XP-Antispy
Dexter
Vancouver, BC Canada
So, I do some freelance computer consulting and tech support for people, some extra cash in my spare (hah!) time....
I did some work for a friend of a colleague a few weeks ago. Internet Explorer problems, they couldn't use the program at all. After some sleuthing, I found a problem with a Windows Update that seemed to be corrupt on install. A reinstall of IE and a re-download of the update fixed the problem.
I got the box back today, as they have been having troubles with BSOD's (they had mentioned this earlier, though it was random reboots then, so I disabled the auto reboot so as to get the BSOD's error message for analysis.
So I was going through the whole system tonight, waiting for it to BSOD. One of the apps I found on the system was a program called "XP-antispy." This was new to me, so I did some googling. Here is what I found:
http://www.xp-antispy.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=40
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
Play it safe by disabling Automatic Updates??? Nice one, bonehead software writer...
So, now I have to check this system for the Sasser worm (clean fortunately) and who knows what else since this app got installed. I don't know if it was on prior to when I last worked on this box, as I worked at the user's home and didn't go through everything installed, as I was pressed for time.
So, if you ever work on someone's computer and come across this XP-Antispy, please explain to the user things like "Sasser" and "Blaster" etc and why the average user NEEDS to have Automatic Updates turned on. :shakehead
I removed this little "utility" from the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs app, but found that I also had to manually re-enable the Automatic Update Service, as the program left the service disabled.
Dexter...
I did some work for a friend of a colleague a few weeks ago. Internet Explorer problems, they couldn't use the program at all. After some sleuthing, I found a problem with a Windows Update that seemed to be corrupt on install. A reinstall of IE and a re-download of the update fixed the problem.
I got the box back today, as they have been having troubles with BSOD's (they had mentioned this earlier, though it was random reboots then, so I disabled the auto reboot so as to get the BSOD's error message for analysis.
So I was going through the whole system tonight, waiting for it to BSOD. One of the apps I found on the system was a program called "XP-antispy." This was new to me, so I did some googling. Here is what I found:
http://www.xp-antispy.org/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=40
XP-AntiSpy is a little utility that lets you disable some built-in update and authentication 'features' in WindowsXP.
For example, there's a service running in the background which is called 'Automatic Updates'. I don't know what this service transfers from my machine to other machines on the internet, especially the MS ones. So I play it safe and disable such functions. If you like, you can even disable these functions manually, by going through the System and checking or unchecking some checkboxes. This will take you approximately half an hour. But why wast time when a little neat utility can do the same in 1 minute? This utility was successfully tested by lots of users, and was found to disable all the known 'Suspicious' Functions in WindowsXP.
:banghead: :banghead: :banghead:
Play it safe by disabling Automatic Updates??? Nice one, bonehead software writer...
So, now I have to check this system for the Sasser worm (clean fortunately) and who knows what else since this app got installed. I don't know if it was on prior to when I last worked on this box, as I worked at the user's home and didn't go through everything installed, as I was pressed for time.
So, if you ever work on someone's computer and come across this XP-Antispy, please explain to the user things like "Sasser" and "Blaster" etc and why the average user NEEDS to have Automatic Updates turned on. :shakehead
I removed this little "utility" from the Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs app, but found that I also had to manually re-enable the Automatic Update Service, as the program left the service disabled.
Dexter...
0
Comments
What else does it disable besides Automatic Updates?
For experienced users, who actually keep up to date on threats and exploits and patches, and who actually manually do their Windows Updates, I would have no issue with this program. But for average users, who don't know the difference between Windows Updates and Virus Definition Updates, I say: please don't use this app, you are not doing yourself any favours.
Dexter...
As to when installed:
Modify or Creation date should be install date, in properties pane of the .exe file. For ANY .exe file. Some installers force creation date to be authroship or distrirbution date, but in that case the modification date might well give things away for you.
Dexter...