Adware may be lurking in video on MySpace

Several MySpace pages offer what appear to be YouTube videos that trigger the installation of adware when played, a security company has warned.

The sexually explicit videos can be found on a number of user pages on the MySpace social-networking Web site, Websense said in an alert Monday. They look like YouTube videos, but are in fact hosted on a copycat "Yootube.info" Web site, Websense said. That Web site was still online as of Tuesday evening.

"When users click on the video, they are directed to a copy of the video," Websense said. People are then redirected to the Windows Media Player, which will pop up a license agreement with installation of an adware program called Zango Cash, it said.

"Assuming that users have accepted the agreement, the video downloads and attempts to install setup.exe from Zango Cash," Websense said.

Word of the sneaky installations of Zango's software comes just days after the advertising software maker and the Federal Trade Commission announced a $3 million settlement in response to charges that Zango had breached federal law by deceptively installing its software on consumers' PCs without a clear means of removal.

Zango was formed in June through the merger of 180solutions and Hotbar.

In exchange for displaying ads, Zango gives access to content such as videos, games and tools. The company pays up to 45 cents per installation of the software, according to its Web site. Antispyware programs typically flag the Zango software as "risky."

[open-mind]

Windows Only

Seems like the article could mention that this only affects PC's
running Windows. Or it could even provide detail about which
versions of Windows are targeted.

[imacpwr]

CNET, tell it like it is. This is a WINDOWS problem only..!!!

Go to yootube.net and try to run one of those videos on a Mac. It
wont play..!!
I'm sooooo happy I switched to a Mac

[lonny paul]

The FTC should take swift and fast action

Zango is responsible - all these people with toolbars and other spyware should be gathered up, and shot.

[thedreaming]

PCs, Macs, and Adware

PCs running windows have adware to contend with. Macs don't have this problem because of their operating system's security measures plus their not as popular, so they aren't targeted.

Pcs running linux or unix don't have an adware problem for the same reason macs don't Linux and unix systems aren't targeted with adware. Only windows based pcs are.

It seems clear to me that we either need to make adware illegal, make windows secure, do away with windows altogether, or just be boy/girl scouts and be always prepared.

Keep your system updated, regardless of what system you have and always use a firewall. If you use windows, scan for adware, daily. Keep on top of it, don't let up.

If the number of installations drops bigtime, it won't make them money and it'll be worthles for them to infect you in the first place.

[flashfast]

The Horse has bolted

The horse has bolted. Regretfully i'd like to point out that
spyware, ad-ware etc. was a very real problem years ago, yet the
authors of this story, i.e. CNet and software site Download.com,
actively engaged in allowing the scum meisters to bundle these
insidious programs with the downloads offered on these sites
(including ZDNet.com). As a developer, I often faced misplaced
and misdirected criticism from users, blaming my software just
because it happened that after a download their systems went
awry (which was the scum ware kicking in). I complained to Cnet,
ZDnet and Download.com that these bundles were destroying
the Windows 'experience', asking why they allowed bundling. No
response. Years later they began a policy of making developers
disclose bundling arrangements, which had no effect as many
users were quite ignorant as to what these disclosures meant.
Cnet etc. finally made it a no-go, but by then it was too late, the
horse had bolted. In fact, so much of my time was spent trying
to solve tech support issues (that had nothing to do with our
downloads - most often it was Real Player or some other
insidious program hijacking system mime files) that I finally gave
up Windows and concentrated on servicing the Mac community.
The removal of stress was a god send, and worth the trade-off
for the improved quality of life. This was even despite being
offered lucrative payments if we bundled spyware with our
popular windows downloads (I said no) . Even today the word
'windows' sends shivers up my spine. Thanks to Cnet, I switched,
along with 45 friends and family, over 3 years, to Mac.

P.S. what is this myth that macs aren't targeted? They are, often,
and all fail. Windows is, unless a user is as adept as a pit crew
mechanic, a flawed system, bottom line - and Cnet helped it to
become so all the way.

[wbenton]

Zango should be Zapped out of the market

Another Zango, 180 Solutions, Gator... call 'em what you like... but regardless of how often they change their company name... they're still up to the same no good stuff.

On another note, if you browse the internet, you need strong security. And if you want to see sexually explicit/pornographic stuff... then you need even tighter security.

Bottom Line: Only those not security concious will be infected!

Walt