[lotuseclat79]

Here.

-- Tom

[JohnWill]

Looks like this is just an ad to help them sell their RegDefend product.

[lotuseclat79]

Hi John,

It could well be, but it always helps to know the limits of what you have!

-- Tom

[JohnWill]

Well, I'd suspect that most folks registries are very vulnerable, and I'll bet that's what the "utility" will tell you.

[lotuseclat79]

I suspect you are right about that John! Still, wouldn't you want to know?

-- Tom

[JohnWill]

Nope! I love keeping my head in the sand.

[new tech guy]

Would a program like spywareblaster count as registry defense? J/w guys.

[JohnWill]

You'd think that Spywareblaster would count, but for this walking advertisement for their product, it's hard to know. Try it and see...

[new tech guy]

I know i see the blocklist in internet explorer's restricted list, its in my firefox restricted list, and there is a list in the registry as I see registry mechanic go through it during scans. I will let you know.

[new tech guy]

Well i ran it and the system just failed miserably. It said it was able to do everything. However I beleive my system is safe without it as spyware blaster stops the files from entering anything while still over the internet. No file no infections. Just like the roundup commercial: "no root, no weed no problem." So far with my protection, i have not found anything with my antispyware scanner (which is adaware). I agree that it is probably just a rolling add.

[lotuseclat79]

Hi new tech guy,

I doubt that spywareblaster counts as registry defense because registry defense means something other than what spywareblaster does. Spywareblaster uses the registry to defend the computer against spyware/adware sites, but it itself is vulnerable to malware programs that if they manage to get past your firewall and security programs such as AV or AT or HIPS can write to the registry to implant their malware.

Try the following experiment: download and install the freeware research HIPS at Prevx here: http://www.prevx.com Look for the Prevx1R link at the bottom of the webpage.

Then reboot and rerun the registry vulnerability test.

You can believe your system is safe without RegDefend, but SpywareBlaster cannot protect you from everything. Spyware is not the only thing our systems are vulnerable to.

Just one drive by malware can hide on your system. Most folks that use TSG or any other support forum really don't have a clue about security.

-- Tom

[JohnWill]

Well, I've been running many systems here for a lot of years without RegDefend, and so far they've done quite well without it's help.

Every security vender hawking their wares has an angle, but if were were to believe the advertising hype of all of them, we'd have so many security applications loaded that we couldn't do anything else!

[lotuseclat79]

Originally Posted by JohnWill

Well, I've been running many systems here for a lot of years without RegDefend, and so far they've done quite well without it's help.

Every security vender hawking their wares has an angle, but if were were to believe the advertising hype of all of them, we'd have so many security applications loaded that we couldn't do anything else!

Hi John,

Yes, you are running other security software to protect your computers. I'm not hawking RegDefend, just the protection to the registry that is necessary to protect it by whatever means - HIPS, Process protection or whatever.

The point is that most folks don't run your setup, but whatever security tools they run, they should have a multi-layered security strategy in place. And one of the most vulnerable objects in a Windows system is its registry - not the brightest idea on the block as it is tantamount to a global variable space, although some security settings can protect certain areas when the right protection is applied. Yeah, RegDefend can do that, but its not necessarily hype.

Avertising hype is one thing on which we agree, but if you want to keep your head in the sand as you stated above, that's your choice my friend!

-- Tom

P.S. By 2008, 84% of malware will be delivered by rootkits - its only 2% now, but projected to be 13% by end of 2006. What does that have to do with the registry - wouldn't you rather not find out?

[JohnWill]

Originally Posted by lotuseclat79

P.S. By 2008, 84% of malware will be delivered by rootkits - its only 2% now, but projected to be 13% by end of 2006. What does that have to do with the registry - wouldn't you rather not find out?

True, but I remain unconvinced that RegDefend is the only way I'll be able to protect myself.

[MNG0304]

Perhaps Sysinternals has an adequate alternative HERE