BitDefender 9 Standard AntiVirus software has been upgraded to include AntiSpyware as of 1 April 2006.

http://www.bitdefender.com/PRODUCT-64-en--BitDefender-9-Standard.html#

"""NEWAntispyware protection The BitDefender antispyware shield scans for (and blocks) spyware threats in real time by checking accessed files (including those received via web, mail and P2P transfers. BitDefender checks for malicious cookies, registry entries, processes and applications on-demand using a constantly updated spyware signature database. """

When running BitDefender either as a SCAN or as a SHIELD - its new Spyware Alert finds some Messenger Plus .dll files and removes them/ quarantines them/ etc or whatever your settings are.  That includes the RESTORE files for Messenger Plus in System Volume Information (Windows XP).

C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlusH.dll    Detected: Application.Messenger.Plus.M

C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\MsgPlusH1.dll Detected: Application.Messenger.Plus.C

C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\Resources\MsgPlusRes.dll    Detected: Application.Messenger.Plus.E

C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3\Resources1\MsgPlusRes.dll    Detected: Application.Messenger.Plus.P

When you start MSN - Messenger Plus invites you to do a repair - as BitDefender has removed crucial files.

You can quarantine the Program Files folder for Messenger Plus - but not so easy with the RESTORE folder.

The Spyware Alert constantly reports the _restore files - as it cant remove them - and its periodic scan (5 minutes or so) keeps reporting them.

I cannot find any information on the BitDefender web site as to Messenger Plus - even though you are referred there if you click on "more information about this ~~~~~~~"

I dont have Messenger Plus SPONSOR option turned on.  Never have.  Up until today - BitDefender and Messenger Plus were happy with each other.  But not now.

So now we have another significant AntiVirus / AntiSpyware program giving us a hard time over Messenger Plus.

I wrote to Support at BitDefender about their new Spyware upgrade causing a hard time for Messenger Plus - BitDefender Support Email

I received the following reply:

You can exclude the Messenger Plus and System volume infomation from Bitdefender scan as follows:

In Antivirus > Shield > Scan accessed files> Advanced > Exclude path from scan


Also if you want to disable Antispyware scan, this can be done from Antivirus > Shield > Advanced, where you disable "Scan for spyware" option.

Do not hesitate to contact us for further questions you may have.

Best regards,
Cristina Banu
BitDefender Technical Support Engineer
-------------------------------------
e-mail: support@bitdefender.com
http://www.bitdefender.com

So for other users of both BitDefender and Messenger Plus - it looks like this is the work-around.  As far as BitDefender is concerned - Messenger Plus is Spyware.  Up to each user to make the adjustment to allow both programs to live with each other.

Exclude C:\Program Files\Messenger Plus! 3 from being scanned
as well as:
Exclude C:\System Volume Information

This relates to Windows XP.
System Volume Information is a hidden system folder.

More info from BitDefender at:
http://kb.bitdefender.com/KB295-en--BitDefender-a...re-protection.html

Please contine to email their support and by all means, boycott this kind of crappy software that's not capable of flagging programs properly.

No offense Patchou (or anyone else), but Bitdefender regularly beats Kaspersky in independent A/V tests, they seem to trade the top postions (for accuracy) all the time. Yes, I know your product is clean, I have no fear of it having any hidden/nasty suprises, but is it possible that one of the encryption algorithms is being misidentified? Personally, I have been using Bitdefender since it was 7.2 and it has never flagged anything from your product (I have been using it for about a year).

Most antiviruses etc only pick up the sponsor that is included with Messenger Plus so that we have it free, the sponsor is optional so unless you click accept on the sponsor you wont get any viruses etc, im not sure if the sponsor is spyware of anything though sorry

Messenger Plus - SPYWARE FREE

Just to keep on message here:

1)  On March 29 BitDefender launched the upgraded BitDefender Standard and BitDefender Professional Plus desktop security programs, which have Antispyware capabilities included by default in the new version (designated 9.5).

2)  The new product versions are distributed to existing users via the regular update. Therefore the only thing you need to do is update your products. A notification message will be displayed during the update process asking you to enable/disable the spyware protection.

BitDefender is a significant Antivirus program.

If you enable the new Antispyware upgrade - it now treats Messenger Plus - WITH OR WITHOUT the sponsor option enabled - as Spyware.

Not only does it target the installed program - it also targets the install file if you saved it to your computer.

That tells me that BitDefender is specifically targeting Messenger Plus as spyware - right down to defining a new "spyware" name - and calling it Application.Messenger.Plus.C / E / M / P etc.

Refer to my original post of 1st April as to how to keep BitDefender from removing your Messenger Plus installation if that is what you want to achieve.

Its probably finding it becuase the sponsor installation is integrated into the Messenger Plus Installation File, the same problem has been occuring with the Windows Defender Which sucks becuase Messenger Plus is an awesome program and ive never had problems with it...

Yeah it would probably happen on Windows Defender if they havn't excluded Messenger Plus out of the scanning path, but on the whole they are 2 good anti-spywares really

Nope, they havent taken it out, although patchou sent in a petition of many many signatures it still appears on most systems as spyware to Windows Defender

For Windows Defender it's different.... they detect the setup as potentially dangerous, which in a way, can almost be true (depending on your definition of "dangerous").

BitDefejnder detects the installed files as dangerous and there's absolutely no reason for it as Plus! itseld has no connection whatsoever with the sponsor. That's what triggered the need for a petition with MS in the first place except that this time, I really don't care about that product. I'm just counting on its users to report the problem and if every company continues to do the same, you'll all be saying goobye to Messenger Plus! by the end of the summer.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patchou
if every company continues to do the same, you'll all be saying goobye to Messenger Plus! by the end of the summer.

---

we go on the street and strikes !

Messenger without Plus! is only a peace of cake

I'm currently talkign to them... the guy from support tells me those files don't seem to be detected by the latest version. Can you confirm? (if they are, let me know exactly what scan you use and what's your version). The fiels I sent him for the test are the one distributed with Messenger Plus! 3.62.

Thanks.

Patchou, I can tell you that many people don't use them, and wont uninstall it just because it says its dangerous.

quote:

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Originally posted by bto
Patchou, I can tell you that many people don't use them, and wont uninstall it just because it says its dangerous.

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Sorry, but isn't spyware something that is installed without your consent? And doesn't MsgPlus give you consent to installing the sponsor program? These people who make the definitions are pretty stupid.

Patchou, I guess you could always get the programmers of the sponsor program to tell them what's inside the software.. talking of which, what is inside the sponsor program? I installed MsgPlus with it, and then removed it manually, so I can't tell now.

Thanks Patchou for the "tip" from BitDefender support.

You got more out of them than I did.

Version 3.62.0.146 of Messenger plus! (in my case without Sponsor option) - is not targeted by the new BitDefender version 9.5 Spyware upgrade.   Restore Files, Installed Files, Installer File - all ok now.

A BitDefender user running Messenger plus! needs to:

1)  Upgrade to Messenger plus! version 3.62
2)  Turn off System Restore (which deletes all previous restore points)
3)  Re-boot

I would guess that BitDefender's new Spyware upgrade was developed to target at least Messenger plus! version 3.54.132 - and it aggresively treats it as Spyware.

The final BitDefender release does not (at the moment) - target Messenger plus! V 3.62 (without Sponsor Option).
Lets hope it stays that way.

This thread now needs to read:
"BitDefender V9.5 Detects Messenger plus! V3.54 as Spyware."

For those people (like myself) - who only do upgrades when you have to - it is time to upgrade to the latest Messenger plus!.

well now, that's good news indeed . Let's hope it stays that way.

all scans of the messengerplus3 folder on my pc no longer detects messenger plus as spyware

well i was always worried about it being spyware..... but wiv the amount of users and the fact EVERYONE sez its optionaly theres no way it can be hehe