They clean -- but don't disinfect
By Matthew Fordahl
Associated Press
Monday, November 1, 2004 Posted: 11:22 AM EST (1622 GMT)
SALINAS, California (AP) -- Though less than a year old, the PC took more than five minutes to start up and never shut down without stalling on error messages. Attempts to Web surf generated at least a half-dozen pop-up ads and -- frequently -- system freezes.
Internet Explorer's home page was hijacked. Attempts to reach some sites, including eBay, were redirected to random search engines that only called up more ads. Google search results were altered. And the modem, without permission, tried to dial distant lands in search of porn.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/11/01/tangled.in.spyware.info.ap/index.html