Author Topic: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free  (Read 18423 times)

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Offline mchain

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See attached below:

Second .jpeg is from a routine uninstall of the previous version of Foxit Reader Free using Revo Uninstaller Free.

Scanned the downloaded .exe file gotten from the vendor's site (31.9 MB) with both avast! and Malwarebytes Free before running it.  Both reported file as clean.  Checked the EULA for evidence of any unwanted extensions or add-ons the user was agreeing to install before executing the file.  Found Open Candy present and noted that if the system was not connected to the Internet it would not download the components needed to install and run that, so out went the internet connection. 

No-opt out dialog box was ever presented during the new install of Foxit Reader.

Updated definitions for Malwarebytes and ran that after install was complete.  Did not allow Foxit Reader to run after installation was completed and the Finish window was open.  Scanned new install with Malwarebytes, and it found three instances of malware.  Rebooted the system after the Malwarebytes scan was completed and all were removed.

Newest version is 6.1.4.2017

Sneaky.  And very irritating.

Any other alternatives to Foxit Reader Free, now that this vendor, one of many, has now succumbed to this ad-based malware campaign?
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Offline mchain

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #2 on: February 21, 2014, 11:36:17 PM »
I changed to Sumatra about a year ago http://blog.kowalczyk.info/software/sumatrapdf/free-pdf-reader.html
Thank you for that.  What this really means is that user vigilance must be brought higher and higher levels, even with previously trusted software, when installing anything that is offered as free these days.  Free has become not free, as it were.

Got Open Candy?  It's your fault, as you did not read the EULA before you installed our free software.   ::)   >:(
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Offline Shiw Liang

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #3 on: February 22, 2014, 03:30:21 AM »
Yeah Sumatra is a lot lighter than Foxit and doesn't install any toolbar on your system or you guys can still go back to Adobe because Sumatra had some trouble displaying some pdf pages with Chinese characters.

Offline SpeedyPC

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #4 on: February 22, 2014, 06:40:28 AM »
Are you aware PDF-XChange Viewer Free doesn't have Open Candy and it far lighter than Foxit
« Last Edit: February 22, 2014, 07:20:43 AM by SpeedyPC »
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Offline Asyn

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #5 on: February 22, 2014, 06:55:07 AM »
Any other alternatives to Foxit Reader Free, now that this vendor, one of many, has now succumbed to this ad-based malware campaign?

I recommend free PDF-XChange Viewer.
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Offline abruptum

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #6 on: February 22, 2014, 08:46:38 AM »
Sometimes extracting the installer with 7-Zip is the way to get "clean" installer that doesn't install adwares.
It is working with KMPlayer,Advanced Codecs etc.

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #7 on: February 22, 2014, 11:44:13 AM »
Any other alternatives to Foxit Reader Free, now that this vendor, one of many, has now succumbed to this ad-based malware campaign?

I recommend free PDF-XChange Viewer.
Me too  :) http://www.tracker-software.com/product/pdf-xchange-viewer

Sumatra is also good but it doesn't allow online editing of forms, I never got it to work for me anyway.
« Last Edit: February 22, 2014, 04:03:09 PM by craigb »

Offline bob3160

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #8 on: February 22, 2014, 04:00:58 PM »
There's also NitroPDF and CutePDF for conversion to a PDF
You can also use the built in PDF reader in Chrome if that's your browser. :)
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Offline DavidR

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2014, 06:18:53 PM »
Any other alternatives to Foxit Reader Free, now that this vendor, one of many, has now succumbed to this ad-based malware campaign?

I recommend free PDF-XChange Viewer.

Another vote for PDF-XChange Viewer - I changed to this some time ago when Foxit PDF Reader Free got bloated and wanted to install a toolbar, etc.

CutePDF I used for some time, anything from the Cute range is likely to be good.
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maugrimx

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #10 on: February 23, 2014, 02:09:51 PM »
cdburnerxp also installs opencandy, and izarc installs another unwanted program  http://forum.hosts-file.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3603&hilit=izarc&start=10

AdrianH

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2014, 02:17:43 PM »
Any other alternatives to Foxit Reader Free, now that this vendor, one of many, has now succumbed to this ad-based malware campaign?

I recommend free PDF-XChange Viewer.

Another vote for PDF-XChange Viewer - I changed to this some time ago when Foxit PDF Reader Free got bloated and wanted to install a toolbar, etc.

CutePDF I used for some time, anything from the Cute range is likely to be good.

Been using PDF-XChange for many years now, excellent software.

Offline mchain

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #12 on: February 23, 2014, 10:17:53 PM »
Thanks, everyone.

Will be making the change very soon.  Excellent support.  Thanks again to all.   ;D
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Offline polonus

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2014, 01:51:53 PM »
AdwCleaner does a good job of getting rid of the Open Candy bundled-pest. Not irritating that developers bundle, because I fully understand  they also need a decent living, but irritating is that they are not up front about it and won't give you a chance to opt out or opt in even. You get these goodies delivered unwanted and mostly undesired, a classification term for a PUP. In the aftermath a lot of users even wonder where they got such an adware infection? So in this case it was a free reader that had it included.
MBAM also detects this Open Candy undesirable but cannot get rid of it completely and fails to reboot to do the final cleansing boot-bit of this pest.
We are entering days whenever you are not knowledgeable and  assertive enough your computer or peripheral is slowly taken out of your hands, where others decide what crap to silently install onto it. Good we have these forums here to at least get some users informed and wake them up to these new developments.

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Offline mchain

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Re: Alert: Open Candy will install in latest version of Foxit Reader Free
« Reply #14 on: February 24, 2014, 06:44:39 PM »
As long as we've got this topic going, add this free tool to the list; formerly clean and good, now not:  ImgBurn latest version 2.5.8.0 now also has unwanted adware installs [PUP's] w/o your explicit consent.  And this file is direct from the vendor's site.

Next oldest version is clean:  2.5.7.0    Sometimes it doesn't pay to upgrade to a newer version; you can open your system to unknown/unexpected new risks when you do.
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