Microsoft preps anti-spyware tool for launch

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Spyware, Microsoft

NEWS
Microsoft is putting the finishing touches to its spyware killer, based on technology from its recent aquistion, Giant. The beta version will be ready for the public in a few days.

Microsoft bought Giant for an undisclosed sum on 16 December. The purchase of small US spyware detection software publisher will soon put Microsoft in a position to offer its own anti-spyware application, designed to eradicate software that can, among other things, inundate users with unwanted pop-ups.

US news site Neowin.net has just published the first screenshots of the beta version, putting a release date of 6 January on the beta.

When contacted by ZDnet UK sister site ZDNet France, Nicolas Mirail, technical head of security in Microsoft France, said: "We are already in the process of internal testing of the beta version of the anti-spyware, which will be released to the public in January."

"No precise release date has been set yet," he added.

While the release date for the software, which will be compatible with Windows 2000 and later versions, is not yet known, Microsoft is also keeping quiet about whether the application is designed to be an integrated part of Windows, like a security patch, or whether it will be a piece of software in its own right to distributed or sold separately.

Microsoft is also working on antivirus software, likely to be a standalone offering and also due for release this year.

Talkback

But XP itself is spyware
The default installation of XP provides the user with spyware in the form of Alexa to track browsing habits.
Now Microsoft potentially are going to charge for the removal of spyware...
Pay to have it, pay to get rid of it - I think not.
Pay a visit to the spyware section on download.com, there you can sort yourself out effectively and for free, applications spybot and ad-aware deserve a special mention.
Meanwhile stay well clear of MS anti-spyware and do not even think about their anti-virus plans.

via Facebook 5 January, 2005 13:33
Reply

After installing this program on our WinXP Pro (SP2) machines it no longer allows the launch of our Java applications.

Microsoft has not changed, it appears they are still looking for sneaky ways to kill off competing technology.

via Facebook 11 January, 2005 18:40
Reply

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