Installers Hall of Shame

[Broni]

http://www.dozleng.com/updates/calendar44514
(all list's updates after 9/18/09 provided by our members)

Below is the current list of dodgy installers:

    * Adobe Flash Player - Google Toolbar
    * Adobe Reader - eBay Desktop
    * Adobe Shockwave Player - Norton PC Checkup
    * AnVir Task Manager - Registry Cleaner Pro
    * AOL Instant Messenger - AOL Toolbar
    * Apple’s Software Updater - Safari Browser, QuickTime, iTunes
    * Applian FLV Player - Yahoo Toolbar
    * Auslogics Registry Defrag - Ask Toolbar
    * AVG 8 - AVG Security Toolbar (Yahoo Search bar)
    * BitComet - Google Toolbar
    * BitDefender Anti-Phishing Free Edition - Ask.com search engine. No opt-in. No opt-out.
    * BitTorrent 6.1.2 - Ask Toolbar
    * CCleaner (standard installer) - Yahoo Toolbar <<<Offers Slim version, without toolbar (http://www.ccleaner.com/download/builds)
    * ClamWin - Ask.com
    * Comodo Firewall Pro - Ask Toolbar (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)
    * Comodo Internet Security, Antivirus & Firewall - Ask Toolbar
    * CPUZ - Ask Toolbar
    * Cyberlink PowerDVD 8 - Google Toolbar and BETA of Moovielive
    * Daemon Tools - Search tool and sponsor ad module
    * Defraggler - Yahoo Toolbar
    * DivX - Yahoo Toolbar
    * DVDVideoSoft Free Studio - ASK toolbar
    * FormatFactory 2.10 (and higher) - Ebay shortcuts
    * FormatFactory 2.15 (and higher) - Ask toolbar
    * FoxIt Reader 3.0 - - installs FoxIt toolbar, makes Ask.com your default search, create desktop, quick launch, and start menu shortcut to eBay
    * Free Download Manager - Software Informer bundle
    * GameVance - Ask Toolbar/The Weather Channel Desktop
    * Glary Utilities - Ask Toolbar
    * GOM Player - Ask Toolbar
    * GoogleTalk - no addon but will change default search setting of IE
    * GoogleEarth - Pre checked Google Chrome; sets Google Updater as a startup
    * Hotspot Shield - Hotspot Shield Community Toolbar from Conduit
    * ICQ 6 - ICQ Toolbar
    * Iobit Advanced One Care - Yahoo Toolbar (selecting no will still do changes on the system)
    * IOBit Security 360 - IObit/Conduit toolbar
    * IOBit Smart Defrag - Yahoo Toolbar/Search Settings
    * IrfanView (Google Toolbar for IE and Google Desktop Search)
    * IsoBuster - Ask.com Toolbar
    * iTunes (QuickTime, AppleSoftwareUpdate, AppleMobileDeviceSupport64, Bonjour64, MobileMe64) <---- undisputed leader
    * Java Runtime Environment (JRE) - installs Java Quick Starter, Microsoft Live Search Toolbar, OpenOffice installer pre-checked
    * Logitech Setpoint (Logitech Yahoo! Toolbar)
    * Maxathon 2 - Facebook Sidebar Plugin
    * McAfee Site Advisor update - Yahoo! default browser search
    * Miro 2.5 - Ask toolbar
    * MP3 WMA Converter - Yahoo Search and Delio Comparsion Shopping Toolbar
    * Nero 9 Lite Free - Ask Toolbar
    * Nero Burning Rom - Ask Toolbar (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)
    * PC Tools Firewall Plus - Google Toolbar and Threatfire
    * PrimoPdf - Paltalk
    * RealPlayer - Google Chrome
    * Recuva - optional Yahoo toolbar (checked by default) <<<offers Slim version without toolbar (http://www.recuva.com/download/builds)
    * Shockwave Player - Norton Security Scan or Google Toolbar
    * SIW (System Information for Windows) - Crawler Toolbar
    * Skype - Google Toolbar
    * Spyware Doctor - Google Toolbar
    * Spyware Terminator - Web security guard, Crawler
    * Sun Java RE (online installer) - Google Toolbar
    * Sun Java - OpenOffice.org
    * Thoosje Sidebar - Amazon or eBay Toolbar
    * Threatfire 4.7.0.9 - Google Toolbar
    * Trillian - Ask Toolbar and Weather Channel Desktop
    * Unlocker 1.8.7 - eBay shortcuts
    * Veoh media player - Yahoo toolbar, search engine change & search protection
    * VSO Image Resizer - Ask Toolbar
    * WeatherBug - Ask Toolbar
    * Webroot SpySweeper - Ask Toolbar (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)
    * Winamp - Winamp Toolbar
    * Windows Live Installer - Windows Live Toolbar and Sign-in Assistant
    * Windows Update - Windows Genuine Advantage Notification - (pre-checked, not required, should not be high-priority)
    * Windows SteadyState - Windows Live Toolbar
    * Winzip - RegistryBooster
    * Wise Disk Cleaner - Ask Toolbar
    * Wise Registry Cleaner - Ask Toolbar
    * xp-Antispy - eBay shortcuts/toolbar
    * xplorer2Lite - Conduit toolbar
    * YaHoo! Instant Messenger - YaHoo! toolbar, with ‘YaHoo! Search Protection’ and homepage change to YaHoo!
    * ZoneAlarm - SpyBlocker (Ask Toolbar) (This toolbar is detected as spyware/adware by several vendors)

[patio]

I think this list should be individually checked and maintained because this is important...
If we do a collective effort to verify each one of these buggers then we can spread the word thru the PC community and in doing so affect real change....

Let's face it they do it for dollars but if an organised effort lets them know WE are tired of it they will have no choice but to seek revenue streams elsewhere.

I'm open to suggestions/ideas.

[patio]

BTW i saw no instance of the Yahoo toolbar in 4 installs of AVG 8.0

[Broni]

I think this list should be individually checked and maintained because this is important...

Very good idea.
Maybe, we should pin it, and I can keep updating it, when any comment will be posted in this thread.

i saw no instance of the Yahoo toolbar in 4 installs of AVG 8.0

The list is from July 1st. When I first attempted to install AVG 8.0, couple of months ago, I believe, Yahoo toolbar was there, but I can't swear by it.

[ChrisXPPro]

This stuff being thrown us is more than irritating.  I remember thinking when I upgraded Irfanview how sneeky it was re the Google toolbar .... all too easy to zip on thru and not notice.

Makes me think there is even more usefulness in running in Sandboxie for a trial run!

[Broni]

patio
I guess, we were both right about AVG:
AVG 8 - AVG Security Toolbar (Yahoo Search bar)
The AVG Security Toolbar provides you with easy access to manage your AVG Search-Shield and AVG Active Surf-Shield protections without having to open the AVG control center. The AVG Security Toolbar also allows a direct search through Yahoo! where the LinkScanner™ technology will flag any dangerous or questionable sites, safe sites will show on Yahoo! as usual.

We're talking about AVG security bar powered by Yahoo.

[patio]

Gotcha...i dissallowed Link Scanner which is why i probably never saw Yahoo....

[drmsucks]

Very nice, Broni

And a firm reminder to ALWAYS do a custom install, if possible. It is much better to 'not install' than to 'uninstall.'

[Broni]

And a firm reminder to ALWAYS do a custom install

That's the main problem. Most average users don't do this, and that's why all those drive-by-install thrive.

[Broni]

List modified...
RealPlayer removed
Recuva added.

Don't you think, we should pin this thread?

[drmsucks]

Don't you think, we should pin this thread?

Yes - as long as someone maintains it.

[Broni]

I can do it, but I don't want to scroll through 15 pages to find this thread.

[drmsucks]

I understand that - I only have one vote

[Broni]

It's time to use your double personality, Jack

[drmsucks]

We vote, "Yes."