Spybot turned this up after i upgraded to IE6SP1 with the latest Security Patch. Anybody able to explain what this is?.Thanks

Some Anti-Spyware programs consider the harmless Alexa registry entry "malware." That is not correct, as they should only flag the actual Alexa application. Use the exclude function so that you don't see this message again.

Each time you update IE or run the repair, the registry key for Alexa is re-entered.

Spybot doesn't actually destroy it, just points it at google.

OK..but two questions now as a result of what yuou have both stated.
Firstly, what is Alexa? and what does Google have to do with it?

ALexa: http://www.alexa.com/

If the actual program is installed, you get an Alexa toolbar.

Don't know about the Google thing,but this may answer some of your questions;

http://www.imilly.com/alexa.htm

Alexa is a site related feature. What happens ,when you get to a web page,Alexa will come up with other pages that are similar. Used to use it not anymore, found it basically harmless, but some people think of it as spy-ware.
Madc

This is from SpyBot:

Why does Spybot-S&D not detect and remove the Alexa key for the What's related function of IE like other anti spyware utilities?

This key is often simply called Alexa, but that is wrong for two reasons:

1. simply calling it Alexa would mix it up with the Alexa Toolbar, and
2. it is not a key created by Alexa. It is a Microsoft Internet Explorer key that points to a Microsoft DLL and a local Microsoft HTML file. The later redirects to a online MS page, and only that page redirects to the Alexa search engine.

In my opinion a better way than to delete the key would be to make another or even multiple search engines available. You can read about the basics for that in this discussion at the support forum from here


The forum discussion is quite illuminating! :) :)

http://www.imilly.com/alexa.htm
This link provides a in-depth look at what alexa is and does. If you read all the way to the bottom it tells you how Spybot rewrites it. It does edit it and instead of MSN it directs it to Goggle, but to the German site. If you want to use it's features open the RELATED.HTM with notepad and change the Goggle.de to either Goggle.com or Goggle.ca depending on where you live. When you change how Spybot edited it, it will show up as a Bot on your next scan, so exclude it from future scans.

Thanks for the Links!!