Privacy News You might want to read up on the latest CCleaner update before installing it

spaceoctopus

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CCleaner's latest Windows update has introduced a couple of features that might make you reluctant to update. Chief amongst them: apparently making people use its active monitoring feature, removing privacy features from the free version, and preventing users from being able to quit the software at all.
The changes, first reported by gHacks, come off the back of CCleaner developer Piriform’s acquisition by the anti-virus company Avast last year.
As pointed out by Beta News, we’ve already seen Avast remove the option for non-Professional CCleaner users to opt out of data-sharing (in version 5.43), and the addition of a Summer Sale advertising popup (v5.44).

But version 5.45 takes things a step further. For example, active monitoring (a feature that periodically reminds you to clean out your system using the software) can technically be turned off in CCleaner’s menus, but it’ll turn back on whenever you reboot your PC or close the software.
That’s if you’re ever able to actually close the software.
By default it will just minimise to the system tray when you try to close it. Your only option is to force it to close using your OS or a third-party tool.
And the changes haven’t gone unnoticed by users.
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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CCleaner's latest Windows update has introduced a couple of features that might make you reluctant to update. Chief amongst them: apparently making people use its active monitoring feature, removing privacy features from the free version, and preventing users from being able to quit the software at all.
The changes, first reported by gHacks, come off the back of CCleaner developer Piriform’s acquisition by the anti-virus company Avast last year.
As pointed out by Beta News, we’ve already seen Avast remove the option for non-Professional CCleaner users to opt out of data-sharing (in version 5.43), and the addition of a Summer Sale advertising popup (v5.44).

But version 5.45 takes things a step further. For example, active monitoring (a feature that periodically reminds you to clean out your system using the software) can technically be turned off in CCleaner’s menus, but it’ll turn back on whenever you reboot your PC or close the software.
That’s if you’re ever able to actually close the software.
By default it will just minimise to the system tray when you try to close it. Your only option is to force it to close using your OS or a third-party tool.
And the changes haven’t gone unnoticed by users.
Or just use the portable version were you don't have these problems.
 
I

illumination

Walk away from this product and enjoy your sanity. If you seriously feel the need to use a 3rd party application there are other choices, although i still recommend using built in OS/browser tools to manually clean up.
 

spaceoctopus

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Or just use the portable version were you don't have these problems.
When you see Avast's privacy practices these days, it would be legitimate to ask oneself if the portable version doesn't send some kind of telemetry without the user ever knowing it.

It's a good idea to use the portable version, but i doubt those people from Avast didn't anticipate that move.
 

stefanos

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CCleaner's latest Windows update has introduced a couple of features that might make you reluctant to update. Chief amongst them: apparently making people use its active monitoring feature, removing privacy features from the free version, and preventing users from being able to quit the software at all.
The changes, first reported by gHacks, come off the back of CCleaner developer Piriform’s acquisition by the anti-virus company Avast last year.
As pointed out by Beta News, we’ve already seen Avast remove the option for non-Professional CCleaner users to opt out of data-sharing (in version 5.43), and the addition of a Summer Sale advertising popup (v5.44).

But version 5.45 takes things a step further. For example, active monitoring (a feature that periodically reminds you to clean out your system using the software) can technically be turned off in CCleaner’s menus, but it’ll turn back on whenever you reboot your PC or close the software.
That’s if you’re ever able to actually close the software.
By default it will just minimise to the system tray when you try to close it. Your only option is to force it to close using your OS or a third-party tool.
And the changes haven’t gone unnoticed by users.
uncheck show ccleaner in the windows notification area and Enable Active Monitoring . At my pc ccleaner monitoring is deactivated.
 

RoboMan

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For example, active monitoring (a feature that periodically reminds you to clean out your system using the software) can technically be turned off in CCleaner’s menus, but it’ll turn back on whenever you reboot your PC or close the software.
I thought I was going crazy trying to deactivate active monitoring on the company's computers. What a crappy feature.
 

Moonhorse

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I have nothing against ccleaner, but latest update brought it always running on taskmanager even the monitoring isnt on as @RoboMan mentiooned

Its easier to clean browser manually and use windows tools for cleanups/defrag etc.

Im fine with avast and their products tho, theres other baddies than avast out there

at last im moving on with ccleaner and use bleachbit or something instead
 

Gandalf_The_Grey

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I understand that people are unhappy with the way CCleaner evolves under Avast. I also have my doubts but haven't found a suitable replacement yet. Maybe it's good news that the people form Piriform/Avast are well aware of the concerns and say they will fix it in the next version: Piriform Personal Security Concern with CCleaner Latest v. 5.45.6611
Hi all,

Thanks for your feedback. We value your input and want to acknowledge your concerns around the changes to active monitoring (heartbeat).

The new CCleaner heartbeat reports only non-personal, absolutely non-identifiable usage information for the purpose of improving CCleaner. This could be, the percentage of users who have experienced a crash, or are using scheduled cleaning.

First and foremost, being able to detect usage patterns across our entire user base allows us to act more quickly when things go wrong. Gathering information via this forum, support tickets or social media is helpful but with such a huge quantity of users, is not a small undertaking. The new 'heartbeat' delivers quantifiable, representative data, quickly, so when things go wrong, we can rectify the situation sooner. In the long term, having some insight into how our users use CCleaner allows us to improve it.

The heartbeat has been added to an existing CCleaner process called 'CC Monitor'. That process is controlled via the Enable Active Monitoring checkbox. This option covers both checking for updates and the new heartbeat. It has two other optional features: 'System Monitoring' and 'Browser Monitoring'. System Monitoring triggers an alert when you have a lot of junk to clean. Browser Monitoring is a paid feature that gives you intelligent cleaning options when you close your browsers.

After listening to your concerns, we have reviewed how this feature has been implemented and we agree that there are areas for improvement.

Please bear with us while our product and development teams work on this. We will update you as soon as we can. In the meantime, to disable all monitoring, please close all CCleaner processes via the Task Manager.

Thanks for your patience while we work towards a resolution.
So maybe I'm foolish to hope for the best :unsure:
 
F

ForgottenSeer 69673

I have it set to auto clean Edge after closing.
ScreenHunter_113 Aug. 01 15.01.jpg
 
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F

ForgottenSeer 58943

Everyone basically predicted that within a year of Avast taking over this product would be trash.

Avast is first and foremost a telemetry/datamining firm. Secondary are anything else they do. Virtually everything they do is geared toward harvesting data for their primary business, Jumpshot. Since cleanup tools and AV's by nature grab a lot of data, that all makes perfect sense.

Nothing Avast ever touches would see the light of day on my networks. Sadly, that also means no AVG, which I kind of like.
 

oldschool

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you can set it to clear everything you like everytime you exit? Using password manager you can remove everything

Nope, you need to do it the old-school way. Or set the browser to clear on exit.

I understand that people are unhappy with the way CCleaner evolves under Avast. I also have my doubts but haven't found a suitable replacement yet. Maybe it's good news that the people form Piriform/Avast are well aware of the concerns and say they will fix it in the next version: Piriform Personal Security Concern with CCleaner Latest v. 5.45.6611

So maybe I'm foolish to hope for the best :unsure:

At least they are brave enough to admit there are “concerns”, so who knows?
 

kev216

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There is no way a product of Avast will ever reach my computer. They have been accused for telemetry in the past and now they are not ashamed to prove it further. First they killed AVG and now Piriform.
 

Moonhorse

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Everyone basically predicted that within a year of Avast taking over this product would be trash.

Avast is first and foremost a telemetry/datamining firm. Secondary are anything else they do. Virtually everything they do is geared toward harvesting data for their primary business, Jumpshot. Since cleanup tools and AV's by nature grab a lot of data, that all makes perfect sense.

Nothing Avast ever touches would see the light of day on my networks. Sadly, that also means no AVG, which I kind of like.
Whats your opinion in google, when compared into avast and set them both on same line? Wich os are you using? Are we slaves to these big named datamine companies? Should we always be looking for alternative companies/softwares to use with smaller userbase until they grow up and are acceptable to change their TOS to benefit from their loyal users?

I think same has been happening with firefox, by slowly turning into chrome v2 and the wise/loyal fan base is already moved into alternative legacy browsers etc

Last time i used ccleaner, they had option to disable datamining and after i upgraded it to newest version its removed, and replaced by link to their new tos, its scamming
 
F

ForgottenSeer 69673

Since I actually paid for CC Pro, I can turn off those privacy setting and block CC in my firewall and I will keep using it.
I really like the ignore setting MT has.
 
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