UPDATE: PLEASE read about AdAware...

[tlspiegel -Closed]

From the latest Langalist newsletter: (excuse formattin - in a hurry here) Remember I don't recommend it, I use Spybot.

"1) Ad-Aware Feedback

In "Ad-Aware's Back" ( [Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now]
06.htm#4 ) we discussed how this popular anti-spyware tool had finally emerged from a long slumber. I wrote:

I'll take a look at the new version of Ad-Aware, but I don't
plan to rely on it any time soon. LavaSoft left their
customers exposed to malware for some 5 months before the new
version came out--- an eternity when it comes to online
security threats.... An out-of-date security tool is almost as
bad as no tool. Even if the new version is perfect (and it
cannot be--- no software ever is), it'll be a while before Ad-
Aware regains my trust.

Many readers responded. Some thought I was being too harsh on LavaSoft
(the makers of Ad-Aware), but I disagree strongly: If you're going to
produce a security tool--- especially a commercial tool--- I think you
have to commit to providing regular updates.

But the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Here are some
representative letters (pro and con) sent in by readers who have tried
the new Ad-Aware in free and paid versions:

Are you getting feedback from people about Ad-Aware 6 Plus? I
had to uninstall my copy because the cure was worse than the
disease. According to Lavasoft's message boards, they are
aware of the problems and are working to correct them. And
this is after a 5 month hiatus in which nothing was done about
version 5.83! I've gone to SpyBot, and I think that I'll stay
there. Thanks, by the way, for mentioning SpyBot. :-) Tom Duda

Fred, absolutely love your newsletter but felt compelled to
tell that the new AdAware not only works well, it found 6
things that SpyBot didn't. The updater is also now included in
it so one doesn't have to run the update as a separate
program. Give it a try and see what you think. I'm not
shilling for them but since it really works it's more than
worth a try. Thanks again for the continuously great work...
ThudZ3ro

Fred, just love the newsletter... Having installed AdAware's
new offering, v6, I too accept that *no* software is perfect
(I am also in the "software business"). Lavasoft's AdWatch
real-time monitoring utility has two (new) annoyances - in
w2k, it interrupts a normal shutdown meaning you have to
repeat the shutdown routine for it to actually happen. And, on
start-up the \program files\lavasoft folder is *always*
displayed. Numerous attempts to get support has failed (well,
I haven't gotten a response so in my book that's a failure).
But, I still get their ads to upgrade from the Plus! to the
Pro version... which is not highly unlikely given
recent/current performance. Mark Curtis, UK

Fred, I understand your disappointment with AdAware's position
about not providing updates while working on the new version.
I have run comparisons of the prior free version (5.83) and
the free version 6. What I did was run AdAware 5.83 and have
it clean what it found (5 cookies) (I try to be careful about
where I go and what gets on my machine). I then ran SpyBot
with the latest updates. It found 60 items all related to
Backweb (which was installed by the Logitech Webcam software I
just got). I didn't remove them because I wanted to see if the
new version of AdAware would find them. I uninstalled AdAware
5 and then installed AdAware 6. One thing I had been reading
was how much faster 6 is then 5 was. So I also timed the runs.
I ran AdAware 6. It found 7 items (cookies again) that were
not found by either AdAware 5 or SpyBot, but did not find any
of the Backweb items. I had it remove the items. I then ran
SpyBot again. It found the same items as before, this time I
removed them. As for the new AdAware being significantly
faster - not in my limited tests. I have a Duron 1300,
Win2000, 256MB RAM machine. AdAware 5 took 8 minutes 23
seconds and AdAware 6 took 7 minutes 43 seconds.... I think
that a combination of AdAware and SpyBot is almost a necessity
in helping to stay safe. Ken Weybright

Fred, Just read your article about Ad-Aware 6 and had to
download it. Ran it the first time, and it found no spyware.
Then I ran SpyBot Search and Destroy, and that program found
eight tracking cookies (from Fastclick, Doubleclick and the
like). So I uninstalled Ad-Aware 6 and reinstalled Ad-Aware
5.83 (since I'm a curious type of guy). 5.83 identified five
of the eight tracking cookies that Spybot found. So I guess
you're right in withholding your trust for Lavasoft. And it's
such a shame, since they were the first to really identify and
deal with spyware as a significant issue. ---Dave Pfeffer

FYI, I thought I'd let you know of a problem that I had with
Ad-Aware 6.0 so if others have a similar problem information
can be compiled. I use AOL 8.0, use Windows XP Professional
and a Gateway 700XL., IE 6.0, and Netscape 7.0. After
downloading, installing and using Ad-Aware 6.0 I found that I
was unable to use any browser to surf the web, including AOL.
I could get onto AOL but could not get to any websites. To
correct the problem, I uninstalled Ad-Aware and did a system
restore to the previous day and was able to surf again. Don't
know if this was a problem specific to me but thought I'd let
you know so you can be aware of the problem I ran into. ---
Steve0155

Fred, after receiving the Langalist Standard Edition of Feb.
6, 03, I downloaded the latest edition of Ad-Aware. I had Spy-
Bot search and destroy on my computer and before loading and
running Ad-Aware, I ran Spy-Bot. Spy-Bot told me there was no
spyware on my computer. I then loaded and ran Ad-Aware 6.0 and
it told me that there was Alexa Dataminer in the reg keys, in
HKey-Local-machine Software\Microsoft\Internet
Explorer\Extensions\---. It seems that Spy-Bot is not all it
is supposed to be, and Microsoft is now into using the Alexa
spyware to track Internet Explorer users. Don Crawford

[BTW: Alexa provides the "related links" feature in IE's default
searches. If you don't use that feature then Alexa isn't involved. See
[Only registered and activated users can see links. Either login above or Register Now] for a fuller explanation.]

I use Win 98SE on 19" monitors at 1280 x 1024 with 260% fonts.
After running AdAware 6, a window popped up advising that 3
files were found with instructions to click OK to delete.
However, I couldn't see the OK button and couldn't delete the
files. This is a serious flaw that should be corrected
immediately. In the US, an ever increasing percentage of users
have large monitors and are typically running setups similar
to mine. [This] software is unusable on this kind of high
resolution / large font setup. A friend with Win XP running on
a 21" monitor with high dot pitch advised me that he
encountered the same problem when he tried to use AdAware 6.
[LavaSoft] risks losing people like myself who stuck with
AdAware through the horrible 5.83 fiasco with this clunk
version.--- J... W...

Fred, As a test I downloaded Ad-Aware 6.0 Plus, shut down my
browsers, then used the most up to date version of Spybot
Search & Destroy to clean my hard drive. Then I installed and
updated Ad-Aware 6.0 Plus and then let it run on the same PC.
Ad-Aware found 3 more tracking cookies that Spybot S&D missed.
One of the missed cookies was a Gator cookie. I don't know how
Spybot could have missed that one. If it's a new variation on
the Gator theme I'm sure Spybot will have it in the next
update. Spybot deletes much more than spyware files but Ad-
Aware now has active protection and it locks the "run"
sections of the registry, prevents browser hijacking, prevents
some file associations from being changed and more. I'm not
sure which one I'll depend on, they're both good programs. I
guess I'll just use both until I find a compelling reason not
to use one. ---Ken Rosen

The above letters are anecdotal--- this wasn't a scientifically reliable
survey. But it's still worth noting that I got far more negative
comments than positives. You can call the shot for yourself, but for me,
Lavasoft has a long way to go before I'll consider then reliable enough
for routine use again.
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[ihvfaith]

I read this and then I just went to my e-mail and there was my langlist letter. Just a neat thing I thought,