Comments on: Interview with an Adware Author http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:08:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: munir ardi http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-5818 munir ardi Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:39:27 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-5818 Great interview! Keep up the good work! And let’s hope the other great interview Great interview! Keep up the good work! And let’s hope the other great interview

]]> By: White Hat Guy http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-5750 White Hat Guy Fri, 29 Jan 2010 06:18:26 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-5750 I had the pleasure to meet this terrific guy!! What a wild CUSEC conference in Montreal. Great Interview!!! This guy rocks, one of the best talks at CUSEC....miss this guy!!! Great foot wear sense too....sorry for stepping on your toes Matt...lol I had the pleasure to meet this terrific guy!! What a wild CUSEC conference in Montreal. Great Interview!!! This guy rocks, one of the best talks at CUSEC….miss this guy!!! Great foot wear sense too….sorry for stepping on your toes Matt…lol

]]> By: soul http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-5721 soul Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:54:31 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-5721 What if I run the application in a sandbox? Then I can delete it after I use it for the things I want. You can't do anything right? What if I run the application in a sandbox? Then I can delete it after I use it for the things I want. You can’t do anything right?

]]> By: CUSEC 2010 » Matthew Knox, Evil Overlord http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-5473 CUSEC 2010 » Matthew Knox, Evil Overlord Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:35:25 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-5473 [...] Broke and professionally inexperienced, he got a job working at an adware company analysing spam. He gradually wrote more and more adware code, protecting his employers and attacking their competitors, and before long he found himself engaged in what amounted to a ‘distributed code war on a 4-10 million-node network‘. [...] [...] Broke and professionally inexperienced, he got a job working at an adware company analysing spam. He gradually wrote more and more adware code, protecting his employers and attacking their competitors, and before long he found himself engaged in what amounted to a ‘distributed code war on a 4-10 million-node network‘. [...]

]]> By: adware http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-5424 adware Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:03:49 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-5424 Great interview Great interview

]]> By: Melbourne http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-5420 Melbourne Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:01:37 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-5420 For some people, the idea that good people can do bad things is very upsetting: in mild forms the upset is called "cognitive dissonance": in severe forms it can drive you crazy. Dave_J would presumably have been with those who thought that Hannah Arendt's "Eichman in Jerusalem" condoned evil. For myself, I'm with Isaiah: "And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" Isaiah 64:6 For some people, the idea that good people can do bad things is very upsetting: in mild forms the upset is called “cognitive dissonance”: in severe forms it can drive you crazy.

Dave_J would presumably have been with those who thought that Hannah Arendt’s “Eichman in Jerusalem” condoned evil.

For myself, I’m with Isaiah:
“And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags”
Isaiah 64:6

]]> By: seks izle http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4830 seks izle Fri, 19 Jun 2009 22:01:07 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4830 terraibly new for anyone who has tried to crack software, but I am happy that some green horns are learning something, life is always about learning! To all the people who sput nonsense about him being a criminal… The internet and computer are young and with very little of an immune system. If he was not writing and inventing new ways to break windows security it would not be patched untill someone with less morals then he came along and did something truely vile with the knowledge. So in closing terraibly new for anyone who has tried to crack software, but I am happy that some green horns are learning something, life is always about learning! To all the people who sput nonsense about him being a criminal… The internet and computer are young and with very little of an immune system. If he was not writing and inventing new ways to break windows security it would not be patched untill someone with less morals then he came along and did something truely vile with the knowledge. So in closing

]]> By: The Adware Spyware Geek http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4758 The Adware Spyware Geek Tue, 02 Jun 2009 07:25:34 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4758 Great interview - very insightfull. The bit about Google and Gmail filtering our personal info for their own advertising needs is quite scary - who know what else they know about us. Great interview – very insightfull.
The bit about Google and Gmail filtering our personal info for their own advertising needs is quite scary – who know what else they know about us.

]]> By: dfdfd http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4667 dfdfd Sun, 03 May 2009 15:44:45 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4667 - Attempted to circumvent bank reporting requirements to hide his activities - Used a false name on a hotel registration to hide his activities As far as I am concerned SPITZER was a far worse human being than ANY adware maker! - Attempted to circumvent bank reporting requirements to hide his activities
- Used a false name on a hotel registration to hide his activities

As far as I am concerned SPITZER was a far worse human being than ANY adware maker!

]]> By: Karmakaze http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4626 Karmakaze Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:50:19 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4626 It never ceases to amaze me how vicious some people can get about adware etc. These guys showed you ADs - no worse than TV (I don't get the right to block ads from my TV), and the man who went after them, Eliot Spitzer: - Circumvented campaign-contribution limits in New York state law and then concealed his actions - Used state police to gather information to smear a political opponent - Was a regular customer of prostitutes for years - Attempted to circumvent bank reporting requirements to hide his activities - Used a false name on a hotel registration to hide his activities As far as I am concerned SPITZER was a far worse human being than ANY adware maker! It never ceases to amaze me how vicious some people can get about adware etc. These guys showed you ADs – no worse than TV (I don’t get the right to block ads from my TV), and the man who went after them, Eliot Spitzer:

- Circumvented campaign-contribution limits in New York state law and then concealed his actions
- Used state police to gather information to smear a political opponent
- Was a regular customer of prostitutes for years
- Attempted to circumvent bank reporting requirements to hide his activities
- Used a false name on a hotel registration to hide his activities

As far as I am concerned SPITZER was a far worse human being than ANY adware maker!

]]> By: Roy Pardee http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4400 Roy Pardee Thu, 19 Feb 2009 16:22:12 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4400 Re: the whole we-did-more-good-than-harm thing--isn't that pretty much what a pimp would say? "My bitches need my protection from the even crueler pimps out there." I also have to wonder how much these guys' malware-fu would help in devising anti-malware software. An arsonist isn't necessarily good at putting out fires. Re: the whole we-did-more-good-than-harm thing–isn’t that pretty much what a pimp would say? “My bitches need my protection from the even crueler pimps out there.”

I also have to wonder how much these guys’ malware-fu would help in devising anti-malware software. An arsonist isn’t necessarily good at putting out fires.

]]> By: Nukdookum http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4360 Nukdookum Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:47:19 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4360 This was a fantastic article and a great read. I read through all of the remarks and everyone seems to think that by moving to Unix or some other more secure system they will be safe from Adware in the future... I leave you with these thoughts: M: That was a pretty limited market, I’d say. If suddenly everyone becomes more "savvy" and switches to a unix machine, then that market will not be so limited anymore, making it worth the expense to write adware for. If the majority of people quit using windows, then the spyware and adware folks will adapt and follow the "market". No matter how secure a system is, someone will find a way to beat it. This was a fantastic article and a great read. I read through all of the remarks and everyone seems to think that by moving to Unix or some other more secure system they will be safe from Adware in the future…

I leave you with these thoughts:

M: That was a pretty limited market, I’d say.

If suddenly everyone becomes more “savvy” and switches to a unix machine, then that market will not be so limited anymore, making it worth the expense to write adware for. If the majority of people quit using windows, then the spyware and adware folks will adapt and follow the “market”. No matter how secure a system is, someone will find a way to beat it.

]]> By: vilppu http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4338 vilppu Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:25:25 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4338 Fascinating peek into the "M"ad-world. The debate over "ethics" (not really mentioned by name) and the methodology of infection were of great interest. I learned something new about something I had suspected was going on (I do not have Windows). Personally I think that ad/spyware and spam are a waste of resources. But in a "free-market" individual participants can freely create wasteful chaos. So be it. Fascinating peek into the “M”ad-world. The debate over “ethics” (not really mentioned by name) and the methodology of infection were of great interest. I learned something new about something I had suspected was going on (I do not have Windows). Personally I think that ad/spyware and spam are a waste of resources. But in a “free-market” individual participants can freely create wasteful chaos. So be it.

]]> By: Mykola http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4284 Mykola Wed, 04 Feb 2009 15:08:25 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4284 Hi, Mr. Pure Evil :-))) Nice talk, thanks. Hi, Mr. Pure Evil :-) ))

Nice talk, thanks.

]]> By: f http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4272 f Wed, 04 Feb 2009 01:39:10 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4272 you are actully a very intelligent guy, and you could be a good hacker if russia attacks the US, you might be able to help us you should take all your skill, and use it for good help antiviruses companies i totalty agree, if you want to be free of this adware, dont use windows you should have used this info for good int he first place you are actully a very intelligent guy, and you could be a good hacker
if russia attacks the US, you might be able to help us

you should take all your skill, and use it for good

help antiviruses companies

i totalty agree, if you want to be free of this adware, dont use windows

you should have used this info for good int he first place

]]> By: Osle http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4238 Osle Fri, 30 Jan 2009 21:15:34 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4238 so what is the difference betwen ptrace and createremotethread? so what is the difference betwen ptrace and createremotethread?

]]> By: Eric Honaker http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4233 Eric Honaker Fri, 30 Jan 2009 17:24:56 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4233 An excellent interview, and an opportunity to look into the mind of someone many of us would consider to be an opportunist at best, cyber criminal at worst. Keep up the good work! An excellent interview, and an opportunity to look into the mind of someone many of us would consider to be an opportunist at best, cyber criminal at worst.

Keep up the good work!

]]> By: Ruok http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4232 Ruok Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:48:51 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4232 As an out of work programmer I can feel his pain about being broke. It was a great interview, nothing to terraibly new for anyone who has tried to crack software, but I am happy that some green horns are learning something, life is always about learning! To all the people who sput nonsense about him being a criminal... The internet and computer are young and with very little of an immune system. If he was not writing and inventing new ways to break windows security it would not be patched untill someone with less morals then he came along and did something truely vile with the knowledge. So in closing, thank him for a hacker in the true spirt of the word. Not a cracker who steals your something more then a bit of your system resources. Last point, I am not advicating keeping spyware around but as I am advicating using it as booster shot that computers need so they don't get something way more evil. As an out of work programmer I can feel his pain about being broke. It was a great interview, nothing to terraibly new for anyone who has tried to crack software, but I am happy that some green horns are learning something, life is always about learning! To all the people who sput nonsense about him being a criminal… The internet and computer are young and with very little of an immune system. If he was not writing and inventing new ways to break windows security it would not be patched untill someone with less morals then he came along and did something truely vile with the knowledge. So in closing, thank him for a hacker in the true spirt of the word. Not a cracker who steals your something more then a bit of your system resources.
Last point, I am not advicating keeping spyware around but as I am advicating using it as booster shot that computers need so they don’t get something way more evil.

]]> By: JSB http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4231 JSB Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:31:59 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4231 Informative article. Thanks. There is a tendancy to overreact to moral offences, so remember "Shoot not the messenger!" Informative article. Thanks.

There is a tendancy to overreact to moral offences, so remember “Shoot not the messenger!”

]]> By: Martha http://philosecurity.org/2009/01/12/interview-with-an-adware-author/comment-page-3#comment-4150 Martha Thu, 22 Jan 2009 23:54:29 +0000 http://philosecurity.org/?p=352#comment-4150 Interesting article on a controversial reality! Some of the commentary volley is too reminiscent of the recent campaign fervor. Life is rarely as simplistic or polarized as some would have us believe. Thanks, Sherri and Matt, for a great read! Interesting article on a controversial reality! Some of the commentary volley is too reminiscent of the recent campaign fervor. Life is rarely as simplistic or polarized as some would have us believe. Thanks, Sherri and Matt, for a great read!

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