toolbar supplied by company causes alerts

[system]

David,

Did you see my latest?

Dennis

[DavidR]

I don’t know which your latest post is as there have been 4 since my previous post and none relating to the exclusions in standard shield so you can upload the file to virustotal (that I was last trying to help you with).

If this is the one:

@dennisthemenace post:17

OK I did it. Pretty neat how this works. I got a whole bunch of stuff on each one. Two came up already been analysed. I copied the infor from the reports into MS Notepad. I could post it here but it’s a lot of info. I don’t know how to interpret it, whether it’s telling me it’s bad (as in it can crash my computer or dig into my financial data, passwords and the like) or what.

Then there is no need to do anything intricate like copy to another file and attach the file, etc. Just copy the URL in the address bar of the results window and post it in here. Then all we need to do is visit the link to see the results.

[system]

Here are the links for the three problems:

http://www.virustotal.com/analisis/f4a229906d5a79cc2155df1b1ae4c49e

http://www.virustotal.com/analisis/fb5b53d66fc41c1072b2bbad12f1c193

http://www.virustotal.com/analisis/86ea736ff7ab62ef3de991a8c9c71417

I can’t tell from this information whether or not what I have is harmful. If it’s not and the program they are attached to won’t work without them, I have no problem with keeping them.

[DavidR]

Well they are pretty conclusive, you should get rid of them and the associated toolbar.

Many toolbars come with some form of adware/spyware, in that they monitor your activity to either deliver targeted adverts or the collated data is sold for marketing purposes.

As is said there is no such thing as a free lunch, with some notable exceptions.
What is this toolbar called and what is it meant to help you with ?

I’m sure there are other toolbars of applications that would do the task without the adware payload.

[system]

Here’s the link for the short demo of what it does.

http://www.proauthors.com/MEDIA/Ap-Toolbar-Demo/ap-toolbar.html

[DavidR]

Sorry but for a toolbar with so many issues, I wouldn’t want visit the site.

Not to mention I’m a dial-up user and that site is media intensive, plus NoScript blocks swf by default and given the history I wouldn’t disable noscript to view the swf content.

[system]

(I don’t know what “swf content” means.) I enrolled in the Authorpreneur 2.0 Mentorship program throuth which I am suppose to discover how to identify a profitable niche market associated with my book’s theme and then use the Internet to brand myself as an expert within a chosen niche. The program is divided into the following integrated parts:
A comprehensive twenty-four lesson training program

  The Authorpreneur 2.0 Toolbar

  A suite of easy-to-use Windows software programs with step-by-step instructions integrated within the lessons

The toolbar works with an IE Internet Browser and provides access to the online resources discussed in the Authorpreneur 2.0 Mentoring Program. It is designed to help you to work more efficiently.

I’m interested in knowing if the adwares analysed are nothing to worry about and I can use the program with them OR can they cause some type of damage (I have no idea what). Looking at the analyses of the three files, do any of them look like they can crash my computer or steal my passwords or credit card information, etc.?

[DavidR]

ShockWaveFlash, e.g. flash media and that type of thing is a) a pain on dial-up and b) can be exploited.

I have no idea to what the adware would be considered harmful or otherwise, but what I would suggest is contacting the ‘authors’ (excuse the pun) of the toolbar and point out the virustotal detections and ask for an explanation. You may find something buried in the EULA/T&C if it is in plain English.

For me any adware is unacceptable unless it is fully disclosed and explained exactly what it does prior to installation. To do otherwise is underhand, deceptive and would you want to be working with someone prepared to do that, this is a decision for you.

[system]

Thanks for all your help with this. I have done as you said and contacted the people who developed the toolbar. I contacted them two days ago and haven’t heard from them yet. I’m going to re-contact them and share the reports with them.

Thanks again. BTW, I hate to hear you are on dial-up. That must be a pain in the lower dorsal posterior.

[DavidR]

You’re welcome.

The one thing about dial-up it teaches patience ;D

[system]

Hi Dennis :

I feel you should cut your losses with what appears to be a Scam “Company”;
there are many such companies and the Internet is their new playground .
There is probably legitimate companies providing the “Training” you are
looking for who do NOT take your money and/or put your finances at risk by
“requiring” the people to install highly suspect “toolbars”, etc .

Try another Google “Search” but do NOT click on ANY of the “Sponsored
Links” ; this is covered very well by the Info at
www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#google .

P.S. Your VirusTotal Results showed “Softomate”, which Expert Malware-
Fighters recommend NOT be on your computer ; even more dangerous is the
"Backdoor. Trojan . IRC. Chazz.43 " . The latter is designed to steal financial
data, passwords, etc ; the best Info about these is at
www.geekstogo.com/2007/10/03/what-is-a-backdoor-trojan .

[system]

Was the "Backdoor Trojan IRC Chass.43 listed in the reports on the files I analysed?

[system]

Hi Dennis :

It was in the 3rd VirusTotal Link you posted, a Finding by
SecurityWeb- Gateway. It is so potentially dangerous, I recommend you have
your computer checked by the malware-fighting “Specialists” at the Geeks-To-Go website that I posted the Backdoor trojan Info .

[system]

:o BTW thank you SpiritSongs. I hear your music. ;D