Ad-Aware

[cozofdeath]

The following is from http://rootkit.com/, for entire article click HERE. Listed below is the intro/contents...

Ad-Aware is a poorly written anti-spyware program from Lavasoft. Running

it gives you a false sense of safeness. There can be done numerous attacks

against this software. I'll show some of the problems and attacks in this

write-up. Here's just a summary of the most visible problems I've run into.

1. Definition file

1.1. "Encrypted" with xor \

1.2. Packed with ZIP with simple password - trivial to intercept def

updates and change the defs

to make the malware invisible

1.3. No checksum in the def file /

1.4. Big redundancy in the def file

1.5. !!! Multiplying the number of entries in the def file with constant

1.46 to make it look it has more definitions !!!

2. Program

2.1. Poorly written checksum algo

2.2. Poorly written scanning algo (slow as hell)

2.3. CSI works only for in-memory images and is useless

You want the proofs? Read the following text ...

http://rootkit.com/newsread.php?newsid=471

Here are some spyware reviews that further proves its not doing so hot anymore. And if you don't believe it conduct your own tests. I have in the past with and have found Ad-Aware not able to pick up as much. These reviewers have actually tested these different products, these are not just editors choices. It made be pretty or simple its an expensive option compared to others and falling in effectiveness. Why pay so much if it doesn't work.

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,a...572,pg,2,00.asp

http://anti-spyware-review.toptenreviews.com/

http://www.fcw.com/article94292-05-08-06-Print

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1829282,00.asp

http://www.adwarereport.com/mt/archives/000004.html

http://www.zdnet.com.au/reviews/software/s...25147-13,00.htm

http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/article/0,a...496,pg,6,00.asp

[catgate]

Well our Nellie2 said this some time ago. Not in as many words, but certainly along those lines.

[-pops-]

I remember the previous incarnation of Ad-Aware which seemed to dawdle like the current one is doing then, after a few months like that, a new version was (surprisingly) issued. The new version was the one now known as Ad-Aware SE i.e. the current one. At the time of issue it rated amongst the best of the anti-malware programs.

So, perhaps there is something going on in the background at Lavasoft.

[dadyassa]

You could have the same argument about MS programs, badly written, open to numerous attacks, slow, bloated, etc, and you have to pay for them

I try freebies out and if I dont like them I move on.

I think used in conjunction with other programs it does no harm, in my experiance it has picked up stuff that others have not. ;)

Each to their own.

[andsome]

I mentioned Adaware in this topic. Click Here

[cozofdeath]

Well our Nellie2 said this some time ago. Not in as many words, but certainly along those lines.

Sorry I didn't know.

I mentioned Adaware in this topic. Click Here

Yes sorry I noticed after I posted this and I realized I posted it in the wrong forum. Nice topic by the way :D

I used ad-aware a while back and remember it being ok but not catching everthing. But hey its freeware, AVG isn't the best either. I tested several family/spouse monitoring programs and not one was detected by AVG. I know AVG doesn't scan for rootkits yet that could be why because f-secure picked them all up exept for one that was real tricky. It would shut down f-secure everytime it was about to be scanned along with the explorer.exe process. It also had a file I had to manually remove that was in a part of the OS used for restores. Some programs randomly name their files and encrypt them as well as hiding them. They won't even show up in a temp folder as you install them. Their not in the processes list or the registry either. Its getting ruff with all this malware.

[-pops-]

I tested several family/spouse monitoring programs and not one was detected by AVG. I know AVG doesn't scan for rootkits yet that could be why because f-secure picked them all up exept for one that was real tricky. It would shut down f-secure everytime it was about to be scanned along with the explorer.exe process. It also had a file I had to manually remove that was in a part of the OS used for restores. Some programs randomly name their files and encrypt them as well as hiding them. They won't even show up in a temp folder as you install them. Their not in the processes list or the registry either. Its getting ruff with all this malware.

AVG is an anti-virus program which may go some way to explain why it doesn't detect "family/spouse monitoring programs" or rootkits. As for removing malware files in system restore, AVG is not alone in having difficulty in doing this. Temporarily shutting down system restore (and deleting its files) is a frequent recommendation in the treatment of malware infections as the whole raison d’être of this (sometimes) very useful part of modern Windows systems is explained in its name - to restore the system to as it was at a previous time. This includes, unfortunately, any malware that may be installed.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I used the paid version of Ad-Aware for many years; it was the first widely used anti-spyware program.

However, as newer (and better) anti-spyware / anti-malware programs became available, it also soon became clear that Ad-Aware is not the best amongst them. And sadly, they haven't issued a new version since August 2004.

They have since taken down the community support forum, and the support website for the paid users doesn't work. E-mails are not answered.

I have uninstalled Ad-Aware on all computers under my control, and I do not recommend it to anyone any more.

---

P.S. Can someone please move this topic to an appropriate forum - it doesn't belong here.

[-pops-]

P.S. Can someone please move this topic to an appropriate forum - it doesn't belong here.

Moved :)

[cozofdeath]

A virus scanner that only detects viruses is doomed. AVG didn't even see the malware file in the restore folder it was f-secure that identified it. AVG should have considered some of them files as PUPs in a heuristic scan and labeled them somehow, but it didn't. AVG detects more then viruses, as I've seen the free version find adware/spyware/trojons/keyloggers/hack malware as well. I'm not saying I wouldn't be using AVG if I didn't have Zonealarms Suite now, because I would. I know their paid versions are supposed to be good.