Microsoft Acquires Anti-Spyware Leader GIANT Company

Discussion in 'other anti-malware software' started by worldcitizen, Dec 16, 2004.

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  1. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    Imho
    Respect for PW in his wait and see, and regard for the general community.

    Very difficult to give MS any credit for this. All the publicity about enhanced security, upgrades blah,blah,blah...

    I regard this as another implicit admission by MS that there are gaping holes in IE and security of OS. Particularly in light of Balmer"s absurd posturing

    Cannot be too upset with Giant. When Uncle Bill comes with THE BIG CHEQUE, must hard to resist.

    Realistically, currently,MS owns OSs for most of us, all end users are aware of the MS bloat, conflicts crashes etc.

    Will the General community now be told, once again, that there there is no worries. "We have you covered"

    What impetus will there be for ongoing updates? Will any of the bundled software from MS work if MS/Giant is not turned on.

    Default settings for MS already include many automated outgoing and incoming connections that could be interpreted as spyware. Not including the notorious "user assist files" and associated registry keys.

    What happens when The MS Giant labels for example:SS&D, AdAware or any other non MS favoured software (FF !!!) as "Spyware" and attempts to shuit it down.

    Why not recognise expertise of 3rd party software and work to reduce conflicts rather than trying to own it all.

    I defy any one here to say they have no qualms about this change.

    Many implications of this yet to be revealed.

    Memo to self: Send Donation to PK, pay for AdAware, E-mail Webroot to assure them of ongoing commitment to pay.
     
  2. Infinity

    Infinity Registered Member

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    I wish I haven't purchased Giant. really wished that.;(
     
  3. worldcitizen

    worldcitizen Registered Member

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    I really think this is a move in the right direction. My sister, who knows nothing about computers bought a PC recently and in no time it got so infected with spyware she couldn't use it or the internet anymore. She had no knowledge of what a virus or spyware was and for this kind of person an inbuilt spy guard along with AV and firewall TURNED ON would have saved her and me countless hours trying to fix the problem. In the end we had to reformat.

    There are millions of people like this who just don't have a clue about PC security and no aptitude or patience to learn like those who come here. For these people this will be a life-saver because a security package turned on by default and working to protect you the minute you buy and turn on a new PC is just great. This is just like having safety belts automatically fitted to all cars except that it will protect the OS from beginning and automatically download updates. I really think Microsoft are targeting the millions like my sister and if they had done this earlier she would never have had so many problems. It is very good innovation and a 'pre-emptive strike' approach by Microsoft instead of waiting until people learn by error and in the meantime clog up unnecessarily all the tech support agencies on earth with pleas for help with spyware. I would rather a vaccination approach than trying to find a cure AFTER getting infected. It's just common sense to do this because the majority are not tech savvy like you lot here.

    Don't lecture me on the 'pre-emptive strike' example I used by trying to use Iraq as an example. Afghanistan worked and when Iraq has all played out everyone will be much better off without 100,000's of bodies in mass graves so let it play out and you might see that there will be a big drop in calls to tech support for things like spyware, resources better spent developing new technologies. Taking the 'bull by the horns' is the only way out of this mess and however imperfect Microsoft are, they are trying and that is commendible as far as I'm concerned.

    The only criticism I have is that they should have seen the writing on the wall and acted much earlier but better late than never.

    Dave
     
  4. Infinity

    Infinity Registered Member

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    I am not blaming M$ (not this time) but I find that Giant should have noticed us faster of selling their company to M$. I haven't seen a update since a week (since the they sold the company) and they were updating every day practically. that is why I have my thoughts about it.

    I do think you are right about M$ taking finally a good direction. and I can only but applaud for that but what once was a good product will eventually become worse. that is what I am affraid of too. But we'll see. I hope this week wouldn't be a example of what is coming now.

    like I said (and you said)it is good for all those users who don't see the importance of good security but me who purchased the program, just wished I didn't purchased it. that's all. just my two cents.
     
  5. worldcitizen

    worldcitizen Registered Member

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    From what I read and understand the updates will continue but on their site they have apologised for any inconveniences during the transitional stage. That would most likely include interruptions in normal update services until they transfer all the codes and stuff to theor own site. They do have a bit of work to do but I think they'll be up and running before too long. I think everything will get back to normal once the dust settles. Now they are just sorting themselves out and it will take a short while. This will only be a temporary inteerruption and we who have purchased Giant already may be made some good offers in the near future so in the meantime I'll just be patient because I think everything will work out in the end.

    Just hang on.

    Dave
     
  6. Infinity

    Infinity Registered Member

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    Thanx Dave, lets hope so, really appreciated.

    have a nice day

    Inf.
     
  7. bigbuck

    bigbuck Registered Member

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    MICROSOFT has disclosed plans to offer frustrated users of its Windows software new tools to remove spyware programs within 30 days.
    Here
     
  8. worldcitizen

    worldcitizen Registered Member

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    Thanks for that. Giant owners will probably be offered their new software with a license of some sort that compensates for the amount they originally paid. (I hope and trust) Initially I only think the name and a few design changes will be made but Microsoft will most probably incorporate what they believe to be essential and offer a free and pro package.

    I don't believe users who have paid will lose their money. They will be compensated in some way I assume.

    Dave
     
  9. Longboard

    Longboard Registered Member

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    Check Big Buck's link.

    ? ROFLMAO or Weep for the way we are owned/manipulated by MS.

    I use Windows, not too many problems lately. Not really comp savvy enough to go Linux and a bit wary of being somewhat isolated with Unix/Next. Therefore product works, we all know it. I applaud Ms for continuing to improve the product. Still feel vulnerable and somewhat helpless in the face of MS. Now we will see what a real monopoly will do.

    Does anyone think this may be a first response to FF success?

    Pay extra to MS for their own protection programmes!!!
    Does anyone else notice a MINOR conflict of interest here!!

    Why not make the OS even more unsecure then buy another App to plug those holes and make us pay for that too?

    Still along way to go...
    Fox of Fire: better safer and free free free.
     
  10. bigbuck

    bigbuck Registered Member

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    er?....YUP!!!
    Maybe they'll bundle it into a (free) security update for us?...........NOT!
    Gee!.......Do you think so? :D
    ABSO-BLOODY-LUTELY!!!!!!!
     
  11. bigbuck

    bigbuck Registered Member

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    Seriously now,
    What are this mob (M$) thinking? They are buying up security apps to sell to windows users to secure their machines that M$ were unable to 'lock down' in the first place?? Is there any incentive to improve security in their OS? Or will that fall by the wayside now they will have these apps for sale? Will these security apps be incorporated into Longhorn? I think it's only a mattter of time now before M$ purchase a well known AV.....to sell to us!
    Wonders never cease!
    Buck.
    That link again;
    $$$$$
     
  12. AJohn

    AJohn Registered Member

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    Maybe MS is going to build something simular to Giant into Windows and they were too lazy to start from scratch... just an idea though

    I bet MS likes how Giant sends information to the main server all the time (when allowed)
     
  13. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    I'm depressed :blink:
     
  14. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    Maybe we should begin a thread in Polls to see how many of us slew the Giant
     
  15. richrf

    richrf Registered Member

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    No support. No updates. I would like a refund. I am sending them a message requesting one.
     
  16. alexeck

    alexeck Registered Member

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    Hello, I run Sunbelt Software. I just wanted to clarify some issues regarding this whole Microsoft/Sunbelt/Giant issue. I've posted this same message on a couple of other groups this morning, hoping it will answer the brewing questions.

    First, Sunbelt is a Gold Certified Microsoft partner and the two companies have had a strong and friendly partnership for a number of years.

    Microsoft fully owns its anti-spyware product that it acquired from Giant Company. (Giant had previously granted co-ownership rights to Sunbelt for a previous version of Giant’s anti-spyware product. As part of that contract, Sunbelt has the exclusive right to innovate its own product. Similarly, Microsoft has exclusive rights to the Microsoft technology.)

    In turn, Sunbelt fully owns its own anti-spyware technology, currently marketed as CounterSpy and CounterSpy Enterprise.

    Microsoft will be providing definition file updates to Sunbelt to its spyware database until July 2007. During this time, Sunbelt and Microsoft share in the ownership of these definition files.

    On a separate note, we plan on shipping an SDK for CounterSpy in Q1 which includes the definition file updates from Microsoft, as well as our own additional threat updates. This SDK will be available for OEMs to include antispyware technology into their own products.

    We are actively developing new versions of CounterSpy, and adding our own threat database updates to the product. We have our own team of developers on the enterprise and consumer versions, as well as a team of researchers hunting for new spyware.

    Contrary to some reports, we don't anticipate making CounterSpy a free product. It's currently $19.95, which I hope is a fair price considering the breadth and depth of the technology in the product.

    There have been some questions about the spam technology that Microsoft purchased as part of the Giant Company acquisition. Here's the deal: As Sunbelt and Giant Company have previously announced publicly. Sunbelt is a licensee of certain anti-spam technologies from Giant Company, which include ongoing obligations on the part of Giant Company. Sunbelt and Microsoft are working through the transition issues related to this spam technology.

    Feel free to contact me offline if you have any more questions or comments.


    Alex Eckelberry
    President
    Sunbelt Software
     
  17. dread

    dread Registered Member

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  18. Bonnie

    Bonnie Registered Member

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    Could be, like AJohn says, that MS are too lazy, or maybe a case of “Why re-invent the (pretty darn good) wheel”. If MS don’t grow Giant it will be a great shame, unless you’re one of Giant’s competitors. What will MS do – buy out every single good anti-spyware maker? And leave even bigger opportunities for new entrants? Let’s face it, there are enough people who’d rather not buy MS.

    So why do so many people do it? I keep hearing how bad MS are, how unsecure XP is, blah, blah, and how there are better things out there. So why…

    aren’t we ALL using them? It isn’t, I think, simply a matter of laziness or stupidity, more unawareness. Sure there will always be stupid, apathetic people around, but not in the numbers I see when it comes to lack of basic knowledge of pc security. Trouble is, no-one has an actual duty to inform. People can buy a pc and surf with no knowledge. Nice and liberal and open, but it makes the experience unsecure for everyone else. If the internet was a motorway, it would be a one-way ride with no seatbelt. We can call people names, we can take measures to protect our pc’s, we can criticise MS, but how about a general awareness campaign, outside of the relatively confined ranks these discussions invariably seem to be in?

    One thing I’m sure about, most people (the ‘uninformed’) actually trust MS, just like they buy (if anything) Norton or McAfee rather than ‘unknown’ products like x,y or z. Maybe an awareness campaign of the general issues and problems would cause more interest in the alternatives. Now that might make MS take notice.

    Got a feeling that *one* of the reasons why, e.g. Firefox, is heralded as more secure is because the numbers of users is relatively small in comparison to MS. Just not worth targeting. Yet.

    You guys will be able to find holes in this quicker than a hacker can in XP, but I think some of the points may be (uncomfortably) valid.
     
  19. AJohn

    AJohn Registered Member

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    Bonnie, I agree for the most part, but I have lots of seatbelts :D

    Reason people trust FireFox is because it is open-source and they are very dedicated to fixing problems the right way, its hard to tell which approach MS takes when 'fixing' problems.

    Best thing would be for Windows XP to become open-source, but that wont be happening legally :(
     
  20. yorgovan

    yorgovan Guest

    Microsoft should buy Kaspersky and finnaly make the best protection available today:

    Kaspersky Antivirus & Giant Anti-Spyware
     
  21. richrf

    richrf Registered Member

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    If I was to chose two pieces of software (other than a firewall), I would probably chose KAV + ProcessGuard. I don't think Giant would make my top 5. Let me see:

    1) KAV
    2) ProcessGuard
    3) Ewido or TDS-3 (or BOClean or TrojanHunter)
    4) Ad-aware or Spybot
    5) Giant

    Also, over the last month of Giant's life (as I will always remember it), it was giving more and more false positives. Maybe they were trying to impress MS. I don't know. But it was actually slowly becoming superfluous. I like the idea of having an anti-spyware product, but Ad-aware and Spybot were overall more effective and reliable in finding real malware - actually uninvited cookies.

    Rich
     
  22. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    I don't suppose there is much of a chance of Kaspersky buying Microsoft
    :p
     
  23. bigbuck

    bigbuck Registered Member

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    About as much chance as me buying M$!!
     
  24. Rainwalker

    Rainwalker Registered Member

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    Hi Buck......i was unable to locate a Tongue in Cheek icon when i posted
    ;)
     
  25. CrazyM

    CrazyM Firewall Expert

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