Adware maker 180solutions has dropped it’s lawsuit against security vendor ZoneLabs.

The vendor's ZoneAlarm application labelled 180solutions' software as malware that monitors user keystrokes and mouse movements. That is wrong, 180solutions claimed, and they are actually right. 180solutions makes a malicious application that presents users with pop-up ads and is nearly impossible to remove. Tar and feather them for that, but not for committing identity theft.

The company claims that it's dropping the suite because "ZoneAlarm downgraded its classification of 180solutions' S3-enabled search assistant software."

180solutions' lawsuits are starting to look like paper tigers. The company last year also sued a group of seven former distributors who illegally installed the 180solutions software on computers they had hacked and by doing so collected plenty of affiliate fees. That suit too was soon dropped.

It seems like the company doesn't want to spend the money to actually pursue its legal claims. Instead it's using the court system to generate PR and create the impression that it is an honourable business.

Honour however is deserved through outstanding customer service and by delivering a product that consumers actually want. 180solutions fails to qualify for either one.

Tags: 180solutions, adware, spyware

31 Jan 2006