WebProNews

Computer users of some anti-spyware products may be surprised to know their programs are skipping over some possibly unwanted software.

Many PC users have turned to products from makers like Aluria and Lavasoft to help combat the rising tide of unwanted spyware. But according to a PCWorld.com report, consumers may not be getting solid protection.

These companies, under pressure from adware companies like Claria and WhenU, have quietly engaged in the practice of delisting some adware from the databases their software uses.

The anti-spyware program looks for ways adware has installed itself, made registry changes, or functions on a user's machine. Each company uses different criteria to determine if a given piece of software is spyware or not.

That criteria generally doesn't get revealed to the public. Writers of malicious programs would love to know this information. That would allow them to write programs a spyware finder would ignore, in the opinion of one anti-spyware maker.

Some adware companies have been persistent to the point of threatening legal action against the software vendors. While their products aren't as threatening as others that exploit security holes, they're grouped equally with the malicious programs.

One company has provided its process for reviewing a vendor appeal for delisting. Computer Associates, which sells the PestPatrol product, will not delist adware/spyware companies while a review of their appeal is under way, according to a company spokesperson. CA lists the complete appeal process online.

And it is fair to say that some companies previously been listed as providing spyware have changed their practices. But the potential exists for a delisted company to return to its previous and malicious ways.

For consumers, this practice means they would have to run two or even three different anti-spyware programs and hope that their databases overlap enough to catch all of the unwanted programs floating around on their systems.

David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.