Allow Change, or Deny Change

[TimofPemberton]

I really like the more active program in the latest Seek & Destroy update. However, the wording is not very clear...

Is "Deny change" to permit Seek & Destroy to cancel an un-authorized change, or to stop S & D from making a recommended change....?!

Also, if one does a System restore, would I still press the same button as I would normally in the first case ?!!!!

Perhaps it should read "ignore change", or "make recommended change"....

After a system restore, would the answer be any different ?!

Thanks very much... I would really appreciate replies directly to me in this first week of March 2008. In my confusion, I clicked on both deny, and allow for a whole raft of changes. Will I be queried on these again when I run Spybot S & D again ?!!!

Tim of Pemberton

[md usa spybot fan]

TimofPemberton:

Is "Deny change" to permit Seek & Destroy to cancel an un-authorized change, or to stop S & D from making a recommended change....?!

When TeaTimer recognizes that a change has been made it to one of the registry keys that it monitors, it checks to see if there is a stored "Remember this decision" entry that covers the change. If there is, TeaTimer uses that information and just issues a pop-up notification of the action it took. If not a TeaTimer popup dialog is issued. If you "Allow change" the change nothing is done. If you "Deny change" the change the registry change is reversed. Checking the "Remember this decision" option during the popup dialog stores the information for that change so that similar changes in the future will be handled automatically. After you answer the pop-up dialog TeaTimer issues a pop-up notification of the action you took.

Perhaps it should read "ignore change", or "make recommended change"....

Since you are directing TeaTimer what to do with a change that has already been made, both "ignore change" and "make recommended change" could be construed to have the same meaning.

… Also, if one does a System restore, would I still press the same button as I would normally in the first case ?!!!!

Normally TeaTimer would not be active while doing a System Restore.

After a system restore, would the answer be any different ?!

After a System Restore You would have to take into consideration what registry changes took place between when the Restore Point was take and when you started the System Restore. TeaTimer will remember what was in the registry when the System Restore was started. If the System Restore changes registry entries that TeaTimer monitors, when TeaTimer is activated after the restore you would most likely get messages from TeaTimer attempting to bring the registry to a point forward in time. In most cases these changes should probably be denied.

[jsheckl]

I am new to SpyBot, and enjoy it very much. I do however have to agree, and do not understand. After reading this post, I am still not clear. If I want to TRUST SPYBOT, which do I click?

Allow Change or Deny Change ????

Thank you,

John


[QUOTE=md usa spybot fan;169729]TimofPemberton:


When TeaTimer recognizes that a change has been made it to one of the registry keys that it monitors, it checks to see if there is a stored "Remember this decision" entry that covers the change. If there is, TeaTimer uses that information and just issues a pop-up notification of the action it took. If not a TeaTimer popup dialog is issued. If you "Allow change" the change nothing is done. If you "Deny change" the change the registry change is reversed. Checking the "Remember this decision" option during the popup dialog stores the information for that change so that similar changes in the future will be handled automatically. After you answer the pop-up dialog TeaTimer issues a pop-up notification of the action you took.

[md usa spybot fan]

Jsheckl:

The Registry Monitor function within TeaTimer is not rule based. TeaTimer reports all changes to any of the registry keys it monitors (good, bad or indifferent) and makes no "recommendations" on how to respond.

TimofPemberton used the term "… recommended change …" twice in their post, even suggesting the wording of the possible responses to TeaTimer's registry change dialog be changed to include "make recommended change". This made responding to their query extremely difficulty. Evidentially failed to respond adequately because you seem to have a similar question.

If I want to TRUST SPYBOT, which do I click?

Allow Change or Deny Change ????

There is no answer to that question just like there is no answer to TimofPemberton's question whether to use "Allow change" or "Deny change" for the "recommended change".

TeaTimer is not rule based and is merely reporting that a change to one the registry keys it monitors has occurred. This gives you the opportunity to reverse that change by responding with "Deny Change" if you think the change has been initiated by something malicious.

My personal philosophy on handling TeaTimer registry change dialogs is:

1. Realize that the registry change monitor within TeaTimer is not rule based (with a few exceptions so it will not interfere with certain other security packages). In general it reports all changes within certain registry keys, good, bad or indifferent.
2. If you "Allow" all changes, you would be no worse off than if I didn't have TeaTimer enabled at all.
3. When a change occurs try to take into consideration what is happening on your system (installing, updating, etc.).
4. If you can't figure out what the change is, don't necessarily "Deny" the change. If you deny the wrong change you can adversely affect the stability, functionality and even the security of your system.

[jsheckl]

It sounds like this "TeaTime" fuction of SpyBot is only useful if you are a computer person. What I mean to say is, if I have no clue how to answer, why answer at all?

How do I disable TeaTime and move on with life?

John

Jsheckl:

There is no answer to that question just like there is no answer to TimofPemberton's question whether to use "Allow change" or "Deny change" for the "recommended change".

TeaTimer is not rule based and is merely reporting that a change to one the registry keys it monitors has occurred. This gives you the opportunity to reverse that change by responding with "Deny Change" if you think the change has been initiated by something malicious.

My personal philosophy on handling TeaTimer registry change dialogs is:

1. Realize that the registry change monitor within TeaTimer is not rule based (with a few exceptions so it will not interfere with certain other security packages). In general it reports all changes within certain registry keys, good, bad or indifferent.
2. If you "Allow" all changes, you would be no worse off than if I didn't have TeaTimer enabled at all.
3. When a change occurs try to take into consideration what is happening on your system (installing, updating, etc.).
4. If you can't figure out what the change is, don't necessarily "Deny" the change. If you deny the wrong change you can adversely affect the stability, functionality and even the security of your system.

[md usa spybot fan]

John:

How do I disable TeaTime and move on with life?

To disable TeaTimer:

• Go into Spybot » Mode » Advanced Mode » Tools » Resident
  • Uncheck the following:
    Resident "TeaTimer" (Protection of over-all system settings) Active.

[Chulio]

"It sounds like this "TeaTime" function of SpyBot is only useful if you are a computer person. What I mean to say is, if I have no clue how to answer, why answer at all?"

I am new too. I am not a novice but I would not consider myself an expert either. Sometimes though I think experts can not put themselves in the shoes of the novice when answering questions. This time though I think it was pretty clear.


I think The point md usa spybot fan made

"When a change occurs try to take into consideration what is happening on your system (installing, updating, etc.)."

If you are deliberately changing something and the TeaTimer pops up I let is make the change.

If it pops up when I'm not doing anything, I check to see if it is related to an automatic update or something similar.
I allow also.

But if I'm surfing to page I have never been before and it pops up I am a little more skeptical and try to decide.

I think it has made me way more proactive and less reactive to maintaining my computer.

I can't believe it is free!

My only question is why is it called a tea timer?

Thanks

[spybotsandra]

Hello,

As we used to forget our tea when we let it brew, we built a small tool with a system tray icon to remind us. We called this tool TeaTimer.

When we started to develop the Resident tool for Spybot-S&D, we also needed a system tray icon for this. As we do not like having too many icons in the system tray, we decided to put both tools together and kept the name TeaTimer.

A future version of the Resident tool might have the functions of the original TeaTimer again.

Best regards
Sandra
Team Spybot