No Honor Among Malware Purveyors

metalion writes "True to the saying 'no honor among thieves,' adware company, Avenue Media, is finding that competing adware company, DirectRevenue, is detecting and deleting their software. Now Avenue Media is crying foul and have filed a lawsuit against DirectRevenue stating that DirectRevenue 'knowingly and with intent to defraud, exceeded its authorized access to users' computers.' DirectRevenue acknowledges that it may uninstall competing applications in its user license agreement. A researcher at Harvard University, Ben Edelman, reasons that 'Once the computer is infected with 10 different unwanted programs, the person is likely to take some action to address the situation.' Just how far will adware companies go to continue to attempt to bombard us with their ads?"

Re:Firmware ADS.

[Computerguy5]

Already been done [slashdot.org]. IIRC, there was a public outcry and they gave the user an option to disable the 'feature.'

After removing competitors, DR transmits ...

[bedelman]

Perhaps also of interest:

After DirectRevenue removes competitors' programs from users' disks, it also transmits extensive information about users' computers [benedelman.org]. Among the information: MAC address, Windows Product ID, all running tasks, and registry entrise for certain additional competitors (Gator, 180solutions) and removal programs (Ad-Aware, PestPatrol) if installed.

Installation through security holes

[bedelman]

I have personally observed -- and recorded in screen-capture videos -- the software of both plaintiff and defendant, installed through security holes.

See e.g. Who Profits from Security Holes? [benedelman.org].

Re:When it will stop.

[wcb4]

I think you are confusing a symbiotic relationship with a parasitic one. In a symbiotic relationship, each gets somethign out of the relationship, so there is no need to complain. A Parasite, such as a tapeworm, does harm the host over time

Re:When it will stop.

[Anonymous Coward]

A RL parasite is benign to the host.

Not quite. A parasite, by definiton, is an organism that harms its host. According to something I read a long time ago, there are three types of cohabitating organisms. A parasite harms its host, a symbiont benefits its host, and a commensal neither harms nor helps its host. It's the last one you were thinking of.

Re:Honor among thieves

[tootlemonde]

I thought that there *was* honor among thieves...

The correct phrase is "There is honor even among thieves", apparently first recorded in 1630. Also, "Thieves are never rogues among themselves."

There's an authoritative discussion here [msu.edu]. (The ODEP mentioned is the Oxford Dictionary of English Proverbs).

Re:Spyware filing a lawsuit?

[Quimo]

Someone actually did this in Canada (Ontario) during the brief period of time where simple possesion of less than 30 grams was considered legal.
Here is a link to the storry. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/07/22/stolen_mariju ana030722 [www.cbc.ca]

Re:Spyware filing a lawsuit?

[gcaseye6677]

Most of these types of suits have been dismissed. Scopes.com has determined that a lot of them are urban legends. In response to a few of these criminals winning judgements, many states have passed laws making it nearly impossible for these suits to be filed. It definitely makes me ill to think someone could make money like this, but the system isn't quite as broken as it sounds.

Re:Advertisers in general are going insane

[JesusCigarettes]

I have to say, having worked as a telephone interviewer for a survey company, that this isn't nearly as unreasonable as it sounds from the article. People are insufferably rude when they receive unsolicited calls. I can understand not appreciating telemarketing calls or telephone surveys, but simply saying "Please place me on your 'Do Not Call' list" is always a sufficient way to deal with telemarketers.

And when you're calling someone for a survey, and you say "Hello, my name is Ketan from ***** Marketing Research and today we're conducting a survey" and they respond "FUCK YOU BITCH I don't want to buy none of your shit", it's very frustrating. Especially when you reply "Sir/Ma'am, I'm not trying to sell you anything" and they respond "Yes you are! Don't lie to me!".

Here are some examples of hilarious things that happen when you call people for surveys. Some of them are funny, but most of your calls just reaffirm that people are incapable of being polite or caring in any way.

Me: Hi, I'm calling from *** and we're--
Respondent: Keep it, buddy, I'm gettin' laid! [tries to hang up, picks up, dials number very quickly]

Me: Hi, I'm calling from ***--
Older Woman: Hiiiiii! How are--
Little Kid: GET OFF THE PHONE! GET OFF THE PHONE! Sorry, she's crazy.

Justin: Hi, I'm calling from ***--
Female Respondent: You just interrupted the best blow job ever.
Justin: I am so, so sorry.

Me: Hello, I'm calling from *** Marketing and we're conducting a survey for *Cellular Company*. May I please speak to Edmund or someone in your house who has service with *Cell Company*?
Respondent: I'm Edmund. I hate everybody. Bye.

Me: Is the person White, Asian, Hispanic, African American, or some other race?
Respondent: Yeah, we're all Hispanic here. We migrated down from Hispania. [N.B. he was joking]

Pat: When would be a good time to call you back?
Respondent: Probably about a year from now.
Pat: A year? Awesome! [N.B. he was serious]

Drew: I assure you we're not trying to sell you anything.
Respondent: You are trying to sell something! All of these surveys are just attempts to sell stuff! Let me tell you all about how it's all bullshit and you're just trying to advertise to me.
Drew: Thank you sir. Have a nice day.

Re:a pit

[jc42]

More fun than core wars

Not really. Much of the fun of core wars is documenting the battle and figuring out why particular competitors have won. Core wars is generally played out on a machine set up for just that purpose, and the competitors are known beforehand.

With malware, the battle is generally hidden, and you can't learn much from it. You just know that something's happened, because innocent bystanders (i.e., the software you want to run) has been injured in the battle. And you didn't volunteer your machine as a battlefield.