More about Adware

Post any technical problems or questions you have while using or configuring Dexpot.
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aaabbbccc
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Joined: 08.05.2014 16:51:22

More about Adware

Postby aaabbbccc » 08.05.2014 17:04:16

Hi,

I am unclear about the adware Dexpot ships with.

The messages on the 'net feel a bit alarming to me:

http://download.cnet.com/Dexpot/9241-23 ... D=10922154
"All benefits are undone by coupling with malware"

The version I downloaded (vie dexpot's own site, dexpot.de) came bundled with conduit "Search hijacker" - a giant PITA to remove, and you have to remove it from ALL browsers that you use.


http://www.calendarofupdates.com/update ... ntry105170
It comes now with Uniblue RegistryBooster included (not prechecked) which promises to clean your PC from bloatware :rotf:


Posted Image

do note: it is also powered by OpenCandy http://www.mywot.com...d/opencandy.com



https://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/dexp ... t-68802081
The Desktop Clock software came "bundled" with the nearly-impossible-to-remove Conduit and MyFreeGames- toolbar malware.

Very disappointing: the wallpaper clock is such a well executed idea. "


They seem a bit old though. What's the status on that?

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Patrick
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Joined: 04.03.2003 14:51:26

Re: More about Adware

Postby Patrick » 08.05.2014 17:24:10

:dex:

The status is this. During the installation of Dexpot, you'll see a screen like this:

candy.png
candy.png (23.48 KiB) Viewed 7459 times

That's the adware part. The actual program being offered varies. If you uncheck the box to install additional software, nothing besides Dexpot will be installed. If you don't uncheck the box, anything installed in addition to Dexpot can be completely removed with a few clicks from "Programs and Features" in the Windows Control Panel.

If you don't want the ad page, you can run the Dexpot setup from the command line with the option "/NOCANDY", or use the portable version or the commercial version.

aabbcc

Re: More about Adware

Postby aabbcc » 08.05.2014 18:32:38

Thank you for a quick response.

The actual program being offered varies


Would you please post the list of all actual programs being offered (on all your products)? Is/was Conduit Search one of them, as one of the quotes above state? If Wikipedia is telling the truth, uninstalling Conduit is anything but an easy process!

From Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Browser_hi ... uit_Search

Conduit toolbars have been identified as Potentially Unwanted Programs by Malwarebytes[2] and are typically bundled with other free downloads.[3][4] These toolbars modify the browser's default search engine, homepage, new tab page, and several other browser settings. [5]
A program called "Conduit Search Protect", better known as "Search Protect by conduit", can cause severe system errors upon uninstallation. It claims to protect browser settings but actually blocks all attempts to manipulate a browser through the settings page; in other words, it makes sure the malicious settings remain unchanged. The uninstall program for Search Protect can cause Windows to be unbootable because the uninstall file not only removes its own files, but also all the boot files in the root of the C: drive. Conduit is associated with malware, spyware, and adware, as victims of this hijacker have reported unwanted pop-up and in-text advertisements.
Victims of unwanted redirections to conduit.com have also reported that they have been attacked by phishing attempts and have received unwanted email spam, junk mail, other messages, and telephone calls from telemarketers. Some victims claim that the people claimed to be Apple, Microsoft, or their ISP, that personal information was used in some phone calls, and that some of the calls concerned their browsing habits and recent browsing history. Personal information used in phishing attempts may be associated with spyware. This hijacker virus is currently added to the official PowerISO download, for example.[6]


I don't mind it if you include legitimate software on the opt-out basis, I just need to be convinced that it is the case. It's probably in the company's best interest to convince the public of that, too

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Sebastian
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Re: More about Adware

Postby Sebastian » 08.05.2014 18:50:10

:dex:,

all Conduit products are disabled. We've also disabled all toolbars.
Best regards (wave)
Sebastian Brands, Dexpot GbR

aabbcc

Re: More about Adware

Postby aabbcc » 08.05.2014 19:12:29

Thank you for sharing that. Good to know.

So, what is the current software you bundle with?

I've just looked up TuneUp Utilities in Wikipedia and CNET. It's not terrible, but it does install adware without user's content, or so Wikipedia says. Strangely its 10 reviews on CNET are all either one-star or five-star.


To summarize headings from CNET reviews:
http://download.cnet.com/TuneUp-Utiliti ... 06416.html

"Avoid at all costs!!!"
"Piece of ...."
"World best PC optimization software"
"wanted to put 0 stars"
"Cannot uninstal - AVOID - AVOID"
"Every Windows Computer need this!!!"
"Affords much peace of mind PEACE OF MIND PEACE OF MIND"
"Useless - Malware!"
"WARNING: CLOSE TO MALWARE!"
"Greater than ever!!!"


Something does not feel right..

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Patrick
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Re: More about Adware

Postby Patrick » 09.05.2014 14:14:02

Regarding Dexpot carries malware. There are no "difficult questions" here. There is just no point in further answers, because you appear to trust anonymous "user reviews" more than anything I could possibly say or do.

By the way, the reason http://dexpot.en.lo4d.com/virus-malware-tests doesn't show OpenCandy: "The file that was tested for Dexpot was dexpot_1612_portable_r2416.zip." As I mentioned above, the portable version doesn't have any ads.

mellamokb

Re: More about Adware

Postby mellamokb » 01.01.2015 01:59:56

I just installed Dexpot and a popup of PC Utilities scanner suddenly showed up. I did "Typical Install" because of course I don't know how to customize a program I'm using for the first time. I got the app per recommendation from Lifehacker as I suppose lots of people do.

This adware garbage is really not acceptable. I've uninstalled it and will be recommending against it to everyone I know. At the very least do the responsible thing that other ad-ware programs do (like CNET download.com) that are tolerable but I still refuse to use... make the ad program a separate step in the program, with an obvious option to uncheck and not install the adware offer. It's stupid to require someone to "know" that you have to click on "Custom Installation" to leave out the ad-ware. That's not a responsible way to handle "legitimate" bundling of ad-ware (if those two words even belong in the same sentence..).

Thankfully when the likes of OneGet and Chocolatey become popular (soon to be bundled with Windows), the days of ad-ware garbage will become a distant memory...

thebunnyrules
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Joined: 12.01.2015 21:25:21

Re: More about Adware

Postby thebunnyrules » 20.01.2015 02:06:20

"Avoid at all costs!!!"
"Piece of ...."
"World best PC optimization software"
"wanted to put 0 stars"
"Cannot uninstal - AVOID - AVOID"
"Every Windows Computer need this!!!"
"Affords much peace of mind PEACE OF MIND PEACE OF MIND"
"Useless - Malware!"
"WARNING: CLOSE TO MALWARE!"
"Greater than ever!!!"

Something does not feel right..



Reviews are great but I wouldn't trust 10 reviews. The developer and his cousins could have easily put them up (at least the positive ones). Reviews begin to be trustworthy above 200-500, the more the better. Order them by most helpful first when reading them.


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