Windows 10 Defender will start removing shady "free PC optimizer" applications soon.

[Tech_Dreamer]

Emagherd, mAH Pryvasey is en dengaar!

 

Scarewares, Nobody likes em , once you get to know how the cycle works,  but to those who are just getting in to the whole Digital thing as a new thing , like old non-tech savvy folks & younger eager minded guys & gals who want to keep their pc safe by grabbing everything that offers them safety for free without cutting a hole through their pocket.  Most of the folks tend to steer clear of premium apps & software to begin with as most are based on yearly subscription & have payment & uneasy activation hurdles to go through to get a pure offered service, Many software providing sites that offer free software that does so under the guise of having the best ratings & offers sorta click baity software's that later turn into a nightmare for users.

 

Now Microsoft Windows Defender Research team announced that starting March Windows Defender will start removing software that has “coercive messages” or “misleading content to pressure you into paying for additional services or performing superfluous actions.”

 

 

they grew up so fast , :') , seems just yesterday it was letting in coin miners & trojans in like old pals

 

From February 2016 microsoft required cleaner and optimizer programs that purport to clean up systems and optimize performance to provide customers with detailed information about what purportedly needs to be fixed. This requirement aims to protect customers from programs that present aggregate “error” results with no specific details, without providing customers with the ability to assess and validate the so-called errors.

 

Quote

There has been an increase in free versions of programs that purport to scan computers for various errors, and then use alarming, coercive messages to scare customers into buying a premium version of the same program. The paid version of these programs, usually called   cleaner & optimizer applications purportedly fixes the problems discovered by the free version. We find this practice problematic because it can pressure customers into making unnecessary purchase decisions.

 

Additional criteria that will trigger the removal include notices that the paid offer will expire in a limited time, or that no other errors (such as an antivirus program) will clean up the problems.In short, vendors that use scare tactics to get you to install, pay for, and use their system utilities will now have to be very careful about how they advertise, least Microsoft deem their products unwanted software and flag the applications for removal.In particular, Microsoft says, the rules will be aimed at killing off the dubious claims made by filesystem and Registry "cleaner" apps that try to charge users for performing routine or unnecessary tasks.

 

 

Quote

Cleaner or optimization apps are fine, as long as they explain what they're doing. But if those apps use "alarming or coercive messages or misleading content to pressure you into paying for additional services or performing superfluous actions," they'll be blocked, Microsoft says. Remember, you can run Windows Defender and a third-party antivirus app simultaneously, so each can be on duty.

 

For software developer who are worried about this issue & want to validate the detection of their programs can visit the Windows Defender Security Intelligence portal & upload their file for review.

 

it's kinda like those phony microsoft team phone calls to your doorstep, applications that offer to scan your Windows PC for free, and then conveniently claim your computer is under attack by viruses, or has serious defects, and that the only way to save your files is to fork out fifty bucks for a magic cleanup tool.

 

 

Rarely legit companies use scaretactics as marketing tool, but it has happened, Back in 2010 users of the free ZoneAlarm firewall version were presented with a pop-up "Global Virus Alert" notification about the trojan "ZeuS.Zbot.aoaq."  The scary pop-up declares that your PC may be in danger! The high risk threat states that "ZeuS.Zbot.aoaq is a new Trojan virus had been found that steals banking passwords and financial account data. Basic protection to your computer is provided by Your ZoneAlarm Free Firewall, but this new threat requires additional security."  The users were then redirected to their site to buy link for their premium software.

 

 

Quote

Unwanted behaviors: coercive messaging

Programs must not display alarming or coercive messages or misleading content to pressure you into paying for additional services or performing superfluous actions.

Software that coerces users may display the following characteristics, among others:

• Reports errors in an exaggerated or alarming manner about the user’s system and requires the user to pay for fixing the errors or issues monetarily or by performing other actions such as taking a survey, downloading a file, signing up for a newsletter, etc.
• Suggests that no other actions will correct the reported errors or issues
• Requires the user to act within a limited period of time to get the purported issue resolved

 

Blog post was made by Barak Shein from Windows Defender Security Research team , So what are your thoughts on this?  pretty bold move if you ask me but it could hinder legit software marketing that offer true protection which Microsoft might play a bias onto & ignore it because of that, but it's a welcoming sight to see the basic offered protection from within can carryout this important task to those who don't rely on a third party application to do so. please post Your thoughts & comments down below.

 

 

 

Sources :

https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/microsoftsecure/2018/01/30/protecting-customers-from-being-intimidated-into-making-an-unnecessary-purchase/

https://www.pcworld.com/article/3252337/windows/microsofts-windows-defender-antimalware-targets-scareware-apps.html

https://www.theverge.com/2018/2/2/16963720/microsoft-windows-10-windows-defender-antivirus-scareware-cleaner-removal

https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/31/microsoft_windows_defender_scareware/

 

 

Complimentary meme:

 

@GoodBytes #Microsoft

 

[suicidalfranco]

Does this include the prompt that tells you to use edge because it's x% faster than your current browser?

[Princess Luna]

3 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

Does this include the prompt that tells you to use edge because it's x% faster than your current browser?

Disable notification center? it is what I did, not like I needed it back on win7 why should I need it on win 10

[GoodBytes]

Grrrreaaat now Windows 10 will dictate what I can and cannot run! More reason I want to return to Windows XP.

 

What happens if I like the program that it wants to remove?

Personally, I enjoy PC Repire Pro Hunter XP Optimizer. I scan, it tells me all the viruses and issues I haves with my PC, I pay the 300 or something dollar after each scan, and it fixes my problem. I don't need to take my computer to GeekSquad and be told by these money grabbing scammers "Oh sir, we need to re-install everything, your computer takes 5h to boot, and one of the fan is barely spinning on your UCP or whatever, and bla bla bla". Gaawdd....it just never ends with them.

 

My computer works, the software works, what I do is correct, clearly, and I enjoy the best possible computer experience.

Now, they'll start removing programs, like they removed IE, and now I can't enjoy my tool bars anymore.

 

Ahh those were the good old days! You have everything in front of you....

 

[minibois]

6 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

-good ol' snipperoni-

Your toolbars to webpage ratio should be like 80 to 20 tbh, otherwise what are you even doing?!?!?!?!

/s

 

I am glad Microsoft is doing this. Even though these things pop up everywhere they are still a huge thing. People are just putting themselves in danger by downloading this ambiguous software.

 

All the power to the people to ignore these warnings I think though.. that is the only thing that bothers me about this article/news, it seems like Microsoft will actively ban this software.. they should just have a pop up saying "heyyyy we don't trust this, still wanna run it?" And it's fine. These programs on their own store is a different story, because it's their store.

[Guest]

29 minutes ago, suicidalfranco said:

Does this include the prompt that tells you to use edge because it's x% faster than your current browser?

Unless you use Quantum it probably is. Chrome is a dog now.

[captain_to_fire]

11 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Ahh those were the good old days! You have everything in front of you....

You forgot the AOL toolbar 

41 minutes ago, Tech_Dreamer said:

So what are your thoughts on this?  pretty bold move if you ask me but it could hinder legit software marketing

It's nice move and frankly should've included from the beginning of Windows 10 but at least people will finally get protected from these. Though Microsoft should probably fix the UI of Windows Defender. The unused empty space is wasteful of screen real estate when they combine everything when the windows is maximized to reduce scrolling on mobile devices.

 

[keskparane]

Person 1: What are you doing?

 

Person 2: I am installing all these free programs.

 

Person 1: What for?

 

Person 2: To make sure my computer doesn't have a whole lot of unnecessary stuff on it.

 

Person 1:  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[SpaceGhostC2C]

 

41 minutes ago, Minibois said:

All the power to the people to ignore these warnings I think though.. that is the only thing that bothers me about this article/news, it seems like Microsoft will actively ban this software.. they should just have a pop up saying "heyyyy we don't trust this, still wanna run it?" And it's fine. 

Well, it's what antivirus software is for: removing malicious software and preventing its installation. If you think something is a false positive, you can whitelist it, and if you want to experiment with potentially malicious software or just not have any screening at all, you can just disable the AV. If Windows Defender in particular is not as versatile as it could, you can always replace it with third party AV software that is.

The whole idea of AVs requiring come action in order to run software identified as threats is that you can always get things your way if you know what your doing, but the average user (and the one most likely to fall for "optimizers") is unlikely to go against the AV advice (just ignoring it, rather than having to act against it, is a bit more risky in that sense).

[Dabombinable]

In other words its going to start catching stuff other antivirus suites have been getting for years....

[HarryNyquist]

1 hour ago, GoodBytes said:

Now, they'll start removing programs, like they removed IE, and now I can't enjoy my tool bars anymore

Ahh those were the good old days! You have everything in front of you....

I know right? What will I ever do without my Bad Ass Mafia Toolbar! Or Softonic's Video Toot-ur-uhls.

[captain_to_fire]

This reminds me viruses download.com which is powered by tech news CNET, a sister company of CBS Interactive

 

[Doobeedoo]

Well, for those that are just adverts spam and do like a scan without any fix but ask you to buy etc should get removed. Screw that.

[mr moose]

I'm guessing no one read the sources.   Legitimate program developers can contact the defender intelligence portal and have their software validated so it is not removed automatically.

 

I love this.  All OS's need to have something like this in place.   Even if it isn't perfect it is still better than nothing.

 

 

[silberdrachi]

Cool so unless youre on the whitelist youre just automatically removed? So if im an app developer working on something, i have to spend extra time and deal with microsoft support. Which is absolutely awful and will likely take extra time?

 

Screw off, if youre dumb enough to install this shit on your computer youre dumb enough to put viruses on your system in other ways. This is just another step towards a walled garden where you can only install things that come from the windows store. Scaring people with the idea of viruses or malicious programs, and telling you that MICROSOFT DEFENDER will be there to protect you from the big bad evil!

 

BUT THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN!

[Ryujin2003]

What? No IO Bits?! Le fuck?... I mean, it's cool that these things have little handy remote desktop accessable problems right?

 

This is great... My time as a repair tech showed me the crap like this that people install... Along with Trojans and other goodies. Glad this is happening. It shouldn't affect the techies, but should definitely help the sheople.. YES, I'm talking to you mr?/ms I called 1 800 Microsoft, what's wrong with that?

 

Gahh... Now someone is going to scam Mac. Sell them a "Windows Defender" to do the same thing.

[SpaceGhostC2C]

42 minutes ago, silberdrachi said:

Cool so unless youre on the whitelist youre just automatically removed? So if im an app developer working on something, i have to spend extra time and deal with microsoft support. Which is absolutely awful and will likely take extra time?

Yes, if you are an app developer working on malware, you have to indeed.

[Energycore]

10 hours ago, hey_yo_ said:

You forgot the AOL toolbar 

Lol the AOL installation disk was the very first CD I held in my hands as a kid. Must have been 6-7 years old. The memories

[mr moose]

2 hours ago, silberdrachi said:

Cool so unless youre on the whitelist youre just automatically removed? So if im an app developer working on something, i have to spend extra time and deal with microsoft support. Which is absolutely awful and will likely take extra time?

 

Screw off, if youre dumb enough to install this shit on your computer youre dumb enough to put viruses on your system in other ways. This is just another step towards a walled garden where you can only install things that come from the windows store. Scaring people with the idea of viruses or malicious programs, and telling you that MICROSOFT DEFENDER will be there to protect you from the big bad evil!

 

BUT THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN!

 

Don't blame average people for being legitimately fooled by malware developers, don't even blame MS or anyone who is trying to do something about it, blame the pricks that write the malware in the first place causing all this to be an issue.

[Tech_Dreamer]

3 minutes ago, mr moose said:

 

Don't blame average people for being legitimately fooled by malware developers, don't even blame MS or anyone who is trying to do something about it, blame the pricks that write the malware in the first place causing all this to be an issue.

this.

[shermantanker]

13 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Grrrreaaat now Windows 10 will dictate what I can and cannot run! More reason I want to return to Windows XP.

 

What happens if I like the program that it wants to remove?

Personally, I enjoy PC Repire Pro Hunter XP Optimizer. I scan, it tells me all the viruses and issues I haves with my PC, I pay the 300 or something dollar after each scan, and it fixes my problem. I don't need to take my computer to GeekSquad and be told by these money grabbing scammers "Oh sir, we need to re-install everything, your computer takes 5h to boot, and one of the fan is barely spinning on your UCP or whatever, and bla bla bla". Gaawdd....it just never ends with them.

 

My computer works, the software works, what I do is correct, clearly, and I enjoy the best possible computer experience.

Now, they'll start removing programs, like they removed IE, and now I can't enjoy my tool bars anymore.

 

 

Ahh those were the good old days! You have everything in front of you....

 

Back at my staples days I think the record for the most toolbars was 6 or 8. Good times.

[mr moose]

13 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

Grrrreaaat now Windows 10 will dictate what I can and cannot run! More reason I want to return to Windows XP.

 

What happens if I like the program that it wants to remove?

Personally, I enjoy PC Repire Pro Hunter XP Optimizer. I scan, it tells me all the viruses and issues I haves with my PC, I pay the 300 or something dollar after each scan, and it fixes my problem. I don't need to take my computer to GeekSquad and be told by these money grabbing scammers "Oh sir, we need to re-install everything, your computer takes 5h to boot, and one of the fan is barely spinning on your UCP or whatever, and bla bla bla". Gaawdd....it just never ends with them.

 

My computer works, the software works, what I do is correct, clearly, and I enjoy the best possible computer experience.

Now, they'll start removing programs, like they removed IE, and now I can't enjoy my tool bars anymore.

 

 

Ahh those were the good old days! You have everything in front of you....

 

What's that big blue tool bar at the bottom, it looks the most fucking useless of all of them!!!   

[GoodBytes]

3 hours ago, silberdrachi said:

Cool so unless youre on the whitelist youre just automatically removed? So if im an app developer working on something, i have to spend extra time and deal with microsoft support. Which is absolutely awful and will likely take extra time?

No. If you are concerned that your program might make the list, you can send it.

Your program won't be blocked, anymore than Windows Smart Screen if itsn't digitally signed or not popular enough

 

[aezakmi]

I love the way these programs say there are about 8000 errors even if you just did a fresh install lol

[Sickshooter0]

12 hours ago, mr moose said:

Don't blame average people for being legitimately fooled by malware developers, don't even blame MS or anyone who is trying to do something about it, blame the pricks that write the malware in the first place causing all this to be an issue.

Exactly. Don't you people have parents/grandparents surfing the internets?