22 Million PUA detected last month. STOP!

[yigido]

Content source

https://blog.avira.com/potentially-unwanted-applications-2/

Avira Antivirus Software blocks the installation of Potentially Unwanted Applications and releases new set of guidelines for all software vendors to respect.

Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs) are causing our security analysts to rethink the detection patterns used in Avira’s software solutions. We therefore released a new set of ethical guidelines for all vendors and distribution partners to respect, in order to offer the best protection against PUA.

Most of the time, potentially unwanted applications end up on the user’s PC as a bundled component of the initially desired programs. Standard installation processes can mislead users into complying with this recurring scenario. Avira detects as PUAs all those which attempt to inject malicious content, or those which request an unjustified amount of personal data, as well as payment processing apps that may overcharge the user without explicit consent. Products which require unnecessary access rights or inject unwanted advertising on the device, not to mention spy or remotely controlled software, all get detected by the Avira radar.

Only last month, the Avira Virus Lab detected 22,508,407 PUAs threatening users’ devices.

Our security analysts have provided a list of the five most frequently encountered PUAs and the impact they have:

• iLivid: an app that hijacks your Internet web browser and redirects your Internet searches to ilivid.com. iLivid will attempt to infect all Internet browsers installed on your PC.

• SeaSuite: this toolbar is installed in browsers as an extension or add-on. It shows advertisements and injects ads in the web.

• SoftPulse: a bundle that installs an additional program to display and/or download to your device unwanted advertisements and toolbars, and it may be considered privacy-invasive.

• NextLive: a browser plugin that changes your internet browser settings, such as your home page and default search. This kind of adware is causing unwanted browser redirections, and displays unwanted pop-ups, coupons, and other advertisements.

• OptimizerPro: tracks your computer’s web usage to feed you undesired pop-up ads and some might even hijack your browser search or home pages, redirecting you to a different site or search engine than the one you had originally configured. The application itself should optimize the computer’s performance, but it acts as a scareware, making users pay for fictitious improvements to their PCs.

“We believe in the free internet, and therefore accept advertising as means to sponsor content, however downloading free software does not imply agreeing to also install unwanted or unknown applications on your device. We expect software publishers and download portals to not abuse users and be more transparent in their intentions. It is our duty to protect users against, not only malware, but privacy and financial loss. We have chosen to raise the protection of our users, therefore we have established a set of acceptable application guidelines, which our product enforces”, said Travis Witteveen, Chief Executive Officer of Avira.

Reducing the number of Potentially Unwanted Applications populating the user’s devices is one of Avira’s main concerns. Avira’s new list of guidelines for software providers is an important step toward this goal. It is, nonetheless, extremely important that users themselves understand the dangers and keep themselves protected.

 

[frogboy]

I think people need to be more aware of what they are clicking i mean PUA or PUP's are really not that hard to avoid.

 

[yigido]

I think people need to be more aware of what they are clicking i mean PUA or PUP's are really not that hard to avoid.

Actually, people are too lazy to read installers and they have no time, they are hasty!

 

[Nirv5668]

I get slightly frustrated when more experienced users (actually just any non-beginner can avoid PUAs) freak out over bundled stuff...the people who get hurt by this are less experienced users who see the installer, are already nervous and unsure about interacting with the computer, don't want to 'break' anything, are not sure what is part of the thing they wanted and what is not, and maybe not sure later how or what to uninstall. In my experience with older people, for example (not all of them- some are really good!), they are not even lazy, just have no idea and are nervous. I feel bad for these people. The whole system needs to be somehow re-structured to avoid this, maybe a common sort of template so users have a chance to learn to avoid what they don't want (ex: everyone has visible check-boxes on first screen or it fails to meet AV companies criteria...no 'customize' etc.).

 

[yigido]

I get slightly frustrated when more experienced users (actually just any non-beginner can avoid PUAs) freak out over bundled stuff...the people who get hurt by this are less experienced users who see the installer, are already nervous and unsure about interacting with the computer, don't want to 'break' anything, are not sure what is part of the thing they wanted and what is not, and maybe not sure later how or what to uninstall. In my experience with older people, for example (not all of them- some are really good!), they are not even lazy, just have no idea and are nervous. I feel bad for these people. The whole system needs to be somehow re-structured to avoid this, maybe a common sort of template so users have a chance to learn to avoid what they don't want (ex: everyone has visible check-boxes on first screen or it fails to meet AV companies criteria...no 'customize' etc.).

Great explanation, it is the other side of the medal

 

[jamescv7]

Developers should bundled the tool like Unchecky on their installers and make a description which must be easily readable to install and state that you should not have worries to install grayware/PUA/PUP + supervise to the novice/less experience users about those bundled software and why prevent them to install on computer.

 

[jackuars]

many software vendor (especially chinese)

We don't need to start that here again.

 

[Nirv5668]

Developers should bundled the tool like Unchecky on their installers and make a description which must be easily readable to install and state that you should not have worries to install grayware/PUA/PUP + supervise to the novice/less experience users about those bundled software and why prevent them to install on computer.

Bundling Unchecky might be a way to 'fight fire with fire' I think this is actually a good idea and would get Unchecky installed on some computers where it could help. It would also be a good install with AV software to prevent this whole issue. But, aside from cnet, where I assume the developer has no say in what gets bundled (correct me if I'm wrong), doesn't the developer usually have an agreement from ask.com or yahoo or whatever (I don't know the less legit bundled stuff, but the same would apply) to bundle the extras and receive some payment per download? I would guess that also including Unchecky would violate some agreement with ask yahoo etc...but I really don't know how this works.