Who is spying on you?

[RJ_Paton]

There are reports that this dssagent lodges itself in several areas of the registry ... you have found one of them, another is the area where your Anti virus program and firewall also reside
Have a look at http://www.cexx.org/startup.htm#registry which gives some hints on removing it from the registry.

Editing the registry file can be hazardous to your computers health - do so at your own risk.

PS I would suggest making a backup of the registry before attemtping any removal.

[Gadget]

Personally I don't use FTM any longer although when I did I had no problems with it. I now use Family Historian which is excellent and much closer to the way I like to work with the data files.

Family Historian is the best I've found. I've been using it for 3 years and recently updated to version 3 and no probs with nasties 

Gadget

[downside]

I think the actual Registry Key is harmless on its own. The main thing is that the executable file dssagent.exe has been removed.  The registry key tells the program to run dssagent.exe which no longer exists so effectively it has been made impotent.  Even so it usually best to remove excess baggage just in case Windows throws a wobbly.

downside

[RJ_Paton]

Even so it usually best to remove excess baggage just in case Windows throws a wobbly.

Always best, any such errant files in the registry can court disaster.

[Michael72.]

Methinks maybe a little paranoia might be creeping in here.....

For starters M$ love a 'Bogey' to make people jump, that way they may convince the doubters that it is worthwhile to D/L all their Security Updates (Something I have NEVER done, ever, and I'm still here to tell the Tale!.....there was a time when M$ gave you the option of what Updates you wished to D/L..NOW, the policy is.."Download all or nothing"......I've never liked being dictated to, especially when some of the Updates they suggest CANNOT be Removed!!....

If you go to 'Run'..type in 'regedit' and OK..then click 'Edit'..scroll down to Find...type in "DSSAgent" (without the quotes) and OK.......I would be willing to bet good money that DSSAgent cannot be found in the Registry....

Michael72.

[RJ_Paton]

Dssagent is not a bogey dreamed up by MS ..... to enhance their own reputation... indeed MS were rather slow on the uptake concerning this particular piece of "spyware".
Of course the company who did initiate this particular peice of programming do not subscribe to the belief that it is spyware but state that it is a means of communicating targetted information to their clients.

Methinks maybe a little paranoia might be creeping in here.....

Be that as it may many people do not like software of any kind installed on their system without their express consent (you yourself claim not to allow MS updates).
Removal of dssagent can be awkward because when it installs itself it does install into several places in the registry and while some programs do throw up false positives Spybot S & D does not generally do so.

[Michael72.]

Dssagent is not a bogey dreamed up by MS ..... to enhance their own reputation... indeed MS were rather slow on the uptake concerning this particular piece of "spyware".
Of course the company who did initiate this particular peice of programming do not subscribe to the belief that it is spyware but state that it is a means of communicating targetted information to their clients.

Methinks maybe a little paranoia might be creeping in here.....

Be that as it may many people do not like software of any kind installed on their system without their express consent (you yourself claim not to allow MS updates).
Removal of dssagent can be awkward because when it installs itself it does install into several places in the registry and while some programs do throw up false positives Spybot S & D does not generally do so.

Touche!...Falkyrn Mate ....I didn't say that M$ had dreamt up DSSAgent...what I said was they are not averse to using 'the like' to promote their 'Security Products'.....

Has anyone checked their Registry for this diabolical 'DSSAgent' yet??..............I would be amazed if it has been found therein....

Like I said, the original problem with regard the DSSAgent was actually a 'BUG' in Spybot S&D.....

Regards, Michael72.

[downside]

I have AD-Aware, Spybot S&D and Defender installed and all 3 identified DSSAgent as spyware.  Presumably they are all independant companies and they have reached the same conclusion.  Defender is only a recent addition to the anti-spyware market - the other two identified DSSAgent a long time ago but failed to remove it.

Microsoft update their operating system because of demands from commercial software developers.  Programs are dependent on the operating system so MS has no choice but to provide updates meet their demands.  This creates an inter-dependancy of sorts and it means that if you haven't got the right updates then certain features will not work.

downside

[Chasing-fireflies]

Just a quickie to say that when it comes to cleaning up your registry, try registry mechanic. You have to pay for it but it clears unwanted and left over stuff from your registry without you doing any damage. Always worth a try, best money i ever spent!