CIO Enterprise Newsletter
 
NEWSLETTERS
 

CIO.com updates, insights and advice on technology, management and your career.

 CIO BlackBerry News and Tips
 CIO Research and Analysis
 CIO Microsoft
 CIO Insider
 
 
 
LEADERSHIP
 
CIO Executive Programs
The Leader in Face-to-Face Education for Senior Executives

Offering regional and national programs, CIO (and CSO) events bring together some of the most respected names and thought leaders in information technology and security. Presented by CIOs and other senior level executives, these invitation-only programs offer timely topics and strong networking. Learn More »

 
CIO Executive Council
A Peer-Advisory Service and Professional Association for CIOs

Public Council Teleconference: Application Rationalization — Hidden Costs and Smart Decisions

November 17 at 11:00 am US/Eastern (GMT-5)

Join Honorio Padrón, of The Hackett Group, who will share the drivers for companies to tackle application rationalization and the results of research that define the hidden cost of complexity. Additionally, we will discuss key decision milestones—to start or not, holding the course steady and fulfilling expectations.

Virtual Desktop Cost-Benefit Analysis — Michael Jacobs, Catlin Group

The analysis contained in this presentation measures the cost of everything from the machines and licenses to the infrastructure for virtual vs. traditional desktop environments.

Honor your best senior team members - Apply for the CIO Ones to Watch Award

Get well-earned public recognition for your top up-and-coming team members, your IT organization and your enterprise. Award winners will be announced, publicized and feted in May 2010, great timing to help attract new IT recruits to your company.

More / Register »

Learn more about the CIO Executive Council »



 
 
RESOURCE CENTER
 
 
 
 

Registry Cleaners Targeted by Washington State Antispyware Efforts

King County Superior Court Judge finds Windows users tricked by guilty software advertisers.

 

May 05, 2008Network World

Washington state's legal system claimed another victory in an ongoing crusade against spyware and deceptive online advertising. Last Friday, King County Superior Court Judge found Internet affiliate advertisers Securelink Networks, LLC and NJC Softwares, LCC guilty of violating consumer-protection laws while marketing registry-cleaner software. (Compare antispyware products.)

In a lawsuit filed in February 2007 by the Washington state's Attorney General's Consumer Protection High-Tech Fraud Unit, Securelinks Networks and NJC Softwares, along with a third company called FixWinReg, were accused of using Net Send messages and deceptive free scans to market each other's products, including Registry Sweeper Pro, Registry Rinse, Registry Doc, Registry Cleaner 32 and Registry Cleaner Pro.

Net Send messages, sent to computers running Windows Messenger Service, resembled system alerts that included messages such as, "Warning! Windows requires immediate attention. Windows has detected critical system errors--failure to repair an invalid or corrupt system registry may lead to data loss or system failure!"

The defendant's deceptive pop-ups directed consumers to Web sites where they were encouraged to download a free trial version of software that will scan their computer for registry errors," said Assistant Attorney General Katherine Tassi. "In every case, the scan identified 'critical errors,' In order to remove the so-called errors, consumers were told they had to pay $29.95 or more to buy the full version of the program."

NJC Softwares, LLC and company officer Rudy O. Corella, were also accused of having transmitted bundled software that changes Internet browser home pages in a download of a trial version of Registry Doc where an unrelated search toolbar called Twikibar installed itself on users' computers.

FixWinReg, owned by HoanVinh V. Nguyenphuoc, reached a settlement last October which did not include an admission or finding of wrongdoing but in which Nguyenphuoc paid $75,000 in attorneys' costs and fees and will pay an additional $75,000 in civil penalties if he fails to comply with the settlement, which includes provisions prohibiting misrepresentation in products or services.

Under the ruling by Judge Glenna Hall last Friday granting the state's requests for summary judgment, Securelink Networks, owned by Manuel Corona, and NJC Softwares have each been ordered to provide refunds to hundreds of Washington consumers who bought products owned or advertised by them.

In addition, each must pay $400,000 in civil penalties and $141,000 in attorney fees and costs.

The judge's order also prohibits them from using Net Send messages to promote products or services, misrepresenting that a consumer's computer is at risk, installing software without the computer user's consent, making other misrepresentations and failing to review all advertisements for products they own.

The Attorney General's Consumer High-Tech Unit indicated it has brought six lawsuits since the Washington Computer Spyware Statute was approved by the state legislature in 2005.

© 2007 Network World Inc.
 
 
Loading...
 
WHITE PAPERS

Connecting Capital Planning, Construction, and Everything in Between

Finding and developing delivery efficiencies and increasing project productivity through the use of technology facilitate: proactive project management, risk management, the automation of key AEC business processes.
 

How to Accelerate ROI on Governance

Better manage GRC to focus on the strategic projects that will help your business succeed.
 

The Tripwire HIPAA Solution

Learn how Tripwire Enterprise helps meet the detailed technical requirements of HIPAA.
 

Beyond PCI Checklists: Securing Cardholder Data

How do organizations pass their PCI DSS audits yet still suffer security breaches?
 

Best Practices to Mitigate Risk

Make SOX Efforts More Effective
 

PCI Compliance

This paper explains how Red Hat technologies can meet or exceed the various requirements of PCI Compliance.
 

WEBCASTS

Enhance SAP

New research from AMR shows that SAP environments can be dramatically more efficient with the addition of document ...
 

IT Consolidation Made Easy

The Primary IT Initiative for Reducing Costs
 

Taking a Seat at the Executive Table: The Reality of Virtualization

This year, for the first time, the number of virtual machines is on track to exceed the number of physical machines...
 

Who Are the Data Center Leaders?

Today's data center is still very much a heterogeneous environment. Gabriel Consulting recently surveyed over 250 d...
 

SharePoint - Unchecked growth of content is unsustainable - now what?

Recent research has confirmed that it has become critical for IT leaders to reclaim authority over the SharePoint c...
 

Unleashing the Power of Customer Data

To hear how companies use feedback from their clients to develop business strategy, watch our video.
 

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notifications by topic when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library.

 
FEATURED SPONSORS
 
 
 
SPONSORED LINKS
 

Webcast: Unleashing the Power of Customer Data

Disciplined Autonomy: Resolving the Tension Between Flexibility and Control

Enterprise Capture: Your Onramp to Business Process Automation

Cloud Computing--What is its Potential Value for Your Company?

Seven Design Requirements for Web 2.0 Threat Protection

How Consumerization of IT Will Make Your Business More Productive

How does a software company save big with Green IT?

Translate business strategy into IT strategy and obtain maximum benefits.

eBook: How Can You Make Your People Productive Anywhere?

Mind the Talent Gap: Global Survey on IT and HR trends and challenges

"Enterprise-Proven" is the Prerequisite for Enterprise SaaS Portal Solutions

Join us at the US-Brazil IT-BPO Summit, on November 10th in New York.

Unified Communications: Thoughts, Strategies and Predictions. Join the discussion

Read the RSA report: Security for Business Innovation

Webcast: Looking to the Cloud for Email and Collaboration Services

64-page prescriptive guide to security, compliance, and IT operations.

Keep your IT expertise up to date. Join the Intel Premier IT Professionals.

A new fleet of PCs with a total ROI in 10 months. Find your ROI.

eZine: A Roadmap to Reducing IT Complexity

Reduce risk, gain agility. See how Progress can help your business.

Virtualization Technology as a Business Solution

eZine: A Roadmap to Reducing IT Complexity

World-class trading technology solutions from NYSE Technologies.

If You're Paying for Telecom, You're Paying Too Much. Contact Asentinel Today.

Trade-In your old printer and save up to $1,000 plus free recycling!

Learn How Web Site Performance Impacts Shopper Behavior

Build a Foundation for Unified Communications

Removing the Barriers to IT Governance: How On-Demand Software Changes the Game

Should Your Email Live In The Cloud? A Comparative Cost Analysis

Learn about the growing threat of insider data theft.

Adobe® LiveCycle® solutions for business process automation

10 Ways Excel Drives More Value from Your SAP Investment

The Key to Proving and Improving the Value of IT to the Company

Unleash the Power of Java with Oracle JRockit Real Time

Taking the Service Desk to the Next Level

See how AT&T can help protect your network.

Top Five CIO Challenges

Streamline IT Costs. Boost Performance with WAN Optimization.

Want to know how you can maximize employee productivity?

Build your 1st app FREE with Force.com

TDWI checklist helps define data readiness for analytics. Download report.

Increase UPS efficiency without sacrificing protection.

A Clear View Toward Virtualization

Virtualization Technology as a Business Solution

The rules of infrastructure management just changed.

A Clear View Toward Virtualization

Interactive Q&A helps you discover key ways to maximize IT assets.

Ready to virtualize tier one applications? Check your virtualization maturity.

Think you can't afford a Cisco Switch? Cisco Catalyst Switches are now more affordable.

Five minute business analytics assessment. Immediate results.