Malwarebytes and cookies

[Alsone]

Hi,

 

Just wanted to give some feedback as a previous beta tester.

 

Been a long time user of Malwarebytes and currently using the free version.

 

This morning I did a scan after a browser start appeared to be taking one tab to an unknown paid for service - read browser hijack. Malwarebytes reported no threats with the latest definitions.

 

Following that, I ran a scan using Bitdefender, these were the results - 19 objects detected, mostly ad cookies - items that malwarebytes should have detected and taken care of:

 

Malwarebytes Log:

 

 

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
www.malwarebytes.org

Scan Date: 21/02/2016
Scan Time: 09:16
Logfile:
Administrator: Yes

Version: 2.2.0.1024
Malware Database: v2016.02.21.01
Rootkit Database: v2016.02.17.01
License: Free
Malware Protection: Disabled
Malicious Website Protection: Disabled
Self-protection: Disabled

OS: Windows 7 Service Pack 1
CPU: x64
File System: NTFS
User:

Scan Type: Threat Scan
Result: Completed
Objects Scanned: 562399
Time Elapsed: 1 hr, 7 min, 55 sec

Memory: Enabled
Startup: Enabled
Filesystem: Enabled
Archives: Enabled
Rootkits: Enabled
Heuristics: Enabled
PUP: Warn
PUM: Enabled

Processes: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Modules: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Keys: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Values: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Registry Data: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Folders: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Files: 0
(No malicious items detected)

Physical Sectors: 0
(No malicious items detected)


(end)

 

Note the date and time - this morning - all zero results.

 

Now Bitdefender:

 

Quite a shocking result after a Malwarebytes clean scan - 19 instances of tracking / data reporting cookies detected:

 

 

 

[daledoc1]

Hi:

 

Welcome back.

 

 

mostly ad cookies

 

MBAM does not target non-malware tracking cookies.

MBAM targets certain types of zero-hour and zero-day malware and PUPs.

It is designed to provide layered, *complementary* protection alongside an AV, not to replace one.

(Historically at least, BD was known for F/Ps. I don't use it, so I don't know if that's still the case.)

 

Having said that, no program detects 100% of malware 100% of the time.

If you have malware or PUP samples for possible inclusion in the databases, please see the stickies in this forum sub-section.

Likewise, if you have IPs or URLs for possible inclusion in the web-blocking module, please see the sticky in this forum sub-section.

 

The Research Team welcomes submissions.

 

Thanks,

[David H. Lipman]

Cookies aren't malware and they do not comprise "infections".

 

That's like saying that a town or municipality is a den of criminals because many residents are "Jay-Walking".

[Maurice Naggar]

Hello Alsone.

You had mentioned something about a browser hijack. You did not mention detail on what that was ( name of pest, website or URL link involved) nor which browser was involved. Sometimes all it takes is closing the rogue tab windows and deleting all browser cache files and reviewing and resetting your choices back in the browser.

Have you got the web browser under control? is it ok now ?

IF not, then, let me make a suggestion. Actually 2.

Please print out, read and follow the directions here, skipping any steps you are unable to complete. Then post a NEW topic here.

One of the expert helpers there will give you one-on-one assistance when one becomes available.

After posting your new post make sure under options that you select Follow this topic and choose one of the Email options so that you're alerted when someone has replied to your post.

The second tip is to review closely all settings choice in your browser(s) and one thing to do, is to choose to decline 3rd-party cookies.

ditto as to what DD & David expressed.

Cookies are just text files and pose no malicious threat. The main charter of our software is to fight against malicious malware out in the wild.

[Alsone]

Cookies aren't malware and they do not comprise "infections".

 

That's like saying that a town or municipality is a den of criminals because many residents are "Jay-Walking".

 

They might not be infections, but some compromise your security by reporting back information and use your bandwidth. That's why a certain other free well known malware program targets cookies and why some AV programs do as well. It's a bit of an omission to leave tracking cookies undetected and resolved.

 

Hello Alsone.

You had mentioned something about a browser hijack. You did not mention detail on what that was ( name of pest, website or URL link involved) nor which browser was involved. Sometimes all it takes is closing the rogue tab windows and deleting all browser cache files and reviewing and resetting your choices back in the browser.

Have you got the web browser under control? is it ok now ?

IF not, then, let me make a suggestion. Actually 2.

 

 

Hi Maurice, yeah seemed to be a one off redirect as everything fine now and system scans clean. Thanks for the links though.

[David H. Lipman]

They might not be infections, but some compromise your security by reporting back information and use your bandwidth. That's why a certain other free well known malware program targets cookies and why some AV programs do as well. It's a bit of an omission to leave tracking cookies undetected and resolved.

 

That may not be nice, but it doesn't compromise your security.  People compromise their own security more than any cookie can.  People are too naive and post far too much personal information that can be data mined and be used against themselves. 

 

Tracking Cookies are a Red Herring.  If you are worried about security, look at you own actions and what you do with a computer on the Internet.  The vast majority of people fail to use Critical Thought and make unwise Internet choices.  They take on free services because they don't cost any money but they forget or fail to see the hidden costs.  People will look to the left and then look to the right and then look to the left once again when they cross a street in their community  Yet when they cross Internet paths they walk will-nilly into Internet pitfalls, potholes and other forms of danger.  One should not be penny wise but dollar foolish.  If you think of Tracking Cookies are a security risk you are being penny wise.  There are much greater dangers on the Internet and one must traverse the Internet with situational awareness and use critical thought for their are social engineering ploys that are along the path.  They have a much greater impact than all the Tracking Cookies combined.

[Alsone]

I don't doubt for a minute David that tracking cookies are low level, nor do I doubt that most people fail to look after their own security. However, anything that's reporting back web sites you've visited, ads you've watched, shopping purchases you've made etc is still compromising you, even if it's low level.

 

I agree also there's no such thing as a free lunch. With free versions from many companies the price is time limitation or a cut down feature set. From others it can be data submission be that on registration forms or via program based collection. The worse thing of all for that is phone apps, soon to be Windows 10 apps, no doubt. One reason why i won't go near new versions of Windows, but I diverge....