Spyware firms charged $2 million
FTC takes cash, bans from future naughtiness.
Enternet Media and ConSpy & Co., the companies behind products including Miracle Search and
EliteBar, have been forced to pay out over $2 million to settle a case brought by the US Federal Trade
Commission.
The companies, and some other named defendants, were ordered to desist from distributing software using fraudulent
techniques, and from using software to alter people's computer setups or gather personal data. Methods used to get
users to install the software include masquerading as music, ring tones, or pictures, and offering solutions to
non-existent security problems. Once installed, the tools tracked web browsing, doctored browsers and popped up ads.
'It seems odd that these people have had to be officially told not to do it again,' said John Hawes, Technical
Consultant at Virus Bulletin. 'You don't often hear of burglars being prohibited from future breaking and entering.
Nevertheless, it's good they have been stopped.'
On top of the $2 million was a suspended charge of a further $8.5 million. Google, Microsoft and
security firm Webroot were all supporting the case.
Find out more about the spyware problem at the Virus Bulletin conference (11-13 October, Montréal), where
Jeff Williams (Microsoft) will present his paper 'I know what you did last logon: keystroke logging, spyware and privacy'.
See the full programme
here or click here to register now.
7 September 2006
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