180solutions drops suit against Zone Labs

Advertising software maker 180solutions has dropped its lawsuit against Zone Labs, a move that comes two months after it accused the Web security company of unfairly classifying its software as "high risk."

Two months ago, 180solutions filed suit to try to force Zone Labs to change the classification and the wording of its warnings. Zone Labs sent prompts that told some customers that 180solution's software monitored their keystrokes and mouse movements. Sean Sundwall, a spokesman for 180solutions, suggested that the lawsuit served its purpose, as Zone Labs has since altered the classification of 180solutions' software from "high risk" to "suspicious."

Zone Labs also changed its warning and says now that 180solutions' software "may be" monitoring keystrokes and mouse movements.

"The reason we ultimately dismissed the suit isn't because we agree with the labeling as it now stands," Sundwall said Monday. "It's still over the top and fear-mongering in its nature. But the slight change in labeling, combined with the shrinking relevance...of the ZoneAlarm application has allowed us to move forward with a handful of business deals that the original labeling prevented."

Zone Labs strongly denied that it relented on any of 180solutions' demands. It asserted that it told executives at the Bellevue, Wash.-based adware company that it intended to change its classifications before the lawsuit was filed.

"I think 180solutions has been very aggressive trying to negotiate with different spyware companies," said John Slavitt, general counsel for Check Point Software Technologies, parent company of Zone Labs. "I respect their right to do that. But we won't make concessions. We stuck by our guns."

Anti-spyware companies for years have accused adware companies of unethical practices, such as burying download disclosures in lengthy legalese; installing software surreptitiously through Web browser security holes; and making it difficult to uninstall the pop-up programs.

[coryschulz]

This company is malicious

Their spyware was installed on my computer once, and I had the hardest time getting rid of it.
I eventually had to reinstall windows, it was so bad.

They really are as bad as Zone Alarms makes them out to be.

[thenet411]

And they know it

180Solutions has infected (yes, I used the word INFECTED) so many systems I have lost count. And every one of the users had no idea the software was installed on their systems. Its funny that 180 characterizes Zone Alarm as becoming less important, when it is really 180Solutions that is becoming less important with all of the spyware companies that are preventing their installs.
Good riddence to 180 Solutions. Do not RIP.

[techguy83]

and yet

since this has happened, it opens the flood gates for other spyware/adware vendors to sue to try to get their programs into a less serious pickup zone, or taken off a programs list period.

[Michael G.]

It's as bad...

As the thief that gets caught by the policeman and turns around and sues him, and in return gets a plea deal.

Absurd.

[coryschulz]

This company is malicious

Their spyware was installed on my computer once, and I had the hardest time getting rid of it.
I eventually had to reinstall windows, it was so bad.

They really are as bad as Zone Alarms makes them out to be.

[thenet411]

And they know it

180Solutions has infected (yes, I used the word INFECTED) so many systems I have lost count. And every one of the users had no idea the software was installed on their systems. Its funny that 180 characterizes Zone Alarm as becoming less important, when it is really 180Solutions that is becoming less important with all of the spyware companies that are preventing their installs.
Good riddence to 180 Solutions. Do not RIP.

[techguy83]

and yet

since this has happened, it opens the flood gates for other spyware/adware vendors to sue to try to get their programs into a less serious pickup zone, or taken off a programs list period.

[Michael G.]

It's as bad...

As the thief that gets caught by the policeman and turns around and sues him, and in return gets a plea deal.

Absurd.

[techguy83]

great

How long until no spyware removal tool will work at all for fear of a lawsuit from the offending spyware maker?

[Michael G.]

Very Good Point

The path that 180solutions opens up is a slippery slope. Now that 180solutions has gotten away with it, the flood-gates are opened for every other weasel out there to flood the courts and attempt to place limitations on anti-spyware companies. This is one of the worst tactics I can think of---to sue legitimate anti-spyware companies for performing their intended duty. I hope the courts will put an end to this foolishness soon, before the spyware vendors gain an upper-hand.

[techguy83]

great

How long until no spyware removal tool will work at all for fear of a lawsuit from the offending spyware maker?

[Michael G.]

Very Good Point

The path that 180solutions opens up is a slippery slope. Now that 180solutions has gotten away with it, the flood-gates are opened for every other weasel out there to flood the courts and attempt to place limitations on anti-spyware companies. This is one of the worst tactics I can think of---to sue legitimate anti-spyware companies for performing their intended duty. I hope the courts will put an end to this foolishness soon, before the spyware vendors gain an upper-hand.

[cuwickliffe]

Dumb

180solutions is spyware. Period. The entire point of their "software" is to get your information. That makes it high risk, not suspicious. If I were Zone Labs, I'd respond to them by making it so that ZoneAlarm automatically uninstalls the software. It's garbage anyways.

[cuwickliffe]

Dumb

180solutions is spyware. Period. The entire point of their "software" is to get your information. That makes it high risk, not suspicious. If I were Zone Labs, I'd respond to them by making it so that ZoneAlarm automatically uninstalls the software. It's garbage anyways.

[Mhelweg]

180 Solutions is an infestation...

180 Solutions, and companies like them are nothing more than parasites who make a living from stealing information they are not entitled to, ruining novice computer users systems, by loading in garbage on top of garbage, stealing an average of 60% of INFECTED computers bandwidth. Shame on you, Zone Alarm for changing the ratings for their viral garbage they spew! I feel that they should be prosecuted by the same laws reserved for the vermin who spread viruses. Can you say class action lawsuit?

[Mhelweg]

180 Solutions is an infestation...

180 Solutions, and companies like them are nothing more than parasites who make a living from stealing information they are not entitled to, ruining novice computer users systems, by loading in garbage on top of garbage, stealing an average of 60% of INFECTED computers bandwidth. Shame on you, Zone Alarm for changing the ratings for their viral garbage they spew! I feel that they should be prosecuted by the same laws reserved for the vermin who spread viruses. Can you say class action lawsuit?

libel suits are notoriously cheap to bring...

... while being hideously expensive to defend.

(If it's not a libel suite -- or something similar, in being a far heavier burden on the defence than on the plaintif -- please enlighten me).

libel suits are notoriously cheap to bring...

... while being hideously expensive to defend.

(If it's not a libel suite -- or something similar, in being a far heavier burden on the defence than on the plaintif -- please enlighten me).

[lingsun]

Good reason to switch to Norton Internet Security

I've used Zone Alarm for years. I just don't like how they caved in at the possible expense of their customers. I've also had the problem that my broadband connection would stop working after an hour of non-use. Once I switched to Norton Internet Security I stopped having that problem.

[lingsun]

Good reason to switch to Norton Internet Security

I've used Zone Alarm for years. I just don't like how they caved in at the possible expense of their customers. I've also had the problem that my broadband connection would stop working after an hour of non-use. Once I switched to Norton Internet Security I stopped having that problem.

[Michael G.]

Weasels.

180solutions should be thanking their lucky stars that Zone Labs doesn't remove them at every opportunity they can find. Even with the supposed "improvements" to 180solutions tactics, I would consider 180solutions to be a batch of weasels.

To attempt to sue Zone Labs for performing their intended purpose is a disgrace. The lawsuit shouldn't have been settled. It should have been tossed out of court.

[Michael G.]

Weasels.

180solutions should be thanking their lucky stars that Zone Labs doesn't remove them at every opportunity they can find. Even with the supposed "improvements" to 180solutions tactics, I would consider 180solutions to be a batch of weasels.

To attempt to sue Zone Labs for performing their intended purpose is a disgrace. The lawsuit shouldn't have been settled. It should have been tossed out of court.

[hector a]

THIS IS CRAP SOFTWARE !!!

I had the misfortune of not having an antispam/antispyware software, when this piece of.... "software" hit my PC , I don't know where I got it but I was shure that I didn't installed it , and I knew that it was gonna be hard to get rid of it , my computer got slower and slower, and some pop ups started showing and I noticed that there was some activity in my modem without even having my browser opened, and thats when I knew that this piece of ......., started downloading more crap to my computer, I could see in my registry 3 different names of programs that I never installed, some how they were connected to the first program called 180 solutions, I tried to delete those files with no results, because as many times I deleted those files they came back at my next reboot, then I changed the value in the registry of one of the primary files (the one that got connected to a website without my consent) and it stopped downloading crap to my pc, I installed an antispyware and other programs to help me get rid of this mostruosity 180 SOLUTIONS CALLS SOFTWARE, and it stopped for good , it took me some time and some search on the net , but finally I deleted this garbage, as a warning to all the people , GET AN ANTISPAM PROGRAM !!!, like ad-aware, winpatrol, and use ms config to stop this crap for good, some of these MALICIOUS programs even delete windows files and replace them with their own, FRANKLY I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW 180 SOLUTIONS HAS THE NERVE TO SUE ANOTHER COMPANY , WE should be the ones suing them for releasing this crap into the net !!!.

[hector a]

THIS IS CRAP SOFTWARE !!!

I had the misfortune of not having an antispam/antispyware software, when this piece of.... "software" hit my PC , I don't know where I got it but I was shure that I didn't installed it , and I knew that it was gonna be hard to get rid of it , my computer got slower and slower, and some pop ups started showing and I noticed that there was some activity in my modem without even having my browser opened, and thats when I knew that this piece of ......., started downloading more crap to my computer, I could see in my registry 3 different names of programs that I never installed, some how they were connected to the first program called 180 solutions, I tried to delete those files with no results, because as many times I deleted those files they came back at my next reboot, then I changed the value in the registry of one of the primary files (the one that got connected to a website without my consent) and it stopped downloading crap to my pc, I installed an antispyware and other programs to help me get rid of this mostruosity 180 SOLUTIONS CALLS SOFTWARE, and it stopped for good , it took me some time and some search on the net , but finally I deleted this garbage, as a warning to all the people , GET AN ANTISPAM PROGRAM !!!, like ad-aware, winpatrol, and use ms config to stop this crap for good, some of these MALICIOUS programs even delete windows files and replace them with their own, FRANKLY I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW 180 SOLUTIONS HAS THE NERVE TO SUE ANOTHER COMPANY , WE should be the ones suing them for releasing this crap into the net !!!.