Security news
Security news11 October 2004
Alleged spyware company accused of selling 'cure' to its own poison, Sophos reports
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| Sanford Wallace claims he has done nothing wrong. |
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has accused companies owned by self-styled former "Spam King" Sanford Wallace of infecting computers with spyware, and then trying to sell affected victims the remedy.
According to the FTC, computers were infected by a piece of software which caused PCs to display a myriad of pop-up advertisements, and compelled consumers to pay $30 for purported fixes known as "Spy Wiper" or "Spy Deleter".
It is alleged that software installed itself onto the computers of innocent users without their permission, slowing down PCs and opening their CD trays.
The FTC has requested a temporary restraining order from the US District Court for the District of New Hampshire against Seismic Entertainment Productions, Smartbot.Net, and their owner Sanford Wallace.
"Consumers have enough on their plate dealing with the more unpleasant aspects of internet browsing without having to deal with companies allegedly drumming up trade via this route," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "Just as legitimate anti-virus companies would never write or spread a virus, so those who defend against spyware should never add to the problem of malicious code. Any company which is engaged in this kind of practise is operating at the level of the gutter."
In the past Wallace has been nicknamed "Spamford" by some members of the anti-spam community because of his notoriety for sending junk email during the 1990s.
Wallace denies he has done anything wrong, and claimed he is being used as a scapegoat by the authorities.
