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"Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update - Printable Version

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+----- Thread: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update (/showthread.php?tid=24300)
"Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by tomxp411 on 04-26-2004 at 04:58 PM

OK, here's the deal.

I let Messenger Plus install the latest update (via the auto update facility). During the install process, my virus scanner popped up saying it had found a trojan horse program (a file dropper). After the upgrade finished, ads started popping up on my screen unbidden. I could not even open my browser withiyt 5 or 6 pop-up windows showing up. In addition, a new toolbar was added to Internet Explorer, and my start page was hijacked.

Again, I let Plus update itself, and I was never presented with the option to install the "sponsor program".

Perhaps the auto-update program needs to be tweaked a little to ensure that the users' preferences are honored?

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by KeyStorm on 04-26-2004 at 05:01 PM

quote:
Originally posted by tomxp411
Perhaps the auto-update program needs to be tweaked a little to ensure that the users' preferences are honored?
Yes, I agree, although my MP! was never fast enough to check and update before I updated it manually :grin:.
RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Kryptonate on 04-26-2004 at 05:02 PM

1. thank you for not insulting Patchou, his software and the sponsorprogram don't contain spyware, adware or virusses.
Do you use AVG? there are known problems with this AV and AVG knows about this, please update your AVG if this is the case :).

2. read this http://shoutbox.menthix.net/showthread.php?tid=21598

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by KeyStorm on 04-26-2004 at 05:06 PM

May I ask something?
When autoupdated does it always install sponsor program or is the user asked as usual?

Btw, I only agree the fact that when it is autoupdated the sponsor program gets installed automatically. Not that it has viruses.
And yes, it's very weird that someone complaining about the sponsor program doesn't insult Patchou or the Community. :)

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Kryptonate on 04-26-2004 at 05:15 PM

Normally it asks whether to install the sponsor program or not, but I heard of cases where it doesn't :-/, I should check it.

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Tochjo on 04-26-2004 at 05:47 PM

It is just the same installation as a manual download from the site: the same file gets downloaded and executed.

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by KeyStorm on 04-26-2004 at 05:52 PM

Ok, sorry then. :$

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Patchou on 04-26-2004 at 05:58 PM

I can assure you that there is no way the sponsor can be installed automatically without prompting anything during an auto-update. If you installed the sponsor by mistaked, don't worry, uninstalling Messenger Plus! will trigger the unisntall program of the sponsor and everythign will be removed in a matter of seconds :). You can then reinstall Messenger Plus! without the sponsor.

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Guido on 04-26-2004 at 06:12 PM

Indeed, thanks for being so civilized. Some others should learn from you tom :)

quote:
Originally posted by Kryptonate
1. thank you for not insulting Patchou, his software and the sponsorprogram don't contain spyware, adware or virusses.
Err... the sponsor is adware. It does not have spyware or viruses, however.
RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by WDZ on 04-26-2004 at 06:24 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Patchou
I can assure you that there is no way the sponsor can be installed automatically without prompting anything during an auto-update.
So you're completely sure? It's just odd that so many people post about this problem... makes me wonder if there's a really obscure bug... :-/
RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by KeyStorm on 04-26-2004 at 06:30 PM

quote:
Originally posted by WDZ
It's just odd that so many people post about this problem... makes me wonder if there's a really obscure bug... :-/
Yeah, many people reported that to me per Messenger... althou I already had warned the the first time they installed they had to read carefully the sponsor agreement :-/
RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by CookieRevised on 04-26-2004 at 06:56 PM

They always see the sponsor screen, but many wont read it or even look at it (as we all know) and they all just click yes (bad EULA-habit), hence they all say they didn't had a warning/choice... They expect to have a screen with 1 sentence and 2 choices, or to get listbox/checkbox thingie like you see in many installations where you have to choose your components, or they expect a popup/msgbox....

If they knew how the sponsoragreement looked liked (read: "how it looked", not "that there is one"), then there will be far less complaints about "(auto)-update installed the sponsor behind my back"....

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Smithy123 on 04-26-2004 at 08:06 PM

i am extreamly dissapointed with all this :( its took me ages just to get rid of this spywire and get back on msn. msn plus is now removed for good. i swear my computer is running slower now and my anti virus has been flashing like made with programs trying to access the net. what is the best way to make sure all the junks gone? dont tell me i have to format lol :(((

RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by BooGhost on 04-27-2004 at 01:29 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Smithy123
its took me ages just to get rid of this spywire
mmm whta soyare? i just know Adware :P
quote:
Originally posted by Smithy123
what is the best way to make sure all the junks gone? dont tell me i have to format lol
if you installed Plus!'s sponsor, just reboot computer uninstall Plus!, reboot again, install withOUT sponsor

if you remoder the adware with another way (Ad-Aware or that kind of programs), i recomend you to re-install Plus! WITH THE SPONSOR then reboot computer uninstall Plus!, reboot again, install withOUT sponsor
 

:D
RE: RE: "Sponsor" installed, virus dropped during auto update by Patchou on 04-27-2004 at 02:22 AM

quote:
Originally posted by WDZ
So you're completely sure? It's just odd that so many people post about this problem... makes me wonder if there's a really obscure bug... :-/
As I said in another post, I didn't change one character in the setup code for this update. You should be used to all this, it's always the same  thing everytime I enable an auto-update... some people just don't want to admit that they missed the option. You can try the auto-update yourself as much as you want, you will enver have a problem with the sponsor if you select "I refuse".

And once again, I understand that some of you may have installed the sponsor by error. That's exactly why I provide a perfectly working uninstaller. Do NOT use adaware or another program like this, they don't work for a lot of adaware program simply because they delete files without caring about the consequences. No serious program can be uninstalled that way. Just go in Add/Remove Programs and uninstall Messenger Plus!.

And... please..... try to be more honest. If there was really a problem with the setup of Messenger Plus!, this forum would have already died under the complains... I'm updating about 200,000 users every day, and as the welcome page is displayed at the end of the setup, they all know where to find me to complain :).