Adobe and Skype top my Foistware Hall of Shame

[Peaches]

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<h1>Adobe and Skype top my Foistware Hall of Shame

Ed Bott

Along the way, I keep running into a sleazy trick that some software vendors play, and I’ve finally reached the breaking point. I am sick and tired of companies that try to make a quick buck by tricking their customers into installing software they don’t need. I’m experienced enough to bypass this stuff most of the time, but many of my friends and family members aren’t. And guess who gets the call when some add-on or toolbar has slowed their system to a crawl?

I call it foistware, and I’ve decided it’s time to name and shame the worst purveyors of foistware out there. If you’re not sure what I’m talking about, here’s my definition of foistware: Unnecessary third-party software that is offered as part of a program’s installation and that will be installed if the user accepts the default setup options.

This category typically includes toolbars and other browser add-ons, but I have seen software makers push browsers and system utilities as well. I do not object to platform components that are required by the app, such as Adobe Air or Silverlight or the .NET Framework. That’s a necessary and related part of the program. I also don’t object if a company wants to fund its free software by offering a third-party program if they leave the installation option blank and give the user an actual, unforced choice.

Full article a must read which names offenders: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/adobe-and-skype-top-my-foistware-hall-of-shame/3195

[Peaches]

Vishing attack on Skype pushing scareware

By Dancho Danchev | May 2, 2011, 5:25am PDT

Multiple users are reporting on an ongoing vishing attack at Skype, attempting to social engineer users into thinking they're infected with malware. Here's how it works - victims typically receive a pre-recorded Skype call telling them they are infected with malware and need to visit a specific site:

Hey guys,I am working from home on my BlueCoat laptop. It has the cloud client on it. I have skype on this machine. I get a skype call from a place I didn't recognize. I answer the call and it is a recorded message. It says I have a fatal virus that needs to be fixed. That I am on Windows7. (I am not.) The recorded message tells me to go to www.helphs.com. … Can you find anything in our logs about what just happened? Thoughts? The specific site in question is an online shop pushing rogue AV products and malware cleanup services.

http://www.zdnet.com...-scareware/8598