Webroot pull the plug on the Ask.com Toolbar
Never did I think I would be sitting here at home informing you that a company has removed a controversial toolbar from their product. But, today is that day guys. Donna’s SecurityFlash today reported that Webroot’s SpySweeper appears to have removed the Ask.com toolbar in the installation setup.
A long time ago, now it seems, Webroot decided to include a toolbar on one of their products, namely SpySweeper. At the time it was very controversial and a disappointment amongst the community. Certainly for me when I grew up in the community with SpySweeper being one of the tools we recommended. And one of the tools that removed most infections at the time.
Including a toolbar in your product is nothing new and several companies have chosen to take the same route:
- CCleaner included the Yahoo toolbar
- AVG joined the game also
- Comodo causing a disappointment
- And recently Symantec joined the exclusive club
Ask.com toolbar caused some concern amongst us, namely when Ben Edelman conducted some research into the practices.
I’ve today tested the SpySweeper (Scan Version) install and can also confirm the Ask.com toolbar is nowhere to be seen in the installation process.
I can say I have not used SpySweeper since they included the toolbar until testing today. Would I go back and use it again on a full-time bases? Or even recommend it on our forums? I think that is one thought Webroot asked themselves when looking at their products as a whole. Security based sites like ours and others have a major role to play for security products and that may have been one of their reasons.
May this good news continue. Take part in the forum discussion about this story here. Or Digg it here on Digg.com.
Resources:
I just downloaded the latest version of spysweeper (6.1.0.107) V 1417, as an upgrade to the version I had. Guess what? I started Firefox and all of a sudden there was an ASK.com search bar on Firefox, I know that it had something to do with spysweeper because it had the words Webroot on it. I deleted it immediately! I feel that by not asking to install something on a computer that is not theirs should be a crime. I am already looking at other anti-spyware products to replace spysweeper!
It did indeed come back:-
http://www.securitycadets.com/2009/03/askcom-toolbar-is-back-with-webroot-software/
Just uninstalled the ask.com toolbar after updating spysweeper (per Frank’s comment). Complete agreement with Frank – looking for a new anti-spyware product, so if anyone has suggestions, that would be most helpful!
Regarding Ants comment:
Ant, I am now looking at counterspy to replace Spy Sweeper. According to some reviews it is actually better than Spy Sweeper, cheaper and does not try to force you to accept something you would never want on your P.C.! Many thanks to you guys at Security Cadets for following up on this issue!
Below is something that CA Anti-virus detected on 11/13/2008
Can anyone here let me know what this was? Was this a Trojan? Thanks, I appreciate any info.
11/13/2008 7:07:49 AM File infection: C:\USERS\********\APPDATA\LOCAL\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS\TEMPORARY INTERNET FILES\LOW\CONTENT.IE5\TC5MXLPT\SPYSWEEPERREGSETUP_EN[1].EXE is Win32/FakeAlert.MP trojan. Deleted
11/13/2008 7:07:59 AM File infection: C:\USERS\********\DOWNLOADS\SPYSWEEPERREGSETUP_EN.EXE is Win32/FakeAlert.MP trojan. Deleted
11/13/2008 8:39:36 AM File infection: C:\Users\********\AppData\Local\Temp\is-DQ8KF.tmp\SSSetup.exe is Win32/FakeAlert.MP trojan. Deleted
Hello Frank,
If you’re after advise and/or support, please navigate here:
http://forum.securitycadets.com/index.php?showforum=2
No support is generally given on our blog. It complicates things.
Andy
I have been suspicious of Ask.com for quite some time now.
I have installed several different software programs on my computer over the years, and I’ve noticed that even after un-checking the box requesting that Ask.com toolbar not be included in the installation, it always ended up being installed, intrusively, on my computer. That was all the evidence I needed to tell me that Ask.com was trouble.