Spyware embedded in the installation disc?

[paris]

I received the CD today and was installing it when PestPatrol indicated that the install program carried a very scary spybot (iamBigBrother) - a program that captures keystrokes and sends them to an external source.

I've sent email to Support, asking for an explanation, but have heard nothing back from them as yet.

I urge you to run some kind of spyware software (Spybot is free) to ensure that your computer hasn't been corrupted as a result of installing Al Emmo.  As of now, I haven't gone public with this information, but I plan to do so if I don't hear from the company within 48 hours.

This is TOTALLY unacceptable.

[Tom Lewandowski]

The Al Emmo installation CD does not include spyware.  I've used any number of anti-spyware apps on my PC, and nothing's ever been flagged relating to AL EMMO.  I'm sure Microsoft's "Defender" should pick up any spyware as well, which it doesn't.  Your PC has more than likely been infected by something else.

[paris]

Then why does the PestPatrol message only come up when I'm trying to install Al Emmo?

[Tom Lewandowski]

It must be falsely flagging it because of its limitations.  Anti Spyware software is by no means, perfected technology.  I assure you, there is no spyware embedded anywhere on the game CD.

[GameDevChris]

I've read about some scanners which report false positives when running the Clickteam installation program (which is the installer we used for Al Emmo). I've also come across specific reports of PestPatrol reporting the 'Iambigbrother' keylogger in other programs which use Clickteam's installer. It seems that PestPatrol has some type of hang up with  ClickTeam's setup program.

The Al Emmo disc has been tested thoroughly on many systems with different virus and spyware scanners and there haven't been indications of any spyware before. This particular spyware seems to be several years old, and most of the modern virus/spyware scanners have the ability to detect and remove it. If it had existed on our compile system, it would have been easily detected before printing the master CDs. I just ran several spyware programs on our machine and the final game disc (including SpyBot Search and Destroy, Ewido Anti-Malware, and Bitdefender online scanner), and no keyloggers were detected in either the source files or the files on the final game CD.

The compile system is also kept very clean to ensure that it is free of viruses and spyware at all times. And the game is compiled from a single directory. The game's installer EXE is generated by Clickteam's own software from scratch and would not have the opportunity to come in contact with any malicious files.

This is a false alarm being reported by PestPatrol.

It is also possible that your system already had spyware installed prior to installing the game from visiting a website which downloaded it onto your system without your consent or knowledge.  If you want to check if the IamBigBrother spyware is actually on your system or not, I suggest taking a look at the following instructions from Norton Anti-virus. The page also contains removal instructions.

http://www.symantec.com/security_respon ... 16-0957-99


Of course I am interested to hear anything from other people who have experienced this issue.

[paris]

Thanks for your response.  It makes a lot of sense, and I appreciate your time and the clear explanation.

[paris]

I just wanted to thank Chris, who pointed me to two threads dealing with this same issue (posted several years ago).  I really appreciate your taking the time to send me the pointer, Chris.  I've installed the game and am enjoying it!

[GameDevChris]

No problem. I'm glad to hear that things worked out.

I have heard back from PestPatrol that they will most likely be updating their definitions in the future to prevent their program from flagging the installer as spyware.  

If anyone else out there runs PestPatrol (or any other anti-virus/anti-spyware scanners for that matter), please make sure that you keep your definitions up to date.