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Comments on: Windows AntiSpyware becomes 'Defender'

Microsoft changes name of spyware protection and adds defense against rootkits and keystroke loggers.

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I hope it blocks SONY MALWARE
by iameline November 7, 2005 2:33 PM PST
I hope it detects, removes and blocks the Sony rootkit that they are
illegally using to hijack unsuspecting users machines.
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Sony malware
by FirePig November 8, 2005 7:50 AM PST
I agree with you!

I wonder if any of the anti virus companies have a solution for the Sony rootkit?
s "Defender"
by Roman12 November 7, 2005 2:38 PM PST
lets hope it works better then AntiSpyware
__________________________________
R.K.
http://www.Remove-All-Spyware.com/
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I'm the Defender!
by dredawgsf November 7, 2005 3:05 PM PST
maybe they can use the song by Buckner & Garcia as their theme song...

I'm the Defender, a mutant bender.
I'm the Defender, a mind bender.
I'll defend this state to the end;
I'm the captain of this ship and its men.

good times, people, good times...
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Don't Trust It
by Dead Soulman November 7, 2005 4:17 PM PST
I don't like this program, or whatever new name it goes by. Every time I tried to turn off AntiSpyware via the Windows Task Manager, it would turn itself back on after a few minutes; just like spyware. That's sneaky nonsense I won't be dealing with, especially for an inadecuate program. I use Lavasoft Ad-Aware and it caught/found more things than Window's AntiSpyware.
This is another MS program I won't be using.
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it's a beta and it's free
by mortis9 November 7, 2005 4:28 PM PST
nuf said.
View all 2 replies
I like that...
by BlinkMM182 November 7, 2005 5:50 PM PST
...it restarts itself. It prevents spyware that tries to disable it. Why dont you just open the program and shut it down properly instead of from the taskmanager (wrong way)?

It also gives real time protection for free. Try that in Spybot. ha.
View all 2 replies
That is BS and you know it
by slaury November 7, 2005 8:35 PM PST
You know that taskmgr doesn't turn off apps, it terminates them. Many apps that weren't properly shutdown will re-start. Just right-click on AntiSpyware taskbar icon, and select Shutdown.
Its a nice program
by blitznwl February 3, 2006 2:59 PM PST
The program does have a service that is running, did you happen to turn that off as well? Lavasoft is good, but MS Antispyware does stop spyware from getting on to you computer in the first place.

But here?s some good information.
99% percent of all computer problems are caused by what people did to their computers.
Tired of this!
by foxxxy79 November 8, 2005 3:14 AM PST
Windows Defender? What a cheesy name. Im tired of viruses and
spyware. Blah Blah Blah, Im buying a Mac. Friend has one and he
does whatever he wants without worry because they don't have this
crap to worry about. Apple here I come!
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OK
by J_Satch November 8, 2005 12:25 PM PST
See ya.
That's how spyware and viri infect...
by wtortorici November 8, 2005 1:19 PM PST
computers in the hands of people who don't know how to use a PC. rtfm:):
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Windows Defender. Microsoft is funny.
by System Tyrant November 8, 2005 1:32 PM PST
Did anybody catch the irony, sarcasm, or whatever gramatical statement Windows Defender is.

I think it's funny that Microsoft makes a security product anyway, but to call it Windows Defender. This say's to me they have no faith in the security of their OS. Windows needs defending? Of course I say this from a biased point of view, but I still thinks it's a funny name.

Of course I suppose that those of you who trust Windows will have no problem trusting Windows Defender or Microsoft antispyware application. Me personally... I think I'll stick with ZoneAlarm and AVG.
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common sense is needed
by techguy83 November 8, 2005 5:26 PM PST
spy bot, ad aware, and avast keep my computer virus and spyware free. I also use firefox. Oh, and for those who think switching to macs will solve everything, it won't. Macs can get viruses/spyware too. Yes, its much rarer, but it does happen. I do tech support as a side job and have had macs call in with spyware/viruses on their computers. (OS X by the way.)

The best way to keep spyware off a pc or mac is to not use the internet at all. Other than that, practice common sense measures. (something average joe has no sense to do. They hear about viruses and spyware, but it'll never happen to them.)

By this, I mean dont buy norton, and then not let it auto update at all or just let it expire and blame norton when the pc gets overloaded with viruses. If you are going to pay for a virus scanner, keep it updated and make sure it doesnt run out on you!
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funny, agaree I, fragment, and spelt
by Warp2Hype May 26, 2006 6:16 AM PDT
I will apologize first, for being anal. Although I totally agree with the sarcasm and humour (oh my gosh, a Canadian with "u" placement), I most point out that "gramatical" is actually "grammatical". The sentence beginning "This say's to me..." and other punctuation errors detracts from your message impact. I moved to the U.S. from Canada a few years ago. I am overwhelmed by the common english spelling and grammar mistakes. I am NOT an english major. I only completed grade 10 english, math is my thing. May I humbly suggest your criticism would be better served if it was delivered without "blatant" errors.
Your mother is infected with spyware....
by hodesworthe November 9, 2005 6:15 AM PST
Anyone who trusts the same Corporation that hijacks their home page (when doing a clean install of their operating system) to handle their spyware needs to have their head examined.
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ms anti-spyware = GIANT "anti-spyware".
by ima big pirate November 9, 2005 9:45 AM PST
www.giantcompany.com

this was a GREAT product, and worked on win 98/me ALSO.

now that microsoft BOUGHT the program, they REMOVED the win 9x ability.

as to the comments "program X works better", you need to WAKE UP.

there is NO one program that gets all the bugs.

just last night i scanned with BOTH ad-aware AND spy-bot on a customer's computer. pulled almost 1,000 files/registry entries.

re-scanned with BOTH (after re-boot) and found NOTHING.

scanned with ms anti-spyware (cough GIANT cough) and found 27 actual BUGS (i don't remember the # of files/registry entries) that the other 2 missed.

and YES, i have done the REVERSE on other computers. use the MS app first, then either lavasoft and/or spybot. then THEY will catch files/registry entries that the MS prog didn't.

BOTTOM LINE: you need all 3 AND "hijack this" to have a CHANCE of getting rid of the crud.

and who is to say that ALL 3 are not missing some?? HOW WOULD YOU KNOW?!?!?!?!

"a" is not better than "b", just DIFFERENT.

get over your "loyalties". use what works.
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Well done MS
by jaoja November 9, 2005 10:10 AM PST
Hope soon they will launch an antivirus with the whole package!
_____________________________
Mohsin MoreLee
Webmaster AcmeAims
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EVERYTHING GETS A MAKE OVER
by newerawisp November 9, 2005 12:56 PM PST
Everything in the world gets a makeover. For example ABS makes money airing a Makeover program called Extreme Make over (home addition). Although ABC cheats the IRS because it makes it appear that it is getting the home from the people living there in and makes it over to present a show, it says in the show that the people living in the home were desperate and living in desperate conditions. So Make over was necessary.

However does MS think that the make over will root out web spying. It is sorely mistaken. the only way to root the web spying out is to redevelop the web surfing as written in

http://www.newerawisp.blogspot.com/

Even the development of VISTA is unjustified. Every couple of years MS updates its OS to keep up with its competition. But it does not mean that it is keeping up with the Hackers or the web Spies or is preventing the copies of Key Strokes. Every time you try to log on to a site you get a warning that you may get traced. But you can get traced by making key strokes even without submitting anything.
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by jahrasterferi March 25, 2009 9:27 PM PDT
People People People...i have a problem and it needs fixing...can anyone help. Windows Defender is not updateing...i keep getting the error code 80244019. Now if that is not bad enough every time i go to the download page to do it manually it tells me the link is broken..not just one site but any site to do with windows crapy defender.....Grrrrrr.....can anyone help....thanx
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