[Leader]

Been deleting the MoneyMaker and/or other parasiteware only to have it reinstall on you? Read on, here's one way they're doing it:

Today I was amazed to find myself bombarded with ads which came up depending on which program I was using on my computer. For instance, when I used DW an ad came up for DSL, and when I used my RealPlayer an ad appeared to buy MP3 players!

These ads are made similar to those IP spam ads. But they're *not* IP spam ads...

I went to Parasiteware.com but the script detected nothing. But a run of Ad-Aware (with the latest updates) showed I had been hit with a driveby of the Money Maker. Needless to say, I had A-A remove that, but to my surprise the ads kept coming! But when I looked in my "program files" folder--no Money Maker and no "Coupons and Offers" either!

Further dredging showed that the REAL culprit was hidden in a folder called

ALSET

And in there are associated programs and some little monster that went under the name "help"-somethingorother. Also in this folder were bad proggies that reinstall the ebates junk and the coupons-and-offers junk!

Even though it had "uninstall instructions"--which only a somewhat technical type would ever find at all--those didn't really work. It *appeared* gone from MY user profile, but the other one on this computer still had it--and it wouldn't go away from there. I figured on some crap like this, but tried "uninstalling" it just for curiosity's sake.

Finally I just plain old DELETED the d*mn thing, and the other 2 "alset" files I saw hanging around, and this brute-force tactic seems to have worked.

Note: Neither the Parasiteware.com script nor AdAware picked up the "Alset" files even though A-A spotted the eBates Money Maker file with a deep scan.

It is a beautiful thing, to do nothing, and then rest afterwards.~Spanish Proverb

[This message was edited by Leader on October 17, 2003 at 08:11 PM.]

[ecomcity]

Leader could you detail the steps you took to acquire this ebates MoeMoneymaker application. If Todd and Miss Buckworks could duplicate these and run DNA tests on the resulting re-direct cookie setting procedures we can hope for some CoC action.

Till then we'll just have to enjoy like millions of others the thrill of popup incent advertising turning us into dedicated loyality shoppers. Did the install add you to eBates Opt-Out spam list. I see they sell the e-mails to others as I setup one specific e-mail addie for just testing the slimeware eBates.

Whatever happened to the CoC adendium that required a simple one step un-install or the program was given notice to cease and destroy.

Mike & Charlie ...

If they won't adopt and feed a bird ..flip them one! BBQ some Gator and remember to flush WhenU..

[Leader]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Leader could you detail the steps you took to acquire this ebates MoeMoneymaker application. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Unfortunately not really--I didn't do anything special today, and the "install" date showing for the junk was more than 2 months old (too long to remember what I had been doing at the time). It lay dormant until today but I did notice a bit of instability start up around that time.

I didn't say "yes" to any boxes spontaneously appearing and asking to "install & run" things so I figure it had to be snuck into something I thought was okay. That pretty much leaves some trial versions of video games even though none of them admitted to such junk in their EULAs.

If I find the culprit I'll post it!

BTW, that's another trick this did, the "Moe" part of the name was missing. But the EBATES name (along with the Money Maker part) was right there on the part AdAware detected...

It is a beautiful thing, to do nothing, and then rest afterwards.~Spanish Proverb

[Leader]

UPDATE--I found out where it came from.

After running the latest update from AdAware, the guilty party was pinpointed. Some files had been missed the last time.

It came bundled with the computer when I bought it! But apparently, the association with eBates is more recent (I bought it in January).

I bought it at BestBuy and one of the files discovered was in their pre-installed folder. So I figure that's where it came from. Seems it had been sitting dormant all along until they "pushed" some update at me.

It is a beautiful thing, to do nothing, and then rest afterwards.~Spanish Proverb