Just so members can be on guard about this
Even Microsoft has mentioned it (near bottom of page under 'Update')
http://insecure.org/...com-fiasco.html
(Nice to see they mention FileHippo as being a safe site to download from)
Time to finally block them in the HOSTS file folks!!!
This is one instance where antivirus vendors could protect against it, being it's so nefarious. Also Microsoft could greatly help Windows users against it by adding their wrapper/installer detection into signature files if it already isn't, into Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool ("MRT"), and perhaps a CLSID killer if it uses that.
The screenshot of their wrapper/installer is bound to confuse people! What's even worse is for users to have to opt-out of their adware/malware, and then deal with it via the actual software they're wanting to install also trying to put s**t on their computer. Hopefully a lawsuit comes out of it!
Thank you for reporting this! I am blocking their sites through opendns and my router.
Here's what I've found so far via a search engine, if anyone finds more add it into this topic.
HOSTS file blocker:
# Start of block CNET sites 127.0.0.1 cars.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 chat.com 127.0.0.1 cnet.co.uk 127.0.0.1 cnet.com 127.0.0.1 cnet.custhelp.com 127.0.0.1 cnetadd.com 127.0.0.1 cnettv.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 download.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 download.com 127.0.0.1 forums.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 howto.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 mads.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 mads.com.com 127.0.0.1 mads.download.com 127.0.0.1 news.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 remotead-internal.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 reviews.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 search.com 127.0.0.1 shareware.com 127.0.0.1 shopper.com 127.0.0.1 shopper.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 surveys.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 upload.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 wap.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 www.chat.com 127.0.0.1 www.cnet.co.uk 127.0.0.1 www.cnet.com 127.0.0.1 www.download.com 127.0.0.1 www.search.com 127.0.0.1 www.shareware.com 127.0.0.1 www.search.com 127.0.0.1 www.shopper.com # End of block CNET sites
Edit:
Note that I could've added in a ton more of CBS Interactive websites, but it seems pointless to do so, therefore I narrowed down the HOSTS file blocker listed above to just known CNET sites.
Edit 2:
Found more CNET sites and added them into the HOSTS file blocker, what's listed above is all I know of.
Thanks, Hazel. As an experiment, I just started downloading bootmed, cnet gave the file name as "cnet_bootmed1_zip.exe" 453 kb in size.
When you run it, it connects as advertized and offers to install "Tech Tracker". I let it go for a while, but cancelled cause the actual bootmed package is huge. It'll all be gone after restart or I would not have tried it.
Why in the world would they do that? Dumb!
“SAFE, TRUSTED, AND SPYWARE FREE”. In an unusual show of honesty, they removed that claim from the rogue installer.
!
Andavari. . . what HOSTS file manager/blocker are you currently using?
A plain text editor! I use Metapad since it isn't thwarted by the size of a large HOSTS file.
Thanks, Hazel. As an experiment, I just started downloading bootmed, cnet gave the file name as "cnet_bootmed1_zip.exe" 453 kb in size.
When you run it, it connects as advertized and offers to install "Tech Tracker". I let it go for a while, but cancelled cause the actual bootmed package is huge. It'll all be gone after restart or I would not have tried it.
I gave up using that site a long time ago, and mentioned their unsavoury "downloader" system just recently after trying a download from there, the first for a long time, and the last ...
http://forum.pirifor...ndpost&p=205134
That place has really gone down the tubes.
I usually try to download software from the developer's site if possible, but some like Auslogics don't host it locally (or at least not in an immediately obvious way)
That place has really gone down the tubes.
They went ungracefully downhill many years ago! But I suppose that can sometimes happen when companies are bought by another.
I usually try to download software from the developer's site if possible, but some like Auslogics don't host it locally (or at least not in an immediately obvious way)
Same here. Never used CNET, though.
On *any* AusLogics product download page, there is the following:
"Click on the download button above to download the program from Download.com, otherwise download directly from this web site." (my bold, italics, etc)
It's right there if only one uses one's eyes... and the same goes for NOT installer addon toolbars!
Trouble is, most folk are too hasty when downloading & installing stuff...
I never noticed that, since it doesn't appear to be formatted as a link when i view it. Thanks!
They now offer DDLs for all programs, without any membership needed ; there's a small link below the "download" button.
This "downloader" makes me hope some developer included a special don't-ever-package-my-software requirement in his license and will attack them. That'd be awesome.
This "downloader" makes me hope some developer included a special don't-ever-package-my-software requirement in his license and will attack them. That'd be awesome.
I noticed recently with a download for "Paragon Partition Manager 11 Free Edition", that you do get a direct download of the program occasionally.
After a longish search, I couldn't find another reliable download (sites I trust) of this program other than CNet, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it wasn't their small .exe file downloader, which I would have passed on out of principal if nothing else.
This separate downloader thing is getting more common, so watch out for it. If the file size is way smaller than the program you're downloading, look elsewhere. JMHO of course.