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Thread ID: 54495 2005-02-13 23:19:00 Anti-spyware installing spyware ? wmoore (6009) Press F1
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324723 2005-02-13 23:19:00 Hi

I have just install an anti-spyware program called counterSpy.
I ran the program to scan for spyware etc and it came up with 8 bits of spyware. I also have ad-aware and spy-bot on the computer and when I use them they came up clean. It just seems weird that I get 8 bits of spyware
when Ad-aware and SB don't show any. Could it be that some of these so called anti-spyware programs actually put spyware onto your computer so you will buy their products.

Warrick

Ps I have a firewall and anti-virus progams running as well
wmoore (6009)
324724 2005-02-13 23:28:00 Some products do indeed give false positives, and then ask for money for the program as it "appears" to find more spyware than other products. Others actually install spyware onto your computer.

You can find a list of those types of programs and whether they are genuine or not here - Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites (www.spywarewarrior.com)

Looking up your program, it appears to be legitimate clone:
Sunbelt CounterSpy - sunbelt-software.com - powered by GIANT (licensed)

Do keep in mind though, that each anti-spyware product can work differently, and you can get objects found under one program and not another. Also depends on what definitions they have in their database. Some people like to run two like Ad-aware and Spybot Search & Destroy because of this. :)
Jen (38)
324725 2005-02-13 23:36:00 No one tool can detect and clean all spyware and adware off a computer so it is possible that CounterSpy has detected things that the other two missed .

As Jen has said, CounterSpy is a clone of GIANT, which Microsoft have now taken over and renamed Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta . Reviews of this program have been positive and the page that Jen linked to lists it as a trustworthy anti-spyware product .

You might like to try out the Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta and see if it detects the same spyware as CounterSpy .
FoxyMX (5)
324726 2005-02-14 00:13:00 Thanks Guy's wmoore (6009)
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