Spyware Defined - The Money Train

In my GnomeREPORT yesterday, I touched briefly on spyware and how it should be clearly defined. Today, I wanted to take some time and see if we can explore the mentality behind the desire to make such an annoyance a reality.

When it comes to Washington State, we like to believe that we are pretty on top of things with regard to dealing with threats like spyware. But as you can see from this 2004 article, the US government (and other nations as well), need to take a more proactive stance on dealing with the problem. In their defense however, we need to understand that the motivation for continuing this sort of activity can actually outshine any productive efforts being made by those in charge.

Just follow the money-
So what is the motivation for companies and in some cases, private citizens to behave in this manner? Money, pure and simple. Spyware is a huge business. And since the Websites that host this malicious software are more often than not paid per install, it quickly becomes a simple numbers game.

Now for the really big question: Who would be crazy enough to fund these people in the first place? Well, I happen to have some answers for you. Rather than list them myself, here is the data for your own inspection; see anyone you know?

But what about the other side of the money trail? Well, people offering ‘free stuff’ Websites or other content that may not be perceived as worth visiting more than once tend to make great candidates for affiliate programs that pay per click to an assigned link. And since it often times may not seem ‘fast enough’ to wait for traffic to really build to a Website, sometimes it is perceived as just being easier to use an affiliate program for revenue when combined with a spyware company for distribution -ensuring a high click through rate.

One of the big victims in all of this would have to be Commission Junction. Even though their policies adhere to good standards, spyware companies enable people without any common decency to infect people’s machines with crap and there is very little that any of us can do about it.

A real life example of a budding spyware distributor-
Want to see a real life example of someone looking to get into the ‘biz’? Here you go…

Now right about now you have to be wondering if anyone that I know could potentially be tempted by the ease of making this sort of thing happen? Speaking for myself, no way. Even though I know how to do it and quite frankly; could remain completely unknown to everyone out there while doing so, I think I will spare myself from going to ‘Geek Hell’ and remain poor instead.

StopBadware.org-
Now, this entire effort seems like they are not going to attract the proper audience. Regardless I still applaud the effort of trying to curb the spyware problem.

With any luck, we will see a future where this sort of thing is not nearly as big of an issue. I know that Microsoft is working to stop this, even if it has met with limited success. For our sakes as well as their’s, I hope they can finally stomp this out completely someday…