A really weird problem involving Trend Micro's Venus Spy Trap

I'm not sure what happened, but last night, after updating my SpywareBlaster, and running my Ad-Aware, Ewido, and Trend Micro scans, Trend Micro's Venus Spy Trap popped up told me that "Changes have been detected on your computer" and that "Software has attempted to change your Internet browser configuration." And of course you can double click on the change to display the details about it. Well, I double clicked on where it says, "Click here for more information," and you wouldn't believe what I saw. Well, you know those porn and those really crazy sites that are listed under SpywareBlaster's "Restricted Zone"? Well, when I double clicked for more information about the software change attempt that Trend Micro's Venus Spy Trap was warning me about, I got this really long list of sites that looked pratically identical to the list of sites in SpywareBlaster's "Restricted Zone." Well, I haven't blocked the software change attempt in the Venus Spy Trap yet because I wanted to post this thread first to see if anyone had any idea as to why the software change attempt occurred on my computer. All protection is enabled for the "Restricted Sites" in SpywareBlaster. Also, NO ONE has been looking at any porn on my computer. Therefore, I'm at a lost as to why this software change attempt has occurred on my computer. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

Although, I do recall doing a search on some medical issues several weeks ago and I inadvertently stumbled upon this Tantric Kama Sutra sexual site. And I will admit that I looked around on the site, however, the Kama Sutra site was a legitimate site about sexuality and was not a porn site, therefore, I don't really think that that site would have had anything to do with the software change attempt that occurred on my computer last night.

 

Sounds like Venus Fly Trap flagged an update to SpywareBlaster, and thus reported a False Positive. I would report this to Trend Micro for them to fix - probably best to ignore changes in that section of the Registry, as they apply to the Restricted Zone for IE.

-- Tom

 

What you are seeing is neither abnormal nor a "False Positive" on Venus Fly Traps part. You may have already checked the programs Options but you will note in that section is the Venus Fly Traps selection and if you click it's plus sign you will see all of it's monitoring areas. The selection that is alerting of these additions to the Restricted Zone of IE is Monitor Browser Security Settings. It's simply doing what other simialr programs like MSAS, Spysweeper, Windows Defender, Counter Spy....etc....do when sites are being added to either the Trusted or Restricted Zone of IE.

 

Okay, I'm not sure that I fully understand, but it appears as if these other programs like MSAS, Spysweeper, and Windows Defender, etc., do this automatically.(I have Windows Defender, and I have never gotten a message from it that it is adding sites to either the Trusted or Restricted Zone of IE.) Therefore, what I'm not clear about is: When the Venus Spy Trap is asking me if I want to either "Deny" or "Ok" these sites, is it asking me if I want to "Deny" or "Ok" these sites to go into the Restricted Zone? What I have been doing is selecting "Deny" because I thought that I was denying these sites from being able to have access to my computer. However, from your explanation, Bubba, it sounds as if I should have selected "Ok." Also, another question that I have is: If Windows Defender automatically adds sites to either the Trusted or Restricted Zone, wouldn't it be redundant in having Venus Spy Trap do it also?

 

VST is not adding sites....it is letting the action happen....whether it's a user manually adding them themselves or letting programs such as Spywareblaster be permitted to add them.

Since I have not looked at WD in a few months....I'll address only MSAS and Spysweeper. Those 2 definetly alert the user to an addition to the Restricted Zone and in Spysweepers case it is via it's IE Security Shield monitoring point.

As noted in the below pic....Ok means to let the addition be added to the Restricted Zone of IE and Deny blocks the addition from being added. In case that's not clear in regards to Spywareblaster or other similar programs that add sites to the Restricted Zone....select OK.

 

I'm finally now just getting back to this thread, but, oops! Apparently I did it the wrong way because the last time that I updated my SpywareBlaster, my Restricted Sites Protection was disabled. However, my full service trial period has expired and my Trend Micro's Venus Spy Trap isn't functional anymore. But I'm glad because I would have disabled it anyway.