FunWebProducts

[kimmer]

All I know is that it's a funky web site that has a tool bar or something that installs on PC's. I gather it adds fun and frivolity to one's web surfing (including Smiley Central stuff -- which I always thought was spyware?). Yeah, whatever.

My concerns are whether it really is an adware/spyware type of thing and/or whether it's a security risk for the user? (As in someone grabbing her password).

I've noticed several members of my board running this, and since one is my mod who can get into the control panel, I figured I'd best check into it. I found references to it on several tech boards, but no definitive answers.

Since I'm not up on PC's, I really can't do more than point them to a help site in order to remove it if it's a nasty bit of software; so if you know what this stuff is and how to help them remove it if need be, I'd appreciate the info.

[Paddy]

From the looks of it, it's adware/spyware - pure and simple. Tell your PC-lovin' friends to stay away, far, far away from this sort of stuff!

http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/we...3/1208web2.html

http://jonathanmurray.com/wordpress/2004/1...oducts-spyware/

[kimmer]

Paddy, thanks bunches. I'd not run across either of those sites in my surfing.

I'm really frustrated because I've been noticing some odd little things and my mod says she "likes the fun stuff", and so I'm going to unmod her until she removes this junk. I'm not going to jeopardize the board to suit her fun.

[gunug]

Yep, this is a spyware package that Spybot checks for!

[kimmer]

Thanks, gunug.

So far the ones with this installed are all telling me, "I ran the Adware scan tonight and it didn't detect this." Yet when they log in to the board it clearly shows in their browser info. It's frustrating.

But my mod having this stuff and not catching/deleting it concerns me. I've set her privileges to minimal and she can no longer approve new members as the control panel is now off limits to her.

Why do people do this stuff, anyhow?

[Gregg]

QUOTE(kimmer @ Nov 27 2007, 12:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Why do people do this stuff, anyhow?

Answer that, AND find the antidote, and you'll join Al Gore at the White House for the next gathering of U.S. Nobel Prize winners.

[Paddy]

Kimmer, I believe that Ad-aware doesn't classify "FunWebProducts" or any of their bits of software as spyware/adware, even though it actually IS. However, most of the paid-subscription type anti-virus/anti-spyware programs like Norton, McAfee, Panda etc., do recognize and remove all 14 of the offending programs that get installed if you install SmileyCentral. In the third link below, you'll see that someone has listed the "parentage" for FunWebProducts - ultimately, it's Excite. So...these guys are functioning under the cover of being legitimate, even though what they do is really no different than all the sneakier forms of spyware out there. As noted in the post at thundercloud.net, SmileyCentral's definition of "spyware" is conveniently narrow.

More interesting explanations/tidbits:

http://thundercloud.net/infoave/answers/nofunwebproducts.htm

http://markusallen.blogspot.com/2005/03/fu...ts-removal.html

http://forum.abestweb.com/archive/index.php/t-52044.html (and see in particular the further notes about blocking access to your web site if the visitors are running FWP)

[kimmer]

You are correct, Paddy -- Ad-aware doesn't see this stuff as a problem.

I have NO use for smileycentral. Between that and Incredimail, I went from no spam to hundreds almost overnight. Now that was years ago, but all my pals went for the okey-doke and used this stuff and I suffered along with them. I wound up closing that email acct in just a few months and told my pals to either get a legit email program with no stinkin' smilies or forget they knew me. I was tougher back then. Ha!

I've set my mod's privileges to bare minimum. We'll see how soon she figures it out. Probably never.

And Gregg ... I don't wanna go to the White House. You have to dress up in a dress and all that stuff if you are a girl -- and I refuse. I'm retired and happy in my jeans.