Spyware-killing Vista could take out rivals

There's a software product coming that has the potential to demote spyware from a security priority to an afterthought: Windows Vista.

Spyware has become a serious security problem for users of Microsoft's operating system over the past years, giving rise to a host of third-party tools to fight the insidious software. But perhaps the best defensive program has yet to ship, some analysts believe.

Microsoft later this year plans to release Windows Vista, the long-awaited successor to Windows XP. The operating system is being designed to shut the door on spyware. It will introduce important changes at the heart of the operating system, as well as to Internet Explorer, and include Windows Defender, an anti-spyware tool.

"The spyware threat will definitely shrink or shrivel" as Vista gets adopted, said John Pescatore, an analyst with Gartner. "We got a handle on spam. It still gets through, but it is such a small percentage now, we know how to deal with what gets through. That same thing will happen to spyware. It will be under control."

While Microsoft was working on Vista, spyware grew into a security nightmare. Experts believe the malicious software, which pops up ads on screens or spies on PC users, has been surreptitiously put on more than three-quarters of PCs. In an FBI survey published earlier this year, 80 percent of businesses reported spyware trouble, making it the most common security woe after viruses, worms and Trojan horses.

Every new version of Windows offers some security improvements, but Vista more so, said Rob Enderle, an analyst with the Enderle Group. "Vista, because it was pretty much conceived during the toughest times for Microsoft with regards to malicious software, has the most protection in it compared to any of their platforms," he said.

Spyware and its less-noxious cousin adware are widely despised for their sneaky distribution tactics, unauthorized data gathering and slowing of PCs. The unwanted software does not typically land on a computer the way a virus or a worm does. Instead, it creeps onto a system by tricking the user into clicking on a malicious link on a Web site or in an instant message. Alternatively, the distributor may secretly bundle it with an innocuous application that the user does want, such as a free application for file sharing.

Though spyware has been able to haunt users of XP, it won't be as easy for miscreants to get their malicious software onto machines that run Vista, said Austin Wilson, a director in the Windows Client group at Microsoft.

Vista takes on spyware

Microsoft is taking a three-pronged approach with Windows Vista to reduce the threat of spyware.

User Account Control
By default, Windows Vista will run with fewer user privileges. The privileges control how a user can interact with the software. Most Windows XP users have "administrator" privileges, which could be abused by malicious software to install itself on a computer.

In Windows Vista, users will have to invoke administrator rights to perform certain tasks, such as installing software.

Internet Explorer 7
IE 7 will run in "protected mode." This mode will prevent silent installs of malicious software by stopping the Web browser from writing data anywhere on the PC except in a temporary files folder without first seeking permission.

Windows Defender
Microsoft's anti-spyware tool will block and clean up any infections that do make it through. The tool scans for spyware, adware, rootkits and other malicious code, but does not include antivirus technology.

"We have taken out a significant number of the attack vectors that spyware authors use today," said Austin Wilson, a director in the Windows Client group at Microsoft. "We're not saying that spyware will be gone because of Windows Vista. We do think we will make a significant impact."

Microsoft is taking a multipronged approach to fight spyware. Unlike XP, Vista will run by default with fewer user privileges. People will have to invoke full, "administrator," privileges to perform tasks such as installing an application.

Also, Internet Explorer 7, included with Vista, will prevent silent installs of malicious code by stopping the browser from writing data anywhere except in a temporary files folder without first seeking permission. Lastly, Windows Defender will clean up any infections that do make it through.

"It is three layers of protection," Wilson said.

While this may be good news for buyers of Vista, it is not for anyone who makes a living from selling anti-spyware software. The worldwide market has boomed recently, reaching $97 million in revenue in 2004, up 240.4 percent from a year earlier, according to IDC. However, companies such as Webroot Software and Sunbelt Software are in for tough times, analysts said.

"The aftermarket for Windows anti-spyware is going to dry up almost completely," said Yankee Group analyst Andrew Jaquith. "Windows Defender is going to become the default anti-spyware engine, certainly for most consumers that have Vista machines."

Gartner's Pescatore agreed. "Integrating Windows Defender into Windows Vista is sort of the last nail into the standalone anti-spyware coffin," he said.

[Lindy01]

Good

I have never gotten a virus since DOS 3.3 until now. I have spent a lot of good money on AV software though.

I used to get pop-ups/spyware on occasion nothing serious and I would regularly run things like Ad-aware or spybot.

However since the combination of SP2 for XP, Microsoft Anti- spyware (now defender) and Symantec Anti-Virus Corporate edition 9 & 10 I have gotten nothing?.not a single pop-up or piece of spyware/malware?etc on any of the 4 PC?s running XP in my house.

All of my PC?s have auto-update turned on since it was available and I am sure that has something to do with it but I honestly think most of this is just a cash cow for these companies quoted in this article.

When I switch to Vista I am going to dump AV software all together and just go with auto-update and the built in defender.

[inachu]

I would like to know the retail price.

I don't mind paying for Windows Vista if its under $420

[kelmon]

Should Not Need Another Application Anyway

I'm pleased to hear this news and hope that it really does turn out
like this. While I'm not a fan of anti-competitive practices (e.g. the
Internet Explorer and Media Player issues), I do see security as
being a core function of the OS and therefore one that I would
much rather was not out-sourced to another company. I wish
Microsoft the best of luck in this and hope that its results means
that we no longer need the likes of Norton AntiVirus or Ad-Aware
in the future.

[lewissalem]

Nothing to worry about...

..Spyware software companies have nothing to worry about. Windows Vista will have a whole new set of weaknesses that virii can exploit.

[Zymurgist]

XP held the same promise.

It was indeed an improvement, yet the problem
worsened.

One cannot discount the skills and
resourcefulness of the authors of malware.
Saying that Vista will put anti-spyware firms
out of business is like saying DRM measures will
thwart piracy. At best, both have fleeting
efficacy and are rapidly overcome by
knowledgable people adapting to the new
technology.

[fhowden]

end spyware

We need a small, and simple to operate program, that will return really vicious worms to the authors. That will end spyware forever

[gnurob]

New Windows Follows Established Best Practices

A.K.A. Other operating systems sported these for years (excecpt for the unnecessary anti-spyware tool): Mac OS X, UNIX and GNU/Linux, etc. Sadly Microsoft will hail this as some sort of innovation.

The old joke Macintosh 89 / Windows 95 is back again in its newest form. Working professionally on over a dozen different operating systems including Mac OS X, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, GNU/Linux, NetWare, and Windows makes this sort of announcement especially frustrating. When will users drop the monkey see - monkey do attitude and recognize that other, better, products exist.

[briancgraham]

I'll believe it when I see it!!

This is just another case where Microsoft is 'over-stating' and 'over-hyping' their next release. However, they have yet to release anything that has been tested and proven to be solid BEFORE RELEASE! (They seem to leave that work to the public. )

Until they begin to display this type of behavior you can bet I'll be running a 2rd party software to protect my data and my time.

I have never had a problem running my XP machines with the Zone Labs Integrity Desktop firewall (free), Grisoft's AVG antivirus (also free), and either Adware or SpyBot Search and Destroy.

There is NO WAY I would run Vista without them.

[sanenazok]

I don't think so

For once, where do they get off saying that "We got a handle on spam." Wow, did you? Is it because Outlook 2003(r) has a mediocre text-based filtering system that's two years behind free apps? Do you mean to say that IIS e-mail services handle spam? I get as much spam today as I did three years ago.

Hopefully, Microsoft Windows Vista(r) will fix IE to the point where it will be impossible for spyware to be installed without your knowledge. Of course, what should happen if someone intentionally installs a program that is ad-supported. I guess the Microsoft Defender (tm) might take it out, but then again it will probably not be perfect. So there'll be a demand for other anti-spyware products to make sure systems are protected.

[brendlerjg]

That's what they said about Internet Explorer

I bet they'll make it next to impossible to turn it off and use a competitor's product too.

Oh, and spyware IS and afterthought, for everybody EXCEPT Windows users.

[uparrow]

Bad Luck

Too right.

I'm not paying for Vista if it's anything under $365.43....

[Tiger1964]

But who will upgrade?

I'll believe the hype when I see it. But how many of us are going to
go out and spend alot of money on a new system just to run
Vista??? Not me, I'll stick with my little mac.

[TheTSArt1]

Defender going to be Free?

I thought I heard that once Defender was out of Beta it was no
longer going to be free.

This article seems to make it sound as if it is always going to be
free and is going to protect all Vista systems.

[digikid]

MS could save themselves the trouble by using a UNIX core...

Welcome to the wonderful world of secure computing with Linux/UNIX. The "new inventions" in Vista have been core parts of *NIX since 1973.

Get with it.

[rudy28]

Suprise Suprise!

I can't believe it! No one can! (or atleast should)

So Microsoft is gonna have a rock solid operating system that
will be able to handle security attacks, and now will have anti-
spyware all worked out.....this sounds so familiar.....oh yeah it's
the traditional broken promise and bloated lie....you rember the
old ones don't you??

The new version of windows(95) will eliminate the need to
reboot (well most of the time). BIG FAT LIE

The new version of windows(98) is Plug and Play, no more
worries about drivers or configuration problems BIG FAT LIE

The new update to windows (SP2) has the best security features
and will dramatically decrease vunerabilities and the need for
patches BIG FAT LIE

The new version of windows(95,98,2000, XP) is Rock Solid and
crash proof "blue screens will become a thing of the past" BIG
HUGE FAT LIE

Were making it harder for attackers to get in and no how to
handle the ones that do in the new version of windows (BLEAK
VISTA) CAN YOU SAY LIE

Vista is a DRM nightmare! Designed from the ground up to
exploit the "consumer" and will be just like everything else,
worse then before, and more vunerable then a virgin in a federal
prizon.

[rudy28]

Well let's see

Your using a hardware firewall.........Big help costs $$
Using anti-spyware...................Big help costs $$
Your not logged on as an administrator....big help (can be a
pain)
Shut down regularly.....Big help

- I don't have a HW firewall, don't even use built in software on
most of the time
- I don't have any anti-spywear, or antivirus software on my
system
-I am always running as Administrator, and rarely shutdown.

(Never had a successful attack, definately not any viruses, and
spywear is non existant.....but I'm on a Mac)
Point is, if I was on Windows running my system like I do, I'd be
down most of the time.....I know, because my roomates are
down most of the time on all their Windows Systems.

[concernedcitizen]

Wake Up! - MS Anti-Spyware = Best Way To "Break" Competitors New Web Apps

Microsoft?s interest in providing free (or low cost) anti-spyware and anti-virus software is not out of a desire to provide a more secure PC for the user, it's purely out of a self-preserving interest.

I can not think of a better way to "break" competitors new web apps than telling (common) pc users that the (competitors) web software that they are about to run "could be spyware" - what a great way to frighten that average user into not using a competitors new web software. And best of all, Microsoft does not even have to change the OS code to break the competitors new web apps -- they just have to update the current list of known spyware with the name of the competitor?s web application (via web updates).

Microsoft already breaks competitors desktop applications by changing the windows OS (but Microsoft can only do this OS "trick" once every 4 or 5 years). With anti-spyware, who-ever "owns" the anti-spyware software on the desktop will be the one who gets to "break" whatever competitors web software they desire (i.e., or, at least temporarily frighten common pc users into not using a competitors apps, until Microsoft can "catchup"). This is just too powerful of an opportunity for Microsoft to allow another software company (competitor) to "own" the (desktop) rights to.

[unlawflcombatnt]

Computer Industry Scumbags

I can easily see why someone wouldn't run any of the anti-spyware, firewall, and anti-virus program scams. Every single time I run one it slows down or shuts down my computer. As far as I can tell, the whole industry of "anti-" programs is nothing but a scam. None of them do anything I can see, except wreck my computer. These "anti-" programs continually lock up my computer. I can't even get online much of the time when they're running. I'm on my 3rd new computer in the last 2 weeks, and this one is going back as soon as I can find a replacement. The next computer I get will have 0 anti-spyware, anti-virus, and firewall protection. It seems these are solutions that are worse than the problem. It doesn't do any good to have this alleged "protection" if you can't even get online.

The whole computer industry/scam is providing progressively worse products every year. They're only concerned about upselling their latest non-functional software to solve problems they created themselves, as well as forcing users to buy new "improved" operating systems to replace better functioning ones of the past. This latter is nothing but greed-induced planned obsolescence. It has nothing to do with providing a better product and everything to do with raking in undeserved profits for newer, poorly functioning upgrades.

Microsoft and other computer production suppliers are nothing but Corporate criminals. Though it may be legal to change operating systems and make previous ones obsolete, it's certainly a slimeball way to make money.

I'd like to see Bill Gates and all the other Corporate thugs in the computer industry go to prison. Unfortunately, their scumbag practices are apparently legal, and will remain legal as long as Corporate America controls our government.

unlawflcombatnt

EconomicPopulistCommentary http://www.unlawflcombatnt.blogspot.com/

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[Jeremiah256]

NOT AIMED AT ME (OR YOU)

Look, I'm not going as far as Concerned Citizen (post# 47) and say Microsoft will use their built in anti-spyware to break competitors web apps, but regardless, I don't want Microsoft to be the one determining what is spyware and what's not. Especially since they were slow to slam Sony's use of rootkit technology. I'd rather not risk having Microsoft determine that ads from their Live Web project or what ever it's called, is not spyware and interfere with my wife's websurfing experience.

By the time I'm forced to upgrade my wife's computer to Vista (not even near a top priority since we just bought her a new computer), I'll have plenty of data from the early adapters on what's the best alternative spyware and firewall to use.

And as for worrying about spyware and viruses, most of us on this forum are above average when it comes to setting up and securing our systems. For the average user whom this is aimed at, it's a good thing. Windows is not as inherently as secure as Mac OS X but you can't deny it's gotten better over the years, forced in no small part by people like us making our voices heard and our comparision of Microsoft products like Internet Explorer to alternatives.

[Terry Murphy]

Amazingly naive...

To be blunt, there will be no such thing as a "Spyware-killing"
Vista. Period. Certainly not because of the utter simplistic notion
that because Microsoft finally decides on taking a best - well,
better - approach to software security in Vista than it has in
previous OS efforts, everything will change. It's a new dawn in
technology, lol.

Unfortunately, that is no basis for even assuming Spyware
authors will even be remotely deterred. If you believe the
"Spyware-killing" Vista riff, you're living in a fantasy world. Not a
good place to be in a discussion revolving around security.

Here's the issue that everyone seems to quietly ignore: the
security game for Microsoft is over. That's right, over - and it
has been (rather obviously) for quite some time now. Microsoft
lost (abdicated, actually, lol), and the spyware authors of the
world won. That's the way it's been on the Windows platform
FOR YEARS up until now. Spyware, Inc., thanks to Microsoft's
reluctance to effectively deal with early enough, was allowed to
become big business and now has simply too much invested in
Windows to let MS's new OS stand in the way of their livelihood.
It's here to stay

And the problem for Microsoft (well, users actually) isn't just the
deep entrenchment of Spyware, et al., on it's platform. Insofar as
Vista is concerned, the minute the first copy of Vista ends up in
Mr Joe Consumer's house, Microsoft will have put all of it's
security cards face up on the table. Spyware authors, on the
other hand, have the luxury of not showing a single card in their
hand until they have taken the time to analyze what Microsoft
has done (or not done) security-wise with Vista. That's a
tremendous advantage for Spyware, a serious disadvantage for
Microsoft, and that's a distinction that cannot be overlooked,
underestimated, or, as in the case of this article, conveniently
ignored.

I mean you seriously don't believe that the folks who write
Spyware today cannot adapt/rewrite their code accordingly for
any changes that show up in the Window's platform tomorrow,
do you? Not that they may need to very much since activeX and
the system registry are all coming along for the ride in Vista.
You know, Just like the good old days, lol.