[regex-coach] Re: Windows Defender and Regex Coach?

Sat Nov 25 07:41:40 UTC 2006

The vendor is Microsoft. Windows Defender is Microsoft's anti-spyware
program. It is a component of Windows Vista and is available (and was
heavily promoted by Microsoft) for Windows XP. I got the impression you were
thinking the vendor was a tiny company with little influence. I don't think
that's quite accurate.

I think you (Edi Weitz) would have more leverage with Microsoft than any of
the users. (See my original message for what the users can do.) Also, keep
in mind that sometimes unscrupulous companies hack good software and put
trojans in it. Just because you didn't put adware in it doesn't necessarily
mean there aren't bad versions out there, unfortunately. Or maybe Microsoft
is just confused - it certainly wouldn't be the first time.

I tried to post information about Windows Defender flagging The Regex Coach
on the regex-coach mailing list a couple of days ago. It didn't appear. (I
used an email alias that probably confused the mailing list.) In any case,
here again is my original email to the list (from here to the start of Edi's
message):

In a scan today [Thursday], Microsoft's Windows Defender (Beta 2) identified
The Regex Coach as WinSoftware.WinAntiSpyware. The information Windows
Defender gave me is just below:

Start Quote -->

Category:

Potentially Unwanted Software

Description:

This program has potentially unwanted behavior.

Advice:

Review the alert details to see why the software was detected. If you do not
like how the software operates or if you do not recognize and trust the
publisher, consider blocking or removing the software.

Resources:

regkey:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\The Regex Coach_is1

uninstall:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\UNINSTALL\The Regex Coach_is1

file:

D:\Program Files\Accessories\The Regex Coach\unins000.exe

View more information about this item online

<-- End Quote

The last line ("View more ...") is a link to:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/encyclopedia/details.aspx?name=WinSoftware
.WinAntiSpyware&threatid=17446. I installed The Regex Coach in D:\Program
Files\Accessories\The Regex Coach\, which is why the uninstaller is in a
non-standard location.

I'll let you fight Microsoft over this. You might also want to check out
http://www.spywarelist.info/spyware_definitions_view.php?editid=793&editid2=
Adw.WinSoftware.WinAntiSpyware. Another link that might help is:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx.

I am supposedly a member of a "voting network" that's supposed to collect
statistics about how users chose to react to the "threat". I ignored it, so
at least that's one vote for you.

Eric

-----Original Message-----
From: regex-coach-bounces at common-lisp.net
[mailto:regex-coach-bounces at common-lisp.net]On Behalf Of Edi Weitz
Sent: Friday, November 24, 2006 8:38 AM
To: Neville Southworth
Cc: regex-coach at common-lisp.net
Subject: [regex-coach] Re: Windows Defender and Regex Coach?

On Fri, 24 Nov 2006 10:10:56 +0000, "Neville Southworth"
<neville.southworth at hawkgrove.co.uk> wrote:

> Windows Defender today believes The Regex Coach may be spyware?

Please use the mailing list to report bugs and problems.

The Regex Coach does not contain spyware or adware.  If "Windows
Defender" (whatever that is) reports spyware, you should ask the
vendor why they report that.