Print this article  |  E-mail this article  |  Comment on this article

Microsoft Takes On Spyware with Beta

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

January 6, 2005, 10:18 AM

As expected, Microsoft has released a new beta of recently acquired GIANT Software's anti-spyware software to the public via its Web site. The company also announced that it expects to release a beta version of a new antivirus tool next Tuesday, which is based on technology acquired from GeCAD in 2003.

Details of Microsoft's anti-spyware plans were first leaked to Windows enthusiast site Neowin.net earlier this week.

"Customers have told us that they need solutions that make it easier to keep computers protected from emerging and ever-changing threats," said Mike Nash, corporate vice president of the Security Business and Technology Unit at Microsoft. "The solutions we're announcing today will offer customers additional resources to help to protect their PCs against spyware and viruses on an ongoing and predictable basis."

The company's antivirus partners have complained privately that the company has been taking advantage of their partnerships in order to find out how to best serve customers through security software.

Some claim that Microsoft is working against them by moving into an arena where the company originally had shown no interest, and they thought an understanding had been reached that its partners would handle Internet security issues, not Microsoft.

Microsoft, on the other hand, says these tools are meant to complement current antivirus technologies rather than replace them. However, unlike its partners, these tools will come at no charge. More information can be found on Microsoft's new spyware Web site, and the Windows Anti-Spyware Beta can be downloaded from FileForum.

Add a Comment (15 Comments)

BetaNews reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Foul language and personal attacks will not be tolerated.

Name (required):

E-mail (required):

Enter Your Comment:

By DaveU

posted Jan 9, 2005 - 11:23 AM

I tried three other antispyware (AdAware SE, SpyBot and NoAdWare) programs and was absolutely unable to get rid of Huntbar or WinTools. The MS beta did the job the first time, and it has the best interface of the three. My company writes software, so we have some idea how software should work. The MS AntiSpyware appl. works.

Score: 0

By chriscollier

posted Nov 7, 2005 - 6:16 PM

i use software and i have some idea of how it should work also...do i get a gold star myself?
But yea in all honesty...MS AntiSpyware is good stuff :)

Score: 0

By pbegley

posted Jan 6, 2005 - 5:52 PM

I installed it on my company laptop and all my home machines.

My 13 year old daughters machine was infected with 'shopping' software that replaced winsock, redirected browsers and even caused DNS issues. I scrubbed it multiple times with AdAware, Spybot and Symantec Corp 9.x.

It was in working order, but the MS anti-spyware software detected additional registry settings, a batch file that was used to cleanup a spyware install as well as a previously undetected adware/spyware package.

I'm impressed, even though the undetected adware may have been installed since I cleaned the machine earlier this week.

BTW - I'm a systems engineer by training and an MCSE as well as Solaris certified engineer, so I think I'm being objective and its pretty hard to impress me at this point...

Score: 0

By trmfp

posted Jan 6, 2005 - 8:07 PM

I get tired of people bashing MS and especially when it is something to address the problem. If you don't like MS, then fine don't use their products. But keep your opinion to yourself and let those of us that know what we're doing use the products we know and love.

Score: 0

By jofin

edited Feb 2, 2005 - 6:09 PM

Trying to figure out if this was written by a Microsoft employee or George W Bush! He / she states "keep your opinion to yourself and let those of us that know what we're doing". Is this what democracy is coming to? - You can pass an opinion any time, so long as it doesn't differ from the powers that be! Thank God I don't work for him / her!
BTW how silly is it to suggest that we use alternative products especially to Microsoft operating systems - the world's largest, self centered, example of oneupmanship!

Score: 0

By UniversityofKentucky

posted Jan 6, 2005 - 3:12 PM

Read this on CNN -

"...the free version of Microsoft's new spyware-removal software will expire July 31 and pricing for future versions is still undecided. Rival anti-spyware tools, such as Lavasoft Inc.'s popular Ad-Aware product, offer similar functions to Microsoft's, and many are free."

Ad-Aware is free for personal use, charge for corporate use.

By using FireFox, ZoneAlarm and Ad-Aware I've kept my PC spyware free (your mileage may vary).

Score: 0

By jbaltz69

posted Jan 6, 2005 - 10:57 AM

The software is built really well. Although, I don't have any spyware on any of my machines, so I can't vouch for how well it detects and cleans, I will say that this software is user friendly and very easy to use. It works just fine in conjunction with your antivirus too.

Score: 0

By jofin

edited Feb 3, 2005 - 11:01 AM

No spyware on any of your machines???????? Think again. It is virtually impossible to use the internet and not pick up any. Are you confusing adware with spyware?

Score: 0

By gawd21

posted Jan 6, 2005 - 11:40 AM

It's just Giant AS with the name Giant removed and Microsoft added and the word beta added at the end. 100% Giant AS not much if anything has changed.

Score: 0

By bourgeoisdude

posted Jan 6, 2005 - 12:23 PM

That's because it is a beta--don't worry MS will change it--probably make it consume more memory and bandwidth, too.

Score: 0

By ghammer

posted Jan 7, 2005 - 8:33 AM

Ha! How will it use more bandwidth? Do you actually own a computer, or do you just use your parents machine when they are out drinking?

As for using more memory, be a big spender sport. Get more than 128 Mb of RAM and you won't cry so much.

Geez! Some people...

Score: 0

By ghammer

edited Jan 7, 2005 - 9:11 AM

---

Score: 0

By wendysystems

edited Jan 6, 2005 - 4:59 PM

The anti-spyware seems confused.If you add a site to your restricted site zone,it responds as if you were adding the site to a trusted site zone.

Also my internet options has not worked correctly since the adding of the new microsoft security update.

I think microsoft has overlooked the internet options security settings and its ability.The new sp2 makes the internet options useless.

Score: 0

By gawd21

posted Jan 7, 2005 - 12:45 AM

What did that have to do with this?

Score: 0

By wendysystems

posted Jan 7, 2005 - 6:06 PM

Maybe nothing,maybe everything.Internet options was once a powerful asset to Windows.I miss it.

Score: 0

Sep 5 - 8:44 PM ET Mozilla's Aza Raskin: The journey back to Ubiquity

Sep 5 - 7:10 PM ET Red Hat buys virtualization specialist Qumranet

Sep 5 - 7:06 PM ET Analysts: Online news viewers rising as newspaper readership falls

Sep 5 - 6:55 PM ET Where does Sarah Palin stand on technology issues?

Sep 5 - 6:51 PM ET Adobe Flash to deliver NFL games in full

Sep 5 - 4:29 PM ET Exclusive beta invitation from GameTap and BetaNews

Sep 5 - 4:09 PM ET Report: OLPC buy one, give one deal returns

Sep 5 - 3:45 PM ET No ruling yet in TiVo vs. EchoStar patent case

Sep 5 - 3:37 PM ET Google Analytics starts tracking Chrome, with intriguing results

Sep 5 - 2:14 PM ET Comcast challenges FCC's authority in sanction appeal