Okay, I wanted to contact Piriformdirectly to address this issue but they seem to not
want to be contacted unless it be their sales team you are contacting, which I am not going to call to get transferred to somebody who can help MAYBE, because I just don't give that much of a F!#@. However, I have decided to go out of my way tonight to create an account for this forum and waste time valuable I could spend wasting some other way like playing video games or crying in the fetal position because I want to see if I am right or just an idiot n00b, also I don't want to see people screw up their computers trying to get software to fix them.
Please somebody who is checking my work follow the following directions to see if
people are using the links on this [/size]"[/size]OfficialCcleaner/Piriform Website" [/size]to get duped into installing a bunch of [/size]harmful crap or malware.[/size]
Now click on the link that is green and has the word"Download" printed across it with an arrow pointing down. Which will take you here https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
Now at this point you can either download the setup file on this page (which should work no problem) or you can choose to download the file through 1 of 3 hosting sites, we will be examining file hippo, please click the file hipp link which will take you here http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner
At this point it doesn't matter what you do, the file that you will download is no longer the ccsetup414.exe file it is now A A file called setup.exe Do not download and install this file unless you are an idiot, in which case go ahead, or better yet, take your laptop and throw it against the wall.
Now I was able to catch this but somebody else might not, my question is why would piriform link to a site that has malicious software masquerading about as their very own installer, as you install this the top left corner of the window says "ccleaner installer" as goes installing some stuff that is going to BANG YOUR HARD DRIVE UP.
Obviously they don't know and I can't find a way to get into contact with anybody that might give a care, so please people check and make sure all this info is correct and see if you can't help me send this s**t through the proper channels, thanks!
Anytime you get software that doesn't come off the developers own site you are tempting fate and hoping the 'mirror' site hasn't done some repackaging of the software.
I followed your advice and on FileHippo I only see the right hand side green download box (the correct one as you state).
I see no left hand one, but then I do run NoAdblock and Ghostery which may have removed that 'temptation'.
FileHippo recently went through a redesign and I personally still go there when needed but it has slipped a few notches in the trust level, sort of like CNET. Beware!
Get your downloads from Piriform and you're fine.
It's a good thing you picked it up in time.
This should serve others as a good example of how a layered security approach can save the day, not just having an AV program.
And expect a Mod to remove your email otherwise you'll be an easy target for spam.
It looks like some malicious software has crept into your post, Smokr.
This has been raised before, particularly in late 2013, and has been passed onto Pirform admin, so they are aware of it. Filehippo used to be the trusted repository for software, especially for archived releases. Unfortunately Filehippo has become just like many of the other software repositories, riddled with sneaky - and presumably paying - dubious and deceptive downloads. This applies to all software on Filhippo, not just Piriform's. Perhaps your post should have been directed at Filehippo.
Why is Filhippo rubbish? I dunno, why is the world rubbish? I guess they have to eat, like the rest of us. Why do Piriform still use Filhippo? I dunno either, possibly because a lot of users still go there for their software.
Oh yes, I'll remove your email address. 'Solutions' should be in the open forum.
What FileHippo.com or other 3rd party sites do is out of the control of Piriform.com! It is already a known issue because other people have been posting about getting duped into downloading something off of FileHippo.com that they didn't want, i.e.; not the software they thought they were getting. Basically you clicked an advertisement and didn't realize it.
If you and your friend had adblock software installed in all of your web browsers (Adblock Plus for Firefox based browsers, or Adblock for Chrome based browsers), along with a HOSTS file like MVPS HOSTS File this maybe would've never happened to begin with - that dubious/trickery advertisement would've been blocked.
It's important to manually inspect downloaded setup files by right-clicking them and looking at the properties listed in the Version (tab) which will reveal: Company, Product Name, Product Version. Also it's vital to make sure the Digital Signature is valid if one is available in the setup file (all Piriform installers have a Digital Signature), if the Digital Signature is not valid do NOT install the software, and inquire on the software forum about it by posting a bug report.
Try to follow the same practice when it's possible of getting setup files directly from the developer website. Even if some download site is deemed by the developers as an "official mirror / official download host / official download site".
Half of the spurious adverts are your fault for allowing Google to learn so much about you
and the other half are what you need ad-blockers for
Tailored ads, they basically have an ID of someone hence the reason I follow three rules and have for over 14 years: 1. Block them. 2. Block them. 3. Block them.
Hey guys thanks for all you responses, I was typing this reply that was extreamely detailed (I spent over an hour typing it) then I accidently clicked on another members avatar and my browser jumped and when I press back all the stuff I had typed had not been saved to the cache but was gone forever OH WELL. Maybe it was for the better. To sum things up though I have 2 questions,
Can somebody please explain to me WHO the culprit behind this malicious pop - up add was in their belief? Was it in fact Filehippo as I had originally thought, or was it a 3rd party that ran the pop up that send me to DL the bad software, OR (This answer unlikely as I got the same link on 2 different computers) was it my web browser or worse, windows infected with some sort of process that runs these pop-ups so that I see them and people with ad-blockers do not? Please help me understand this in full if you can, thank you
And the 2nd thing I wanted to ask, is what pop-up blockers do you all run again? I saw NoAdblock and Ghostery. I know nothing about these programs, how safe they are, and whether or not they are free, what would you all recommend? I must not get fake trick add/links again! Last time I downloaded a pop-up blocker program it was powerful little pain in the @$$ virus, so can you also give me a safe source ti get whatever popup blocker you
AdBlockplus is a must have. It works under most web browsers (even Android now). Ghostery is also nice. Check the Security subforum for more information.
There are also some other options to extend protection. Some antispyware software, etc. It will work in tandem with your AV program.
I accidently clicked on another members avatar and my browser jumped and when I press back all the stuff I had typed had not been saved to the cache but was gone forever OH WELL.
Moving from the page and coming back works for me in Fx33.0a1 using the quick reply box.
To answer the direct question asked above, in all likelihood the "culprit" is FileHippo. It's how they make revenue, by counting on a user not to notice the small but marked actual download and to click on the clearly marked adverts. to put it another way, they expect you not to notice the big button says it's for downloading something other than what you went to the page for, thus getting them paid.
To answer the direct question asked above, in all likelihood the "culprit" is FileHippo. It's how they make revenue...
And they probably could care less about their users being tricked -- as long as they get paid for the click.
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Edit:
Topic pinned since this is a known reoccurring issue it will give us a basis/template so when the next victim posts about it we can point to this topic.
Edit 2:
Topic title name slightly changed/updated:
Now: [FileHippo.com] Am I the only one noticing this Spyware/Malware/Bloatware trick?
Before: Am I the only one noticing this Spyware/Malware/Bloatware trick?