‘Reformed’ adware shippers upset by detection and removal.
Adware and sometime spyware maker
Zango
has brought a suit against anti-spyware firm
PC Tools
complaining that the
Spyware Doctor
product, a pared-down version of which is included in the freely available
Google Pack
set of utilities provided by
Google
, overestimates the dangers of the
Zango
product range and removes installed software without consent from the user.
Zango
, formerly
180Solutions
and incorporating
Hotbar
, produces adware-driven ‘online media content’, which has been the source of much controversy in recent years, with several lawsuits brought against the firm for employing deceptive practices, hiding its software or blocking removal, and gathering private data without consent. After several high-profile cases, including a
payout of over $3 million to the FTC
in November 2006,
Zango
has repeatedly stated its intention to reform its software to remove such spyware tactics, a requirement of the settlement made with the FTC.
However, the reputation earned by years of suspect behaviour, including allowing ‘affiliates’ to earn money from
illicit distribution of
Zango
products to unsuspecting users
, continues to dog the firm, and
PCTools
‘ recent decision to increase the threat rating applied to the company’s software has led to the lawsuit, brought on Tuesday in a court in Seattle, Washington.
Zango
is demanding $35 million in damages for the harm caused to its profits by
Spyware Doctor
alerting on and removing their products.
Few details of the case have emerged, but a brief summary of the complaint can be found
here
and more analysis is
here
.
Posted on 18 May 2007 by
Virus Bulletin
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