Microsoft KB Archive/892340

= Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) identifies a program as a spyware threat =

Article ID: 892340

Article Last Modified on 2/6/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition for Itanium-Based Systems
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP for Itanium-based Systems Version 2003
 * Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2002
 * Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004
 * Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005
 * Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server

-





Beta Information
This article discusses a Beta release of a Microsoft product. The information in this article is provided as-is and is subject to change without notice.

No formal product support is available from Microsoft for this Beta product. For information about how to obtain support for a Beta release, see the documentation that is included with the Beta product files, or check the Web location where you downloaded the release.



SUMMARY


This article describes the established processes for the submission of vendor disputes and false positives. Vendor disputes are instances where the vendor of a product disputes the detection or the classification, or both, of the vendor's product by Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware (Beta). A false positive detection is a case where a product is detected as a different product by Windows AntiSpyware (Beta). Both vendor disputes and false positives are analyzed by the Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) research team.

The information in this article is provided as-is and is subject to change without notice.



Vendor Disputes
If you are the vendor of a product that you believe has been incorrectly classified, or if you have recently updated the behavior of your program, you can contact our research division with your concerns. The first step in this process is to fill out the vendor dispute form located at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/isv/cdform.aspx

All the required fields in the form must be completed before the Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) research team can initiate an investigation. The research team will confirm the receipt of the completed vendor dispute form through e-mail.

If additional information is required, the research team will request this through e-mail, using the contact information that was provided in the form. As soon as the analysis is completed, the research team will respond to the submitter through e-mail with the results. Telephone calls or other direct inquiries are not accepted. We will make every effort to speed up the process and respond in a timely manner.

Decisions about vendor disputes are based on the characteristics of the programs analyzed, the signature criteria, and the detection technology in Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) as of the date of the analysis. Decisions are subject to change if changes are made to these programs over time or as the signature criteria and detection technology that are employed by Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) changes..



False Positives
If you believe that your program is being mistaken for another program by Windows AntiSpyware (Beta), this may be the case of a false positive. The first step in the process of resolution is to fill out the false positive form located at the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/isv/fpform.aspx

Note that the submitter should be the vendor of the product. Use this form only for circumstances where Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) may have mistakenly identified one software program as another, and not for vendor disputes.



Analysis Approach and Criteria
Microsoft's vision is that customers should be empowered to make informed decisions about the software that installs and runs on their PCs, to manage effectively that software while maintaining the quality of their computing experience, and to help protect their privacy. We have published a white paper which provides an overview of the approach and criteria categories currently used by the Microsoft research team to analyze and classify software. To read this white paper, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/msft/analysis.mspx

This is an emerging topic, with new forms of spyware and other potentially unwanted software developing quickly together with their related behavior. Therefore, the approach and criteria categories described in this paper may change over time to adjust to the environment.

