AdAware Aniversary edition - rogue or not?

Anyone used the new AdAware version yet, what's your opinion? I downloaded the latest AdAware version, AdAware Aniversary edition, installed it and ran a check:

Not only with came up with 5 detected objects that none of the other software found (Ccleaner, SpywareBlaster, SuperAntiSpyware, SpyBot Search & Destroy, AVG 8) but it has messed up with all other programs, namely that it appears as if I used the software forst time, at least the ones I have used today, i.e. the above mentioned programs and Paint Shop Pro 7. The latter opens up with a message "Error You do not have access to make the required system configurations. Please rerun this installations from admisnistrators account" and presents the file association tick box, with a few files greyed out. I am using my administrator account.

I am the only person who can have access to this computer.

AdAware reports the following:

- two rogue anti-spyware programs (try to make you buy the full version) that I have not installed (AlertSpy & SpywareXP),
- a mass mailer worm Win32.Glowa
- two suspicious objects: C:/Windows/Finst26.exe and Windows/System32/divx.ddl

The fact that none of the other security software can detect these, and the two rogue Spyware programs that I have not installed make me suspicious of AdAware - as well as it seems to have taken over all my other software as well... could it be that AdAware has a bug in it, behaves like the rogue program it warns about in the first two instances or my connection was hijacked and I was taken to a fake site?

Unfortunately the system restore never works in this machine (they never do with me, although I use different versions and different licences in all my machines).

I haven't closed AdAware because it would mean running the checks again which takes hours and in case it causes even more damage. (I also seem to loose my cursor a lot more than usual, when I write.) I don't want to remove these "threats" either, until I know for sure, expecially about the two suspicious objects.

 

Since no-one has answered my question, I'll comment on it myself - just in case someone has the same problem and stumbles upon it. I am now sure AdAware has become a rogue software giving falso positives in hope of getting people to cough up for the "pro" version or has become downright malicious piece of kit. I suspect former but I didn't want to take the risk of finding out.

When I started to play my old After Dark games (essentially DOS games for win 3.1, I think) that I bought on official disk and have installed in all family computers and played ever since I rember, AdAware was flashing up saying it has a virus that needs deleting.

That's it, I have uninstalled AdAware But before I did, I took the option of reporting the two non-spedified threats and trojan (if that what it was). A bit of waste of time, I am sure now that Lavasoft total waste of time at best or downright harmful. Now my programs run as they should and Paint Shop Pro has only its own file format associated with it, as it should...

So what have I learned from this? I have learned that companies with good reputation and great software can turn nasty overnight and although I was lucky not to have damaged my computer irreversably, it is always good to back up before installing anything new, ever just new version of something you trust.

 

Thanks for the comment chaslang and thanks for pointing out the bump-link: indeed I had not read it and I didn't know how the forum works - I though people answer only if they find the thread interesting - so I posted my story simply to help other's who might have similar problem or are wondering if Adaware has improved: it hasn't, it's got much worse! By the time I worte my second post I had already removed the AdAware, so it was a kind of answer to my own question, though I didn't claim it's a right one, only my guess/opinion...

Touch wood, I haven't had any problems with malware that anti-spyware programs couldn't remove for a long time, so I don't remember the recommended programs in sticky. I just used Adaware out of habit, it used to be a program that not so long ago was still recommended in pc mags, especially those aimed at beginner users because of the friendly interface.

What stumped me is that Adaware had false positives in programs that have never flagged before - surely those should be recognised as 'safe' and not suddenly cause concern? And what about taking over ALL programs and locking you out from some of the functionality, changing settings and insisting you rerun installation using administrator account, especially when you already are using one, or reverting back to first installation? ... But I don't claim to understand anything about computers and how programs work, which is why I am asking advice here.

Luckily I didn't delete anything before checking with other security programs first so disaster was avoided this time. But it was certainly a wake-up call to check on the effectiveness of my security programs and up protection. Time to read the sticky(s) again. :major