Spybot Search & Destroy - Threats From Spyware Company
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If you are not familiar with the software Spybot Search & Destroy, it is one of the better anti-spyware software packages for removing malware crud from your computer. Spybot has been around for quite a while and many people depend on this fine software to keep their systems clean. Oh, and the best part is it is free.
Well it seems that a company by the name of Oska Educational Systems Pty Limited is threatening the writer of Spybot because it seems to feel that it is being picked on as being spyware. Well the writer of Spybot concludes from his statement on his Web site the following:
What do you think when a casino software, some toolbars, and a girl dancing on your desktop do appear on your computer without you wanting them to do so? We think that’s a typical case of what has different names, from trojan downloader or trojan dropper to hijacker.
Well, those probably not fully naked dancing desktop girls from that malware package are something named DeskMates from a company called Oska Educational Systems Pty Limited. Whether this kind of anatomy is really educational is another question not to be dealt with today, more important is that Oska didn’t like their “mates” to be detected as a part of a trojan installation - understandable if they should have nothing to do with the trojan. But then, instead of working with us to stop the trojan horse that is spreading their software (and if it is an affiliate they pay money for each installation, they should have the financial records to track it), they rejected any of our attempts to help them track down the trojan source, instead - even though they clearly showed that they do not want to know anything about those trojans from us - letting their attorney tell us mysterious stories on how this would be impossible, and that they will sue us for the damages to their reputation done by this trojan instead.
I don’t know about you, but that sounds like something I don’t want on my computer system. I applaud the folks at Spybot for standing their ground to what appears to be unwarranted threats from a greedy software vendor.
What is your take on this? Does it sound like spyware to you?
Comments welcome.
Full story is here.
5 Comments
Tim Hodkinson
May 11th, 2007
at 12:31pm
It sounds exactly like a trojan. I find it impossible to believe that they aren’t deliberately using that trojan to spread their “product”. Why would anyone go to the trouble (and legal risk) of making a trojan and then use it to distribute someone else’s scam? Oska’s story is total lie.
Mind you, it’s a pretty creative lie. What malware maker would ever think of approaching a spyware company and complaining?
Ron Schenone
May 11th, 2007
at 12:55pm
Hi Tim,
Some of these companies are pretty bold.
Ron
eldergeek
May 12th, 2007
at 7:11pm
I trust Spybot Search and Destroy and have for years now. If they take a stand on anything at all my inclination would be to stand with them. Not that I wouldn’t check the facts myself but anyone who’s threatening to sue them begins with one strike in my book and I’m going to watch them closely while I check them out thoroughly.
Ron Schenone
May 13th, 2007
at 1:49pm
Hi eldergeek,
I agree 100%.
Ron
Annon
August 14th, 2008
at 3:06pm
Oska Educational Systems is run by someone in Quincy, MA! Found him on filetopia… and in his profile (oskathemighty) found a link to oska.com !!!
DOB 6-7-85
Also owns
bootlegers101.com
bootlegers101hosting.com
and
bootleger.ourtoolbar.com (2nd LD)
All data from public profile on filetopia.org client of user “oskathemighty” . Seen in #Creative Designs
I didn’t know a pty ltd could operate out of the USA…
in other words, the attorney is probably bogus, and so’s the business!