Aims to Curb 'Badware'
By Ed Oswald | Published January 25, 2006, 3:34 PM
Google, Sun Microsystems and Lenovo have joined together to co-sponsor StopBadware.org, a Web site that aims to combat the rising tide of spyware and other deceptive programs. The project is being led by the Berkman Center at Harvard and the Oxford Internet Institute.
The site will independently evaluate the various anti-spyware applications as well as provide non-biased information on issues surrounding spyware for readers. Users of the site would also be able to submit information on spyware that they've encountered for the team to investigate.
The group says its name comes from a desire by those involved to include any kind of malicious software, including spyware, malware and adware. StopBadware.org would work as a "Neighborhood Watch" type program on the Internet, relying on users to self-police Web sites.
"In the short term, we aim to be a clearinghouse on anti-badware efforts, providing people with a way to submit their stories and their data, and using that data to inform our research efforts," the site says in a FAQ describing what the organization aims to do.
"Long term, we hope to build and participate in a community of organizations, corporations, and individuals who are all working together to stop badware." StopBadware.org says involving companies like Google, Sun and Lenovo is a first step towards that goal.
StopBadware will initially share the data it collects in the form of monthly reports. Later it hopes to use this data to combat malware and allow companies and individuals to use it to better fight this increasing problem.
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Lenovo the company with strong ties to the Communist Goverment of China that bought the IBM laptop business not too long ago. The same Communist Government that is making Google, Microsoft, and others censor search results and blogs? Sorry but the thought of them looking out for me in the "badware" arena just does't give me any comfort.
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|What's next? Evilware?
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|I was thinking the exact thing. How many other names can they come up with.
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|SinisterWare!
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|I don't know but I think Trend Micro's "greyware" is the funniest. Not only is gray misspelled, it implies that some code doesn't know what it wants to be.
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|dodoo-ware ...
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|Ehem ......
Are you, like, completely and absolutely sure that it is, in fact, misspelled ???
I mean, like ... positive
You know, 110% sure?
Hmmm ...
Think again, think different, think ... GREY
LOL
FYI:
http://www.bernzilla.com/item.php?id=232
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|Didn't Microsoft and some ISPs do something like this.
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|Yes, they currently are doing this, but it was by invite only to participate. I think these members wanted in, but were deinied.
http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/
http://www.betanews.com/..._for_Spyware/1121187418
Like children on the playground. Someone isn't playing nice.
Member list:
http://www.antispywareco...ion.org/about/index.htm
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|It would _really_ be fantastic if some actions were actually taken against these companies instead of just constantly forming groups and committees to already state the obvious need to do so.
I won't be impressed/satisfied with any of these groups until one of them can make a noticable difference. (or actually at least start trying to)
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|Yeah, cuz when one buzzword gets old and grandma starts using it, we need to change it.
"Malware" is like, *so* yesterday.
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|No, it is really the same word--just moved from Spanish to English ("Mahl", pronounced exactly like it is in "Mal"ware, "sick" or "bad" in English, if my tiny recollection of Spanish I serves me well)
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|You give the originators of the term too much credit, methinks. ;P
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|Malware is short for malicious software. Mahl seems to just be a concidence.
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|Oh, I'ms sure that "malicious" is a derivitive of "mahl", I just don't think the folks who coined "malware" had that in mind.
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|Weeeeeee
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|And virulent badware would be Strong Badware. Homestar Runner should join this group!
Seriously, I think "malware" was adequate to cover spyware and deceptive adware. I realize that "badware" is probably easier for young children to comprehend, since they generally don't learn "malicious" until older, but the proliferation of terms is making it harder for grandma to keep up.
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|I prefer malware, spyware, adware, and bloatware.
Real Player would be spyware. Viruses packed inside a program would make it malware; anything that vastly changes system settings(Adobe Reader) or can not be removed(Viewpoint Media Player) is also malware...Opera(before the removal of the ads) would be adware. Adobe Reader is bloatware.
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|Speaking of...what are Foistware, NagWare, and Scumware then?
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|I don't know, but I classify IE as s***ware. :P
Clarification: Something designed with extra "features"(bloat) and slammed onto systems, but had very little thought put into how it will affect them.
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|Don't bring Browsers into the arguement/article fanboy.
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|Uhh...but that's the only place s***ware really applies?
Besides, it's not browsers. That implies Netscape, IE, Firefox, Seamonkey, Konqueror, Safari, etc.
I was strictly refering to the way IE was designed for local stuff. It's like if I you had a game that allows other people to delete maps on your computer, and send you updates via P2P.
Everyone would be screaming "DESIGN FLAW!!!" at that, but no, not IE...
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|Hey,
Are you describing software or marriage?
Ha ha ha ha
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|They should make a new anti-badware program
for such programs and call it Trogdor!
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|LOL, I knew this was comming (or something like it at least).
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|You're scary.
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