Adware in SD Central?

Published on December 30, 2004 By Sventekoz In Stardock Support General

I've just run a full system scan after updating my version of SpySweeper, and it's flagged three stardock files as containing Lopdotcom adware. The files it flagged were c:\program files\stardock\sdcentral\data\data\public\test\beta\test.xml, c:\program files\stardock\sdcentral\data\data\public\test\beta\test_baby test.xml, and c:\program files\stardock\sdcentral\data\data\public\dc\beta\dc.xml. You can see details on Lopdotcom at http://www.webroot.com/php/spysweeper_spydesc.php

I was just wondering whether anyone else has come across this issue, especially with SpySweeper scans.

Comments

Jafo

on Dec 30, 2004

Many of the more 'cautious' scanners give false-positives.

Some virus checkers don't like certain compression algorythms, too ....I know of one that refused to let me dl a file...which was actually harmless...

Sventekoz

on Dec 30, 2004

Yeah - I agree. That's what I thought. I haven't actually quarantined the files, mainly because Stardock is one of the few companies I trust, and I can't see them doing anything like that to so many loyal customers. I was just curious to find out whether anyone had a similar experience.

GreenReaper

on Dec 30, 2004

Thanks, I've filed a bug report with them and we'll see how that goes . . .

Sventekoz

on Dec 30, 2004

Who with JourneyMan? Stardock or SpySweeper?

Thomas Thomassen

on Dec 30, 2004

Stardock.

I use Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D, two of the top antispyware program out there. (And free) None of them ever complains about Stardock. And I would never ever think Stardock would add spyware to their software. If that happend you can be sure you'd hear about it.

MDAW2254

on Dec 30, 2004

I'm with JourneyMan. Stardock, not SpySweeper.

Koasati

on Dec 30, 2004

Adware or advertising-supported software is any software application in which advertisements are displayed while the program is running.

Adware is not necessarily the same thing as spyware.
Have you seen any ads in SDC?

Sedgwick

on Dec 30, 2004

I use Ad-Aware and Spybot S&D, two of the top antispyware program out there. (And free) None of them ever complains about Stardock. And I would never ever think Stardock would add spyware to their software. If that happend you can be sure you'd hear about it.

I quite agree. Ad-aware would've picked somthing up if there was somthing.

Sventekoz

on Dec 30, 2004

Well, as I've said, I agree with everyone who's said that Stardock wouldn't do anything like that - and I'm glad that no-one else has found this. However, just as a general comment, in all the tests I found before I parted with my hard-earned cash, SpySweeper did a better job at finding and removing adware and spyware than AdAware and Spybot. I have to admit that this is the second time it's registered a false-positive, but at least it asks what I want to do with what it finds and gives enough information for me to make up my mind. I'd rather have that than things slipping through.

Koasati - no, nothing has come up in SDC, and nothing unusual is happening anywhere else - and I don't expect it to.

Sventekoz

on Dec 30, 2004

Also - my apologies to GreenReaper!

I obviously need glasses - I didn't mean to call him Journeyman!

GreenReaper

on Jan 07, 2005

Well, I am, although more a developer than anything else.

And, good news from the Webroot team!
We have detected a definite false-positive with our definitions. We will fix the problem in our next definitions update that is released. Thank you for your time and patience.

Sventekoz

on Jan 09, 2005

Nice to have it confirmed by the powers that be. Thanks GreenReaper!

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