Security Cadets

Well known Calendar of Updates has added yet another vendor to the list of discontinued updates. Comodo has joined the company of Zone Labs and Webroot of including the Ask Toolbar pre-checked for installation with Comodo Firewall 3.0.23.364. Comodo’s installation of the Ask Toolbar is under the guise of the Comodo SafeSurf toolbar.

If you are updating Comodo, you will not see the option to install the toolbar. However with a full install or reinstall, it is necessary to UNcheck BOTH the Toolbar and Home page.

Seeing as how I updated the Vista Compatible Firewalls listing today, I will add a warning about the toolbar to the entry.

CoU:

• Comodo Firewall 3.0.23.364
• Products with Ask Toolbar

Background:

• Ask.com’s Privacy Tool Tracks Users, Groups Tell Feds
• Ask.com Will Keep Your Secrets (Although Its Advertisers Won’t)
• Ask.com Complaint (PDF from Epic.org)
• http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/ask-toolbars/
• http://www.benedelman.org/spyware/installations/askjeeves-banner/
• Dealing with Unwanted Spyware and Parasites

Remember – “A day without laughter is a day wasted.”
May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart…