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General discussion

Downloaded software installs IE toolbar without permission

Mar 17, 2011 11:33AM PDT

I installed a piece of software downloaded from download.com. I unchecked 6 boxes in order to deny permission to install anything but the original application. Even so, it installed the Somoto toolbar in IE. I can't find an email address to report this to, so I'm putting it here.

Malwarebytes isn't identifying it as malware, and it doesn't show up in Add/Remove Programs in my Control Panel, so I'm having a tough time getting rid of it. I can disable it of course, but that doesn't fully solve the problem. Has anybody run into this little gem before? (Other than the user who downloaded this before me and left a warning in the reviews... that'll teach me to read the reviews before downloading...)

I'm running WinXP SP3.

FLVPlayer4Free
http://download.cnet.com/FLVPlayer4Free/3000-13632_4-10666532.html?tag=mncol;8&refresh=1300410848823#submitReview

Discussion is locked

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If it is a Toolbar
Mar 17, 2011 11:28PM PDT

If this is a Toolbar then perhaps you can remove it via IE's "View > Toolbars" option.

If your IE is greater than IE6 then to see the menu bar just hit the ALT key. This will display the "File - Edit - View - " etc menu. Goto View > Toolbars and see if it is listed and selected. If so, remove the tick.

Also, as you have said, disable it if it is listed as an Add-on.

Does that work?

I have reported this to the Download.com team and I thank you for bringing it to our attention.

Mark

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Solved the toolbar problem
Mar 19, 2011 1:04PM PDT

The weird thing about the toolbar was that I could disable it but I couldn't uninstall it. (I wanted to delete it entirely due to the possibility of malware.) The option wasn't available through either IE or Add/Remove Programs. I finally got rid of it using HijackThis.

Thanks to everyone for your comments and for removing the software from the site!

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Good to see you solved it
Mar 19, 2011 10:10PM PDT
and by using HJT as well. That's impressive.

Mark
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Thank you for reporting this, I forwarded your request to...
Mar 18, 2011 1:49AM PDT

the Download.com team to investigate.

Thank you!
-Lee
CNET Community

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More hijackers!
Apr 11, 2011 8:00AM PDT
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Thanks for reporting this, I brought this to the....
Apr 12, 2011 2:58AM PDT

Download.com team's attention.

All those copied and pasted same positive reviews by different accounts have been removed already, it's pretty obvious they are up to no good. Shame on them.

Thanks!
-Lee

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Update, the Download team will be removing this title from..
Apr 15, 2011 2:47AM PDT

our library for violation of download policy.

Thanks again for reporting this.

-Lee

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FLVPlayer4Free removed for violating bundling rules
Mar 18, 2011 3:55AM PDT

Thanks for the notice, calcape. I have verified your complaint and removed FLVPlayer4Free from our catalog for violating our policies on bundling software.

You can read more about our software acceptance policies on Upload.cnet.com, our publisher self-service site.

https://upload.cnet.com/2706-21_5-973-9.html

In the near future, we plan to add a contact form on individual Download.com products to better alert us to problems such as this one.

Sorry for letting this product slip through, and thanks again for the alert.

-Peter

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Thanks for responding so quickly
Mar 18, 2011 6:57AM PDT

Much appreciated Peter.

Mark

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Same problem, but ...
Mar 25, 2011 11:50AM PDT

I'm having the same issue (covert install of the Somoto toolbar), but I don't have FLVPlayer4Free .... I have recently downloaded and installed "Burn4Free CD and DVD" v5.4 from download.com. I realize there's not much in a name ... but are they related? Could it be that Burn4Free is doing this also?

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Also installed by MegaMind Tag Editor
Mar 30, 2011 1:05PM PDT

Just FYI, all, the Somoto Toolbar was also installed without permission by the "Megamind Tag Editor."

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(NT) Thanks for reporting this. I have the team look into this.
Apr 15, 2011 2:54AM PDT
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Update: I had the download team investigate this...
Apr 18, 2011 3:43AM PDT
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What about "Burn4Free CD and DVD" v5.4 ???
Apr 18, 2011 2:56PM PDT

What about "Burn4Free CD and DVD" v5.4 ???

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Sorry can you clarify?
Apr 20, 2011 6:08AM PDT
"What about "Burn4Free CD and DVD" v5.4???"

Not sure what are you trying to ask.

Please clarify.

Thanks!
-Lee
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What about "Burn4Free CD and DVD" v5.4 ???
Apr 21, 2011 5:39PM PDT

about four posts up from here, I posed the question ...

"I'm having the same issue (covert install of the Somoto toolbar), but I don't have FLVPlayer4Free .... I have recently downloaded and installed "Burn4Free CD and DVD" v5.4 from download.com. I realize there's not much in a name ... but are they related? Could it be that Burn4Free is doing this also?. "

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Appears to be from the same people/company...
Apr 22, 2011 12:46PM PDT

Looking at the respective applications and their affiliated websites, it appears they are both from the same people/company.

Sending an alert...
John

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I apologize I must have overllooked it.
Apr 25, 2011 2:38AM PDT

I have reported the title to the team.

Thanks!
-Lee

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I'm happy to have been of assistance.
Apr 25, 2011 11:31AM PDT

and thank you.

I remain sincere.

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Temp File Cleaner, too?
May 17, 2011 8:26AM PDT

I do not know much about computers, so maybe I picked up Somoto some other way.