Microsoft's AntiSpyware Program Thinks Firefox Is Spyware

[newyorican]

"It seems that microsoft's new AntiSpyware (beta) is now advising users to remove Firefox on their computers.. A Zeropaid.com thread shows the offending screenshot in action. Once your scanning has been done, if Firefox is found on your computer it provides the user with a "high" threat level and advising removal due to of lack of security updates." CT Several users have noted that the screenshot is likely fake.

http://it.slashdot.org/it/05/02/27/1522245.shtml?tid=154&tid=218

And we're off!

[Catch22Dem]

1. I've been using both in peace and harmony

For several weeks now.

Sounds an awful lot like a hoax to me. A little photoshopping if you will.

[autorank]

5. The operative word in the post is "beta." That means, as you

probably know, it's in the last series of tests before release. I would not find this surprising. With 25,000,000 Firefox downloads since 11/04, they have to be sweating. The MS minions in the trade press said the initial adoption was just a flash in the pan. Guess what, that was at 5-6 million downloads. Hey, I've got the Mozilla tee-shirt on so I'm biased but I now known why Gates stays up late worrying about competition. This is what he fears most, the 'next thing' comes along and it isn't his.

BTW, MS's Service Pack II screwed up Norton! I uninstalled my SPII and Windows works much better without it!

[Deja Q]

6. When it comes to Microsoft, any version released to the public is beta.

And that includes the shrink-wrapped stuff in stores.

It may not say "beta", but we're all their beta-testers for problems that never seem to get fixed.

[autorank]

7. Well, from you, I accept this as Gospel. That's also funny, we're

all their beta testers. Great line.

[Catch22Dem]

9. It's only Beta because it's new to MS

Giant Anti-Spyware has been around for quite a while and it was an EXCELLENT product prior to being purchased by MS. We'll see how it goes now that MS owns it.

[ET Awful]

2. Yup, I've been running them together for quite a while (at least 3 months)

and no issues at all.

Sounds like a hoax to me.

[Honest_Abe]

3. Me, too. A hoax. N/M

[Berserker]

4. I was just in MozillaZine

and they were saying that is fake. But I'm sure Microsoft would have loved to really have that on their program.

[Tux]

8. They might

Micro$oft does hate open source since it is their competition. I wouldn't be surprised if AntiSpyware did emove open source software in the future.

At least I use Linux and bypas the problem entirely.

[w13rd0]

10. I've seen this behavior...

...but only in CORPORATE machines where GPOs from the Active Directory are active against client devices with the AntiSpyware beta AND Firefox, and it's actually the AntiSpyware conflicting with the GPOs, not necessarily Firefox.

[ObaMania]

11. Use the Avant browser

I used Firefox and wasn't too crazy about it, but after getting Avant, I'll never go back. 'Course it's basically a GUI with cool features that sits on ie technology, but what the hell. At least MS doesn't detect it as spyware!

[newyawker99]

12. I agree. I use Avant too and have had no problems

with it. I switched from IE because
it appears that it didn't like the fact
that I had the google toolbar.