Solved Okay I tested a Cnet download (results)

[Layback Bear]

Just to be checking I did this.
Went to Cnet and checked download HWMonitor Pro.
Read the agreement and their is a lot of new unwanted goodies in the agreement. I don't know whethrer Cnet put them there or HWMonitor put them there. I checked except and went on with the download and install. Then up jumped Microsoft Security Estentials and stopped something. (Win/Price Gong) Then I removed it.
Next was Malwarebytes Anti Malware Pro and it found 7 (PuP.Inof Atoms) I removed them all.
Next was Super Anti Spyware, the free one and it found 6 tracking cookies and I removed them.
I noticed I have a new browser search bare in all my browsers.
MJXI DJ Toolbar. What a little sweet heart.
I run AdwCleaner and it removed all the entries.and their was a gazillion of them.
I'm I done; no way.
I installed and ran Eset Online Scanner after updating. Just on the C drive. I will do the other drives later. Eset Online Scanner found two (Win32/Downloader Admin.G Apps) I removed them.
I will be doing scans on my other drives next.
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Now folks my computer did not have all these things until the download from Cnet of HWMonitor Pro. I haven't even installed HWMonitor Pro yet. I have right clicked and scanned it with MSE and MAM Pro and it comes up clean. Makes me think all the little unwanted goodies came from Cnet.
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I did this test because Britton 30 had mentioned a few time in other post that the new method of getting junk from download was coming from USER AGREEMENT when down loading. It seem like Cnet knows that most don't read all that stuff and stuck some unwanted goodies in the agreement.
Thank you Britton 30. The warning was spot on.

 

[DavidE]

It sounds like this is getting worse for the user, not better.
I quit using/trusting that site a long time ago because of this problem.
An old article about this:
Download.com wraps downloads in bloatware, lies about motivations | ExtremeTech

 

[Layback Bear]

I don't use Cnet normally. I picked that site because many use them or know about them. Their are probable many site that do the same thing. Kind of a example of how a once quality site can change. One must be careful of any download from any site.

 

[Dinesh]

FileHippo.com - Download Free Software is a good alternative.

 

[Jacee]

Reading the "agreement" before accepting and downloading, is a 'must'! These bundled apps help support the download site

Download TFC by Old Timer http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/TFC-Temp-File-Cleaner-OldTimer-file187.html and save it to your desktop.
Save any unsaved work. TFC will close ALL open programs including your browser!
Double-click on TFC.exe to run it. If you are using Vista/Windows 7 right-click on the file and choose Run As Administrator.
Click the Start button to begin the cleaning process and let it run uninterrupted to completion.
Important! If TFC prompts you to reboot, please do so immediately. If not prompted, manually reboot the machine anyway to ensure a complete clean.

Next, flush the DNS cache. Open an elevated command prompt, copy and paste ipconfig /flushdns press 'enter'.

 

[ashleyg]

Thanks for doing that test Layback Bear and for potentially sacrificing your system - it is definately getting worse.
Must admit I stay away from cnet based on past experience but what an eye opener!
Cheers.

 

[DeaconFrost]

Majorgeeks is where I get all my software and updates from. CNet, PCWorld, etc...places like that died out years ago, and transformed into ad-based websites promoting whatever their are paid to promote.

 

[Layback Bear]

Jacee thanks I knew I forgot to do something. TFC came up with my normal 44 things and after reboot ipconfig /flushdns took less than a second to complete. I have run all the scans in my post #1 on all the rest of my drives and I think I'm clean.
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Thanks ashleyg. I did this for a reason and posted it in the General Thread for a reason. I wanted to show to a lot new computer users how careful one must be when downloading things from the internet. Things look so good and they are free. I also was trying to show that their is not just one security program that does it all. Notice it took me several to clean all of it out. Jacee might come up with another one or two to try.
She is the Expert on such things.

I run 3 security programs active and I trust all of them. They stopped some things but not everything. The things they didn't stop they were not designed to stop. Just because you use such programs doesn't mean one doesn't have to be careful. I did finally install HWMonitor Pro and checked again. Their was no infection in the program itself. It was useless though because the things you need to look at had the word Trial instead of the information one needs. I removed it. I have checked the registry in various way and I can't find any left over bad things. Please understand that I use Cnet because they have been around for a long time and at one time they were trusted by most. I'm sure their are other sites that do the same thing. I chose HWMonitor because it is a great program that is recommend many times. Trying to do things like a new computer would do. Now I have to find a clean download for HWMonitor because I want it back. I have used it for years.

 

[DavidE]

You can download HWMonitor from their site (CPUID)
CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks DavidW7ncus. I gave it a try but Malwarebytes blocks that download for the free one.

 

[DavidE]

What about from MajorGeeks?
|MG| HWMonitor 1.21 Download

I downloaded it and MBAM didn't block it.

 

[Layback Bear]

Thanks it worked like a charm.

 

[DavidE]

You're welcome, glad that worked

 

[Dsn California]

My CNET Download Problem

I would like to simply post my most recent and last experience
with CNET.com downloads.

Yesterday I downloaded the Avant Ultimate Browser from CNET.com, and was offered lots of
other programs that were not necessary. I was careful not to check any boxes for items I did
not desire. In a few hours, the Avant Ultimate Browser crashed and could not load any web pages
at all.

When I opened Programs and Features to uninstall Avant Ultimate Browser, I noticed
another application was installed, Coupon Companion Plug In. This was added to my
IE9 Browser, which I seldom use. When I tried to remove the Coupon Companion Plug In,
it would NOT uninstall. Then after another attempt, I tried to use System Restore, and
System Restore access was blocked on several attempts. A quick virus scan with free Avast
detected this as a file that cold not be scanned, but it also could not be quarantined or removed
by the Avast AV program.

I then had to restart my OS in Safe Mode, and that finally allowed me to successfully
remove the Coupon Companion Plug In, and the Avant Ultimate Browser. At this
point all seem well, except I could later observe that fragments of the Coupon Companion
Plug In were still showing in my IE9 Browser, as an add-on that is present, but not available.

To remove any remaining fragments of the Coupon Companion Plug In, I had to do
a Reg Edit, and this finally removed any visible fragments of this CC Plug In, and it
no longer showed as being present and unavailable in my IE9 browser.

At this point, I can only conclude the obvious, that CNET is no longer a reputable
download site, and should be avoided. It is unfortunate that this once reputable
website is now resorting to tactics, such as this.

 

[DeaconFrost]

At this point, I can only conclude the obvious, that CNET is no longer a reputable
download site, and should be avoided. It is unfortunate that this once reputable
website is now resorting to tactics, such as this.

You could have saved yourself some time with the testing. CNet hasn't been a legitimate site to use for a long time now...easily 6-7 years, if not longer, in all honesty. My choice, Majorgeeks, gives warnings about what to expect when using software, such as toolbars, etc. Aside from this thread, I can't recall the last time I even heard someone mention CNet.

 

[alphanumeric]

Every once in a while I get a kick out of Cnet and PCWorld. I'll be reading an article about safe computing and it will list things to avoid. Then I glance at the add on the same page and it will be for one of the items listed as something to avoid.
Something else that really bugs me, is when you do a search for some utility on say Google. The first 3 or 4 links are usually for fake sites. These sites artificially inflate their page ranking or what ever it is to get to the top. I'm almost scared to recommend something over the phone now because I know that person is going to just click the first link and get their PC even more infected.

 

[Alejandro85]

My question is, why would anyone ever want to use such sites if the ORIGINAL program is freely available from the official website?

In the case of the test subject of this post, a 10 second Google search revealed this CPUID - System & hardware benchmark, monitoring, reporting which conveniently has download links on the right for the installer and portable versions, of the true program, not wrapped in anything, together with explanations about the program and some info and contact links.

My point is, NOTHING is as reliable as the original publisher, the official website is warranted to have the latest (presumably the best) version, cleanest possible install, full information about the program and what it does.
Sites like Download.com, Filehippo and others like that just copy free programs, bundle them inside their own installers so that you can't get a clean program and add their own programs inside (useful or not, those are not wanted anyway). All that comes with advertising and bloatware in the mix. Other than for reviews, those pages are to be avoided too.

 

[AddRAM]

No matter where you download from you have to go slow and read carefully, as long as you uncheck the boxes that download other garbage you will be fine.

And always get in the habit of scanning anything you download before you open it.

Microsoft Security Essentials - Microsoft Windows

Malwarebytes : Free anti-malware download

 

[Layback Bear]

One of the points of the thread I started was to show people that possibly didn't have a long extended knowledge of proper precautions when choosing downloads. Their are many new people everyday joining the world of downloading. Other than the test I haven't used Cnet for years.
Many new and old download sites do the same things Cnet does. Obviously I didn't test them all; it was just a example of what happens it one is not careful what they tick on when downloading. Most members here do use caution is my gues but not all. Are post are read all over the world by many that are not members. Adding little goodies to the User Agreement was new to me so I thought I would also share that. One must also be careful when using the publishers site also. Some do play the same game.

 

[lehnerus2000]

I've gone to sites to download their programs and they have sent me to CNET.
Normally I lose interest at that point.

I found that Price Gong thing on my PC (January).
I don't know where it came from or when it happened.

I particularly hate sites that insist that you must install their download managers.
Normally I refuse to download programs from those places.
I had to install the Adobe Download Manager to get a trial copy of Flash.