full-disclosure - Re: Microsoft AntiSpyware falling furtherbehind

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Date: Fri Oct 28 20:37:37 2005
From: valdis at antivirus.lv (Valdis Shkesters)
Subject: Re: Microsoft AntiSpyware falling furtherbehind

(This is important day for you, now you know you're not alone ;)

In regard to spyware, at last I hear clear and logical formulation.
Theory is nice, but practice differs.
"In its broader sense, Spyware is used as a synonym for what the
Anti-Spyware Coalition calls "Spyware and Other Potentially
Unwanted Technologies":

. Spyware (narrow)
. Snoopware
. Unauthorized Keylogger
. Unauthorized Screen Scraper
. Nuisance or Harmful Adware
. Backdoors
. Botnets
. Droneware
. Unauthorized Dialers
. Hijackers
. Rootkits
. Hacker Tools (including port scanners)
. Tricklers
. Unauthorized Tracking Cookies"

http://www.antispywarecoalition.org/documents/definitions.htm

On Fri, 28 Oct 2005 17:56:32 +0300, Valdis Shkesters said:

(Hmm.. usually when I reply to Valdis I'm talking to myself... ;)

> As today I was preparing news for a portal on IT security,
> I am informed that Anti-Spyware Coalition is finalizing spyware
> definition. It is last moment to finalize with  spyware, because
> at the horizon already has appeared "crimeware". Take a look
> at http://www.antiphishing.org/. I'm quoting: "Technical subterfuge
> schemes plant crimeware onto PCs to steal credentials directly,
> often using Trojan keylogger spyware."
> Maybe it would be better to call Trojan horses Trojan horses?

No, because they're different.

Trojan horses (a) get installed under pretense of being something wanted
or beneficial ("Hey, I'm a neat fun codec that lets you view these 
movies...")
and (b) once there, gives the attacker a "back door" into the system, to
do unspecified things (run commands, launch DDoS attacks, send spam, scan
for other vulnerable software, upload plugins to extend the Trojan's 
functionality,
or whatever).

Spyware, on the other hand (a) *may* be installed via Trojan Horse means, 
but may
also be forcibly inserted on a system via a software vulnerability, or added
in via the above-mentioned plugin method by an already-present Trojan, and 
(b) is
software that monitors system activity (keystrokes, screen pixmaps, etc) in 
an
effort to acquire credentials or other sensitive information.