Archive for February, 2005
Tools of the Trade: Rootkits
Rootkits are a very popular technique among intruders to hide themselves in compromised machines. Some rootkits are also used by Worms and DDoS tools to help hide themselves before they launch an attack. An intrusion can remain undetected for months when such a tool is used by an attacker. This all sounds very 1337, so why talk about it on a Scumware site? Well, the whole can of worms is about to explode.
Sean’s email raises some important issues and omissions on my part.
Although most of our email was supportive of my recent article titled “The New Google Toolbar: Just say NO!” which I suggest you open in a new window, Sean does present an interesting argument and properly points out some omissions in my original entry.
The New Google Toolbar: Just say NO!
In their quest for revenue, the new Google Toolbar permits them to join and embrace a tainted group of “enablers”. A collection of individuals/Companies which lack any semblance of ethics and in some cases violate Federal and or state legislation.
Gator, Claria, Vista Marketing Services, and BehaviorLink.com: Some new names but the same old Spyware Parent
One of the primary strategies that some Company’s use to rehabilitate their tarnished image is to change their name and form new divisions which are still owned and controlled by the same old Spyware parent company. This strategy sometimes works, so I think it’s important to document exactly who a Publisher/Webmaster, Network or Advertiser may decide to do business with.
Microsoft, eBay (PayPal) and Visa form The Phish Report Network (PRN)
In what amounts to a feeble and self serving PR move, these giants have banded together in an effort to rehabilitate their tarnished image, caused by the dramatic increase in Phishing.
Buying a Web Site: Tips to prevent fraud from “confused”
Every few weeks we publish some email we receive along with our response. We generally redact the senders name and email address to protect their privacy. This email provides an excellent question and some valuable tips to prevent fraud and half truths in the purchase of a Web Site.
Spamware: The story of US corporate greed, turning a blind eye, and a lack of ethics
Together, MCI Worldcom, Download.com, and SWREG make millions of dollars from knowingly participating/enabling the sale and or distribution of Spamware which is used to send millions of Spam emails, every hour of every day.
AdWords Impression Spam will cost you a bundle
We discovered the increasing use of this procedure by AdWords fraudsters. We expect it to continue to increase and cost AdWords advertisers significant amounts of additional money and time. Since Google is getting better at detecting “click fraud” from your competition and everyone else, the AdWords slime bags have turned to impression spam in alarming numbers, which will ruin your Campaign and business model.