CastleCops® - An open letter to Aluria

Aluria Software is a company that focuses on fighting spyware. Spywareinfo used to be affiliated with Aluria until Aluria was delisted. The delisting happened because Aluria partnered with WhenU. WhenU has been shown in the past by investigators to not only break Google's and Yahoo's anti-cloaking rules, but also found to install adware/spyware programs on consumer computers. WhenU has legally lost cases in the past. Symantec has them listed in their definition database:

Adware.WhenU is usually installed when you install other software, or when you visit some Web sites. ... Once Adware.WhenU is executed, it monitors your Web-browsing habits and displays targeted advertisements when you go to Web pages that are relevant to the advertisement in question. Adware.WhenU can update itself without your knowledge.

Evidence has been shown by not only Symantec, but also others as to the shaky ground WhenU sits:

Lavasoft Adaware: WhenuClockSync, WhenuSave!, WhenuWeatherCast
DoxDesk: SaveNow
WhenU Violates Own Privacy Policy
Many pages of data from Ben Edelman
eTrust PestPatrol: SaveNow
More links from PestPatrol
Eric Howes comments on Aluria and conflict of interest.

Aluria Software and "AluriaJames" seem to want to get involved with consumers and experts in the field, but from the looks of this thread, censorship wins out. Evidence is provided time and again right at Aluria's forum, yet AluriaJames insists on getting concrete evidence: If you want to post information, facts, and conduct mature discussion I'm all for it but this behavior stops NOW!.

So outside of Aluria's control we are presenting Aluria with a set of questions in the hopes that they will be answered. We're certain these questions do not cover everything and more will come up, but this is a start. Aluria's product is called Spyware Eliminator, which costs money to clean your system.

What are your thoughts on the Aluria and WhenU arrangement?
Do you think this puts Aluria's reputation (along with COAST) in jeopardy?
Who profits from its software being bundled in WhenU distributions?
Will the software target the removal of competing anti-spyware/adware solutions?
Why does Aluria work with WhenU when other security companies describe them as spyware/adware?
How can Aluria be an objective security company when it is partnered with a known offender?
Andrew Clover has provided details at the Aluria Forums, why is he ignored?
Will you be marketing your products and advertising when consumers call your anti-spyware hotline for help?
Any comments on WhenU being linked to SP2fucked?
How can the 'Spyware Safe' program be reputable when well known companies like Symantec label WhenU bad?
Does Aluria consider the use of Installers which doesn't clearly indicate all the software being installed on a system a legitimate and ethical practice?
How can Aluria claim that WhenU is spyware safe when it is bundled with known spyware products?
Do you condone AdwareReport for suggesting SpywareGuide lied?
Did you send a cease and desist order to SpywareGuide when clearly their comments reflected your privacy policy in complete accuracy as shown by Web Archive?
Is Aluria hoping to profit from the 80 million people Avi Nader has previously declared have WhenU installed on their systems, even though over 70% of those people aren't aware of how the software got there, and wish to remove the software once they are aware of it's presence?
How does this WhenU partnership and public scepticism reflect on your partnership with AOL in delivering Spyware Eliminator to its dial-up members?
AOL is offering SpyZapper in its 9.0 release. Has AOL dropped Aluria?
How do you feel about being delisted on security sites and therefore losing faith in the public eye?
So by delisting WhenU, will user's using Aluria Spyware Eliminator receive no notification or deletion of older versions of WhenU?

It is our hope that Aluria will answer these questions and begin to work with other professionals in the industry again. Certainly their choices lately have received a lot of debate. Why wouldn't it? One day Aluria is fighting WhenU and going after them, the next day Aluria is their friend and bundling their anti-spyware product with WhenU. Can Aluria save face?

Note: Read: CastleCops exclusive interview with AOL, and their thoughts on Aluria and WhenU. In light of this revealing interview with America Online, a final question is asked: 20) Since Aluria has declared WhenU "Spyware Safe" for the world, why does America Online insist on keeping them listed for its members? And how can you justify this inconsistent practice?


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