And the Winners Are…
We would like to thank everyone for participating in the January 2005 Top Dawg Challenge. And also special thanks to our sponsor, BFG Technologies. Without further ado, here are the winners:
And the Winners Are… Read More »
2004
Are Your Children Safe from Spyware?
If you have kids, then the computer they use — which may also be the computer you use — is vulnerable to infestation by spyware. Spyware preys on the behavior of children, and teens in particular, by parking itself in the programs they download and on the sites they visit. Peer-to-peer music-swapping software, free online games, screen savers, song-lyrics sites are prime destinations for kids and many of them can carry an unwanted payload that can melt down a machine. But by teaching your kids appropriate behaviors and habits, and using some protective software, you can go a long way toward preventing spyware from gaining a foothold on your system.
Are Your Children Safe from Spyware? Read More »
November 2004 Newsletter
XP Service Pack 2 Rolls On
Keep Kids Safe from Spyware
Spyware bills die; FTC says “good riddance”
Top 25 Spyware and Adware
Join the PC Pitstop Folding or SETI Team
November 2004 Newsletter Read More »
October 2004 Newsletter
PC Pitstop Optimize – Our First Product
New Home for “The Pit”
What’s That Running Program? We Know!
The PC Pitstop Site Gets A New Look
Windows XP Service Pack 2: Do it Now!
Dell Recalls Millions of Power Supplies
Join the PC Pitstop Folding or SETI Team
October 2004 Newsletter Read More »
Follow the Money
When Dave and I were at the Spyware Conference in Washington DC, we were approached by Avi Nader, CEO of WhenU. Avi was upset because we were passing our WhenU research to various reporters at the conference. Avi cornered Dave and me and asked, “Why are you picking on us? Why don’t you focus on the guys doing identity theft, and other horrible deeds?” I have had a lot of time to think about this question and my answer. Avi, if you’re listening, here is my response.
The Death SPYral – Yahoo/Google/Microsoft
The entire spyware issue continues to escalate. Going from bad to worse. Unlike viruses, spyware is becoming about making money, and we are seeing that some of the largest and most trusted names on the internet are doing business with spyware companies. That’s right, names like Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft are profiting by spreading and endorsing spyware. Let’s take a step back. PC Pitstop research has found more and more software being installed on user’s computer without their knowledge. But the problem doesn’t end there! Once the user realizes that some unknown software program is potentially impacting their PC’s performance and reliability, what do most people do? They research their problem using a search engine such as Yahoo or Google.
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Search Our Known-Programs Database
PC Pitstop collects and analyzes information about running programs during our full system tune-up process. This lets us spot emerging trends in new viruses and spyware, and it also helps us to identify benign-but-unneeded programs that many systems are running.
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July 2004 Newsletter
PC Pitstop Test and Score Changes
Who’s Funding Claria/Gator? Yahoo!
Spyware Strikes Out with Major League Baseball
Windows XP Hits 70 Percent Mark
Beware of Fake Anti-Spyware Products
Be a PC Pitstop Beta Tester
Join the PC Pitstop Folding or SETI Team
July 2004 Newsletter Read More »
Yahoo – On the Dark Side
There was a time that Darth Vader was one with the force, but alas, he went to the dark side. And there was a time that Yahoo was the brightest star in the Internet constellation. My browser favorites are chock full of Yahoo sites, including Yahoo Maps and Yahoo Yellow Pages. My home page is My Yahoo, and I save all of my contacts in the Yahoo address book so I can access them from both my PC and my cell phone. There may be better solutions out there, but in almost all cases Yahoo was the first.
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Yahoo and Claria
When Yahoo acquired Overture in September 2003, it may have bought itself a load of trouble.
Prior to the Yahoo acquisition, Overture had cut a deal with Gator (which has since changed its name to Claria Corporation) to display Overture pay-per-click advertising to users of the Gator Advertising Information Network (GAIN). As we’ve noted in earlier investigations, this deal took many Overture customers by surprise. When we contacted some Overture advertisers in September 2003, several were unaware that their ads were now being shown to Gator users and one indicated to us that they had discontinued their Overture advertising as a result.