Microsoft Going Into Spyware Business?

First, let me apologize for my recent lack of blogs. I am on the road a great deal these days as it is the busiest part of my schedule. I just returned from six days in Eugene, OR and will leave early tomorrow for Sandy, OR. Then a quick return home for restocking, then down to Salem, OR. So, I will write when I can. Now, for today's story.

Microsoft's Windows AntiSpyware application is no longer flagging adware products from Claria Corp. as a threat to PC users.

This all comes less than a week after published reports of acquisition talks between Microsoft Corp. and the Redwood City, Calif.-based distributor of the controversial Gator ad-serving software, Security researches have discovered that Microsoft has quietly downgraded its Claria detections. A coincidence? Doubtful.

Anti-spyware activist Eric L. Howes, who serves as a consultant to Sunbelt Software, makers of Counterspy, discovered the default changes during a recent test that included four Claria applications: Dashbar, Gator, PrecisionTime and Weatherscope.

According to the results published by Howes, four different builds of the Windows AntiSpyware beta detected the Claria products, but the default recommendation was "ignore." Prior to the recent tests, Microsoft's AntiSpyware tool detected Claria's products and presented users with a recommended action of "Quarantine." Although the default has been changed to "ignore," users can still change the action to "Quarantine" or "Remove" via a drop-down menu.

Writing on the popular Broadband Reports security forum, Howes described the default changes as "troubling," coming so close on the heels of the acquisition talks between Microsoft and Claria.

In addition to the Gator-branded products, Claria's adware applications include eWallet, DateManager, WeatherScope and PrecisionTime. The company's behavior-tracking database of users' surfing habits is believed to be among the biggest in the world. A recent spyware report from Webroot Software Inc. lists Claria's software as the second most prolific adware install, appearing on more than 2 percent of consumer desktops.

I think this move by Microsoft to possibly get into the spyware business is a betrayal to all of its customers. I understand that the business of Microsoft is to make money, but it shouldn't be at the expense of it's customers, especially since Microsoft makes the most popular operating system in the world today as well as the most used web browser in the world. Should they complete the purchase of Claria, they will no doubt leave the window open (no pun intended) for its products to allow the entry and use of it's own spyware software on unsuspecting user's computers.

My reaction is this: Today I have erased all copies of Microsoft's AntiSpyware software from all our computers and have purchased copies of Sunbelt Software's Counterspy software. If you don't want to spend the money for Counterspy ($19.95), I suggest you use either Adaware or Spybot-Search and Destroy...and remove all copies of AntiSpyware from your system.

Let me know what you think.