I was suggesting security scans for those who uses WD as their default AV/AM app. A 3rd party app is needed to keep this in check. MBAM is a good choice, so are the online scanners.

Like your retirement funds, don't place all of your security in one basket! AVG IS 2013 Beta is far superior to WD.

Cat

I will continue to reserve my judgment on that one. I never had a problem with WD. I am trying AVG 2013 at this time, but do not know whether it's better or worse.

And I hope that WD's users doesn't have issues, but I have my doubts. MBAM slammed the door shot on a few intentionally traveled bad sites, where I was testing WD's AM capabilities. I believe I read it right, WD is a AV/AM app. It also scanned a file, then a Flash drive that had questionable content on it (for the purpose of beta testing security apps), WD passed all, MBAM quarantined them.

AVG IS 2013 Beta has also found some older files on my desktop that were potential threats, WD's Full scan let them go. This is the issue, Free always isn't the best choice for security. Note that some paid apps isn't either. Free or Paid, the user's choice of security should keep the computer protected, regardless of where we may travel, with an emphasis on the word "regardless". The internet is a wide open world, for most anyone to explore. It also lurks of danger, & this is where the choice of security must pass the ultimate test. Either it protects us or doesn't. There's no in between here.

And this is why I participate in beta testing for ESET, F-Secure, MSE & AVG. I go a lot further than installing these looking for "free security", as I have & keep paid apps of this type. But someone has to get out there & see just how good (or bad) apps are & report back. This participation leads to going into known danger zones to see just how bullet proof the soon to be released app is. This is also why this type of testing is best done on a disposable OS, such as XP Mode. It can be fried, yet gone with a few clicks w/no harm to the main system done.

Just like those who participate in clinical trials for the good of mankind, we beta testers are doing the same for the future of computing. Regardless if it's OS, Security or other app testing, we're playing an important role in research & development, some possibly for the next version of Windows or other apps. This is very important work, & I accept my role as a beta tester seriously.

As far as being able to select the choice of auto updates, download & notify, notification only, or don't check at all, this is a simple task. Ted outlined this above. I have mine set to notification only, this way, I'm aware of the updates, & will install at the time of my choosing.

Cat

Some of these apps can create false positives as well. If a script exhibits malware like activity it might be labeled a virus or Trojan. For example the GamesPatcher script that I use to get the Free Cell card game working was labeled a Trojan by AVG 2013 beta and put in the vault. This is a script I run, but because it has heuristics similar to Trojans, it was labeled a Trojan and isolated.

I am not saying whether this is good or bad, simply that it happens. If you know what these are, then you can save them from being deleted by the AV/AM app.

That happened to me a couple of times with SuperAntiSpyware, it identified apps as potential trojan droppers. Especially VMWare Player, this is a perfectly safe app, yet SAS always blocks this (the paid version). It also flags Wild Tangent (a game on my HP desktop) as the same.

Most of us knows (or should know) if our apps are safe or not. If we know that they're safe, then we can ignore any warnings. Fresh downloads though, should be treated with caution. Normally they're scanned at the point of download, but it's good to do a manual scan prior to opening/installing.

Also, some security apps are more sensitive than others. On some brands, this can be adjusted up or down, normally I go with the default, as jacking up security levels too high leads to decreased computer performance.

Cat

I hate to say it but Wild Tangent games have been known to have very Trojan like activities and do phone home for updates and to send info home.

Wild Tangent Games is well known among Tech's as "Spyware", pure and simple.
They PAY HP and other PC makers to put it on new PC's. If I don't manually take it off (and I always do) then Spybot Search & Destroy will take it off. The Decrapifier will also remove it.
So if you have it, just remove it and save yourself a lot of possible trouble.

Coupon Printer and Weather Bug are two more that should be Immediately Removed.

TechnoMage :coo:

We learn something new every day, don't we? I never realized that these games were spyware, as I don't play them, but my granddaughter does. But I don't believe that she plays Wild Tangent. I'll find out what she does & doesn't play & remove them. Being that I have 3 Windows 7 installs on the same PC, I'll just remove all of HP's "extra's" & think of something to tell her, if she asks.

She got an iPad for her birthday last week anyway, so she'll probably be joining the Apple crowd. At only 6 years old, she just graduated from kindergarten. She also got several $25 gift cards for their apps, so mine will probably be forgotten soon. Isn't a $700 (second hand) computer expensive for her age? It cost over $1,000 new less than 2 years ago, but did come from a trusted source.

I don't use the games anyway, any of them, so that's no loss to me. The space that the HDD is using for them is probably quite plenty. Plus, there's the other HP crap, something to do with AOL, & Homepage Protection. When I log onto that install again, I'll clean it up more.

But VMWare Player, a good free virtualization app, is clean. SAS has to be spitting out False Positives, as I've used it on many computers, & only the live protection of SAS states that it's a Trojan Dropper.

Thanks for the warning about the games. Now I know to remove any extra ones, other than what comes with Windows.

Cat

If you go into the Add/Remove Programs app in the Control Panel and see Wild Tangent Games, right click to UN-Install it and the program will show you a list of the games. You must click on every one of them to select them all. There is NO Select All button. Then finally you can delete the entire package.

Wild Tangent admits that they do collect information from your computer. Spybot S&D will remove it.
I just prefer to remove it along with the other junk when I first set up a new PC. I guess you could list that under User Optional. But, when it comes to Adware, Spyware, or anything that smacks of Malware, OUT IT GOES!
I'd rather be safe, and never sorry.

Cheers Mates!
TechnoMage

I'll get rid of these HP installed 3rd party games the next time I boot into that OS. That's my OEM install, & I use it very little. Also, I don't install anymore software there than needed. My tax software is also on that one.

Mainly when I need to do a document/letter or other business, I use it.

There's also some other HP installed questionable software that I'll remove, but as always, I'll image the drive first. I recently moved that install, along with the other partitions, onto that Seagate 500GB HDD that I recently asked about. Runs good, too. Never mind the imaging though, I just did one after cloning the contents to that HDD.

I know that we pay a little less for computers due to all of this junk software, including Norton IS & Online Backup, but I'd rather pay a little more & have a clean OS. Note that HP includes Norton's crap, but not Ghost, though that isn't the product it once was either, according to those who has purchased the software.

HP is the worst that I've experienced when it comes to pre-loaded crapware installed, including all of that AOL crap. Even their updating software, HP Advisor, is useless. One single hardware update in almost 3 years. I only left that on there just in case there is a BIOS update offered, as this one is totally neutered. HP even makes it tough to take a Windows 7 install disk & do a clean install with the COA on it's stand, or the key shown with any of the key finding software. The user must use the SLP key (in the BIOS) to do this type of install with, then it will work.

Though I didn't do this type of install on mine, I have a couple of others, after much research on the issue. The Windows validation tool showed them as being genuine. Some other OEM's permits the clean install of Windows, using the COA on the computer, why HP doesn't, I don't know.

Yes, that Coupon software & Shopping toolbars is junk also, I found that out a couple of years ago. My mother-in-law is bad for installing this garbage, then MBAM detects it as potential malware. Even MSE 2 flagged it for removal. I don't mess with that type of software.

Cat