malware contained in update

[rata]

I have upgraded to the new version but discovered a malware (win32/ramnit) was included!!!!  Anyone experienced the same?  how did you get rid of this bug?
 

[parg]

Official Vuze installers do not include malware - did you get the installer from http://www.vuze.com/, sourceforge or via auto-udpate?

[techdudester]

Official Vuze installers do not include malware - did you get the installer from http://www.vuze.com/, sourceforge or via auto-udpate?


 

I would expect this reply from a Vuze staffer. I am am a pro tech with 25 years of support experience and I say that VUZE INSTALLS MALWARE.
My definition of Malware is a any program that, WITHOUT PERMISSION, surreptitiously installs unwanted features and preferences that significantly alter the User Experience on a computer.

I am also a long time user (9 years) of Vuze and I haven't been terribly happy about Vuze's "forced updates" either. For the last few years, I have simply deleted them. Tonight, I decided to let Vuze download and install to see if any of the beta features have been updated. I was offered a whole bunch of crapware during the install and I declined all of it. Then Vuze launched Firefox, my default browser and another add on was offered for Firefox, which I also declined. However, I immediately noticed that all of my search settings had changed in Firefox and I was also now the not so proud owner of several additional add-ons for search and shopping. Classic MALWARE behavior, in my opinion.

A quick internet search showed me that I am certainly not the only computer professional who shares my opinion.

Here is just one example of what this policy of Vuze's has created in public opinion: http://cullaloe.com/blog/2013/02/10/a-wa...bout-vuze/

At the bottom of the Vuze "Remove Extensions" page it is stated:
Q. Are Vuze Mac Extensions or SearchMe malware?
A. No, Vuze Mac extensions and SearchMe are not malware. Vuze Mac extensions and SearchMe do not harm your computer. They come bundled with Vuze and they will not install unless you accept the install in the Vuze installer. If you do not wish to use the Vuze Mac extensions or SearchMe you can quickly uninstall them by following the instructions above.

This is incorrect. The extensions referred to above were, in fact, installed without my permission.

Added one hour later: I just noticed that Vuze actually altered the preferences and tried to add modules to ALL of my web browsers..
Shame on Yahoo for participating in this..

 

 

[Cadenza]

Just wanted to say that I completely agree with both of the users here.  I intended to install Vuze today -- it has a couple of features that Transmission is missing, and I remembered it being a great app years ago.  I made absolutely certain to only agree to download the Vuze app and declined all other offers.  Found that a bunch of extensions were installed anyway, and my home page was changed in all of my browsers.  I would personally consider these offenses to be malware.  You want to quibble about semantics, okay, it really doesn't matter.  If they aren't malware, they are without a doubt intrusive, rude, and just plain annoying.

What's more, when I went to Add-ons in Firefox to immediately delete the unwanted crap you forced on me, I found that somehow my Add-ons page was redirected to Yahoo.  It took even more time than it should have to get rid of all of this mess.  In the process, all of my open tabs in Firefox were lost, causing even more frustration.

Transmission might not have all the features I want, but it least it didn't screw up every single one of my web browsers. 

I've deleted Vuze without even using it.  I am now going to go delete my old yahoo account as well.  Thoroughly disgusted.

[cs_spigot]

Hello,

I'm Robert, a customer support representative for Spigot.
We apologize for the inconvenience.

Our offer can be declined by selecting "Custom" in the offer screen and then uncheck the offer check boxes.
If you need any assistance for removing the extensions or to restore your browser settings please feel free to contact our support service here:
support(at)spigot.com

Thank you

 

[zerobane]

Just wanted to say that I completely agree with both of the users here.  I intended to install Vuze today -- it has a couple of features that Transmission is missing, and I remembered it being a great app years ago.  I made absolutely certain to only agree to download the Vuze app and declined all other offers.  Found that a bunch of extensions were installed anyway, and my home page was changed in all of my browsers.  I would personally consider these offenses to be malware.  You want to quibble about semantics, okay, it really doesn't matter.  If they aren't malware, they are without a doubt intrusive, rude, and just plain annoying.

What's more, when I went to Add-ons in Firefox to immediately delete the unwanted crap you forced on me, I found that somehow my Add-ons page was redirected to Yahoo.  It took even more time than it should have to get rid of all of this mess.  In the process, all of my open tabs in Firefox were lost, causing even more frustration.

Transmission might not have all the features I want, but it least it didn't screw up every single one of my web browsers. 

I've deleted Vuze without even using it.  I am now going to go delete my old yahoo account as well.  Thoroughly disgusted.

 

+the above; i am done with vuze; you lost another computer profesional / long time user; off to transmission.  Vuze used to be the better altervative because it wasnt loaded with this junk.

They just pushed more malware via auto-update; had spigot install its crapware and hijack my all 4 of browsers.  There CRITICAL warning update box; i was dumb enoungh to click continune; should of know better.

Scummy at best; wasted 20 mins of my life removing all there spy hooks and getting my pc back to normal.

disgusting; shame on you...

[Nei1]

Vuze settup for Vuze 5.6.2.0 offered to install "Malware Protection Live."
I googled to find out about it, and according to...
http://www.botcrawl.com/malware-protection-live ,

> Our review of Malware Protection Live found that the program is utterly worthless. The program is not like other Anti-Malware type products, as it has no interface, just a standalone red window that says PROTECT YOUR COMPUTER FROM MALWARE. The window can also not be closed, it can only be minimized.

> Malware Protection Live did not block or remove malware we manually introduced to our test machine. It found absolutely nothing that we infected our machine with. Our conclusion was very easy to measure. Malware Protection Live is completely worthless and adds no value to your computer.

> Every time Windows starts, Malware Protection Live won’t only just run, it will automatically perform a scan. This can use up a lot of system resources including CPU and memory, which can cause your computer to crash and begin slow and sluggish. For a program that claims to help speed up your computer it sure does the exact opposite.

Etc.

Thanks to botcrawl.exe.

Nice that Vuze should provide such valuable offers to its users. Really, I'd prefer "no offers."

-----

I found a great utility called Unchecky, which automatically declines all bothersome offers when you're trying to install a desired program. It seems neat, clean, and so far has worked 100%. Its installer installs a .exe file which creates a service. It works on XP and 7, at least. There is an extremely simple user interface, such as "do you want its icon in your system tray or not."

Unchecky did not provide any help for Vuze' settup window and the Malware Protection Live. Perhaps its activity really is limited to "installers."

I second the motion that Vuze is aiding the installation of malware with its installer. Do guys with crooked noses come to your door and insist that you add this carp to the Vuze installer -- or else?

How quickly can you destroy your own reputation?

-neil-

[Riv]

Hello,

I'm Robert, a customer support representative for Spigot.
We apologize for the inconvenience.

Our offer can be declined by selecting "Custom" in the offer screen and then uncheck the offer check boxes.
If you need any assistance for removing the extensions or to restore your browser settings please feel free to contact our support service here:
support(at)spigot.com

Thank you

 

 

I'm calling BS on the above comments by Vuze Staff Members. It seems the last post from any member regarding malware while installing Vuze software was almost a year to the day. At that time the above mentioned staff member (not worth my time double checking the user) LIED regarding how to avoid downloading toolbar/extension/malware without permission. As of 2 hours ago, I install Vuze after avoiding THIS drama for the last year, and received a piece of malware during the installation. I received numerous invites to download junk and declined. The malware came in the form of the usual Spigot masked by a yahoo toolbar. As in the forementioned closing of web browsers I received the same treatment. When I reopened those browsers they all had yahoo toolbars and homepages. I deleted Vuze, cleaned out the malware manually, and I will happily not be returning. In addition to this thread I found a few other threads on these very forums regarding the installation of malware and not one staff member replied to those posts. All of these actions (or lack there of) are cause for mistrust and reports of illegal activity.

Yet as I type this message I see in bright red type to the left of this very text box "Any posts discussing anything illegal will be removed with no warnings". 

[cems]

Hello,

I'm Robert, a customer support representative for Spigot.
We apologize for the inconvenience.

Our offer can be declined by selecting "Custom" in the offer screen and then uncheck the offer check boxes.
If you need any assistance for removing the extensions or to restore your browser settings please feel free to contact our support service here:
support(at)spigot.com

Thank you

 

 

How does a person uninstall this?