Browser Cleanup not effective as I'd expect

[rafaelluik]

I have installed Avast in my mom's notebook and Browser Cleanup showed it's no good for preventing and removing the unwanted software.

So my mom was out for some days and when she's back home I found all of that installed in her notebook:
Olicard160
Iminent 6.17.41.0
Yontoo 2.052
Google toolbar - yes this is highly unwanted too.

(!!!) I'd really like if Avast would warn about the installation of software like this in a way the user recognizes and deny the installation. I'd be even happier if it'd block them completely, acting like real protection!

I've run Browser Cleanup and it was able to remove the browser extensions from IE and Fx but the software itself like Iminent was left running in the notebook: startup entries, background proccess even with system tray icon, modified entries in Firefox's about:config also from Yontoo. Then I had to run the uninstaller of all these software I listed manually and reset the Fx profile to clean the default search engine hijack to *really* remove them definitely.

I hope you can take my feedback to make the component better and useful. I find this extra on Avast very interesting.

[Aventador]

The browser clean up tool does not nessarily prevent toolbars from being added on. Toolbars are NOT malware nor are they malicious. Your mom is actually the one who's at fault for putting those toolbars there in the first place. Toolbars get installed by users who just click next, next and next without actually taking the time to read the installers menu. My suggestion is to better educate your mother on how to safe surf. Also educate your mother on what and what not to install. How did she get all theses toolbars? Where did they come from? Exactly what is she doing? They didn't get there on there own.

[essexboy]

CLEAR THE BAD TOOLBARS

Download AdwCleaner from here to your desktop
Run AdwCleaner and select Delete



Once done it will ask to reboot, allow this
On reboot a log will be produced please attach that

[rafaelluik]

The browser clean up tool does not nessarily prevent toolbars from being added on.

That's why I'm asking for the feature's function to be widened.

Toolbars are NOT malware nor are they malicious. Your mom is actually the one who's at fault for putting those toolbars there in the first place. Toolbars get installed by users who just click next, next and next without actually taking the time to read the installers menu. My suggestion is to better educate your mother on how to safe surf. Also educate your mother on what and what not to install. How did she get all theses toolbars? Where did they come from? Exactly what is she doing? They didn't get there on there own.

Ok so, how are some common viruses different? Many enter the system disguised as desirable software or others downloads the user actually clicks "next", "accept", or "run" and get infected.

I know how they probably got there, from these offers from freeware installers. That's the way the developers make profit... Questioning the effectiveness of interaction with dialogs is another subject. We all know these software tend to look like needed to proceed with the installation to regular users, aways making part of the same installer UI with words to confuse the user like accept, install, next, etc, buttons positioned in the same location of previous installer screens... Seriously, regular users don't uncheck or check boxes in installations also, think "what if it doesn't works if I uncheck those?"... Unfortunately we need to protect them from these treats.

Also, as I said, Browser Cleanup was completely ineffective to remove the software from the PC. The user stayed vulnerable to the treats after running the cleaner. The search engine stayed hijacked and the software stayed in the system making it very easy for the app to reinstall the browser add-ons by itself if the developers are a little smart. So the main function is compromised.

And no! THEY ARE malware and malicious. Otherwise, what's the point of these software? The software I cited aren't even browsers toolbars. Collect user data, that's an easy first guess to make... Make profit with ads...

[essexboy]

If you run AdwCleaner that should remove them all

[Aventador]

Toolbars are clearly NOT malicious. They are annoyances.

[Aventador]

If you run AdwCleaner that should remove them all

+1 on this.

[rafaelluik]

Toolbars are clearly NOT malicious. They are annoyances.

Clearly? Do you have the source code of the software I cited to prove me? They don't even add toolbar or any real functionality...

 

If you run AdwCleaner that should remove them all

+1 on this.

Thanks but then why Avast develops Browser Cleanup at all? I want it to work, not Adw.

[Aventador]

Please rafaelluik nothing you listed is malicious. They are mere toolbars installed  by your own mother. I know every one you listed. Upload them to Virustotal and see for yourself. I have been working as a system engineer for awhile now. I also run home business making house calls. Mainly malware removal. I see things like the famous "FBI Randsomeware" which holds your pc at ransom and makes it completely unusable. I can understand that your frustrated that the Avast Browser cleanup missed this toolbars. But again NOTHING finds everything. Thats why there are so many scanners on the market. Avast misses things. Norton misses things. McAfee misses things. That's why there is MBAM,SAS,HMP and other various on demand scanners. So go ahead and remove these toolbars. In another month they will be back until you educate your mother on how they got there in the first place.

"You can bring a horse to water but you cant teach him to drink"

Education goes a long way.

[rafaelluik]

Please rafaelluik nothing you listed is malicious.

You don't have a clue...

Read my posts again and think about the practical uses of what browser extensions can do. Collect data from the user (in the worst case they may act pretty good as keyloggers), switch ads in pages into others that can be harmful if clicked, etc.

As my experience comproves the main point of Browser Cleanup utility fails completely and those examples I gave are certainly popular "malware" that Avast DETECTED but FAILED TO REMOVE.

[Aventador]

Please ok. Its been weeks. Until you can provide Virustotal links showing what you claim is actual malicious then you have a leg to stand on. Avast Browser Cleanup Tool is still growing. Like most programs it needs to mature.

[rafaelluik]

Is Virus Total your god or what? I'm not even going to lose my time getting files and uploading to Virus Total. I don't need Virus Total to tell me whether something is malicious or not!

I want Browser Cleanup to "grow". This is the exact reason why I created this topic. The fact is Avast claims Browser Cleanup removes this kind of unwanted software which isn't true and it can come back or be installed without any warning to the user.

[essexboy]

If you set the PUP alert to on then you will be alerted by Avast

[AntiVirusASeT]

I believe that selecting each of the browser's icons within Avast! browser cleanup should provide you with an option to reset browser to their default state.

The actual phrasing is as such: Reset browser settings to default values.

That said, if there is any toolbars that browser cleanup cannot remove, hopefully the cleanup routines would be improved 

p.s. I wonder if google toolbar is flag as safe by browser cleanup. To check for safe toolbars, uncheck 'Exclude add-ons with good rating' under each browser icon.

[rafaelluik]

I believe that selecting each of the browser's icons within Avast! browser cleanup should provide you with an option to reset browser to their default state.

The actual phrasing is as such: Reset browser settings to default values.

That said, if there is any toolbars that browser cleanup cannot remove, hopefully the cleanup routines would be improved 

p.s. I wonder if google toolbar is flag as safe by browser cleanup. To check for safe toolbars, uncheck 'Exclude add-ons with good rating' under each browser icon.

You treat me like I don't know what I'm talking about. o.O
As I said the software stays in the computer (.exes running independent of browser settings). Avast fails to remove them.