*** DISCLAIMER ***
MalwareTeks is not affiliated with finallyfast.com, ascentive.com, or any of the products offered on the aforementioned sites.
MalwareTeks does not recommend the use of any product listed on the aforementioned websites and recommends that you immediately uninstall any product(s) downloaded and installed from the aforementioned sites.
*** DISCLAIMER ***
Chances are you have probably seen this commercial on TV. I nearly spit my coffee all over the keyboard of my brand new desktop when I heard the commercial, as it aired on the living room TV, the other day.
What others have to say about Spyware Striker Pro, just one product marketed by Ascentive:
StopBadware.org:
We find that Spyware Striker Pro is badware because it does not disclose the fact that it installs additional “Performance Center” software which is registered to run automatically at startup, and fails to remove this software when Spyware Striker Pro is uninstalled.
We currently recommend that users do not install Spyware Striker Pro, unless users are comfortable with the behaviors we have identified or until the application is updated to be consistent with the recommendations in this alert.
The Spyware Warrior List of Rogue/Suspect Anti-Spyware Products & Web Sites:
ridiculous false positives; outrageous license terms; trial version uses outdated defs
MalwareBytes.org RougeNET:
Threat Level: Medium
Detection Statistics:
This object is 0.41% of all objects detected.
32,038 instances detected worldwide.
Description:
Spyware Striker Pro is a rogue antispyware utility that uses false postives to lure the user into buying the product. The creator of this software is not a trustful company. It also uses deceptive advertising on its website.
EMSI Software a-squared Malware-Info:
Name: Adware.Win32.Spyware Striker
Risklevel: Elevated Risk
SpywareSignatures:
Malware Name: Spyware Striker
Malware Type: Adware
Company Name: Ascentive
Company URL: http://www.ascentive.com/
Threat Level: Elevated Risk
McAfee SiteAdvisor: finallyfast.com
McAfee SiteAdvisor: ascentive.com
*** MalwareTeks Assessment ***
Threat Name: Spyware Striker Pro
Threat Type: Rogue Security Application
Threat Level: Elevated
Threat Description: Elevated threats typically install without adequate notice and consent, and may make unwanted changes to your system. Elevated threats may install additional advertising-related components, such as toolbars and/or search bars, or alter the Winsock Layered Service Provider chain. Such alterations may block or redirect your web searches, and can negatively impact your computer's performance and stability. Elevated threats may also collect, transmit, and share potentially sensitive data without adequate notice and consent.
Symptoms:
- Ridiculously high false positives
- False positives work as good to purchase
- Outrageous licensing terms
- Trial version uses outdated signatures
You may not reproduce this article in whole or part without the express permission of the author and MalwareTeks.
This article was orginally published in the MalwareTeks blog on December 27th, 2008, and has been moved here.
