 Beware of Microsoft AntiSpyware
Friday, 2 September 2005
Microsoft had a big hit on their hands earlier this year when they released a “free” version of the anti-spyware software they purchased from GIANT Company Software, Inc.
The re-packaged software (still labelled “beta” after nearly 8 months) generally received some very good reviews and as a result many people now have it as their anti-spyware solution. But things have gone a little sour and bad news travels fast, as they say.
The trouble with the Microsoft anti-spyware software is that only Microsoft seem to know what’s in their anti-spyware database and they’re not telling. So far, they have refused to make those details public. As a consequence of this decision, they maintain total control of what’s considered spyware and what’s not. They also, by default then, reserve the right to change their minds whenever they feel like it. Of course, this is only a problem for the end user when yesterday’s spyware is considered non-spyware by Microsoft but the user is not told about it.
The article entitled “Dear Microsoft: Why should we trust you to detect spyware?” makes some valid assertions, including:
In other words, someone (or a group of someones) at Microsoft decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether a particular piece of software should be included on the detection list, how it should be classified, and what action should be recommended for the user when the result is displayed after a scan. That’s reasonable. But it’s not what Microsoft is telling us, its customers … Microsoft doesn’t give customers any reason for them to trust Windows AntiSpyware to classify potentially unwanted software accurately and recommend actions that are in its customers’ best interests.
Microsoft may eventually relent and restore some of the credibility they’ve lost here but in the meantime, perhaps try Adaware SE Personal Edition and Spybot - Search & Destroy instead. They’re also free (as anti-spyware products ought to be) and in tandem, they work very well.
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