back to article Google looks to scrape away scumware, as only it can

Google is looking to cut down on the risk of attacks from web pages serving up unwanted downloads. The company said on Monday that it will add security protections into Chrome, Ads and Google Search in an effort to keep users away from sites believed to be installing adware, browser toolbars and other nuisance programs. For …

  1. Jan Hargreaves
    Mushroom

    Will it warn you on sites where the unwanted program is "Chrome"????? The number of times I have unchecked for Chrome to be installed....

    It's apparently the devil's action when programs are installed as bundleware by Microsoft, software sites and anyone else but when it's a Google program it's an angelic act. The hypocrisy is incredible. And the irony of it is that Google is malware... it installs in a non install location on Windows, and spys on all your browsing.

  2. Detective Emil
    Devil

    I impatiently look forward to Adobe and Oracle being monstered.

    1. Robert Helpmann??
      Childcatcher

      Being Monstered

      Yeah, but what about when all of the torrent and "adult" sites are blocked? Mountain View will burn!

  3. Anthony Hegedus Silver badge

    Oh good, so they'll block Java, because it insists on loading Ask.com, which is basically malware. And Avast.com because avast tries to load Chrome or dropbox, and adobe because it tries to load mcafee "scan plus" (another virus). And Microsoft.com because it tries to load harmful software such as microsoft updates, Windows 8, etc.

    1. Steve K

      Java crapware now more easily optional

      To be fair to Oracle, Java 8 has a persisting option checkbox regarding Partner product downloads (aka. Crapware). This was a pleasant surprise, since forgetting to uncheck the box in previous versions could be quite easy.

      I'll leave the debate on whether or not client-side Java is itself crapware to others....

      Steve

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      The java one is easy to deal with...

      [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\JavaSoft]

      "SPONSORS"="DISABLE"

      [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\JavaSoft]

      "SPONSORS"="DISABLE"

  4. Mark Allen

    Download.com and the rest

    So are Google going to block all the "free download" sites? It is getting annoying that even the "legitimate" sites now play this malware game.

    Trying to use any of those free download sites is a game of hunt the button. A minefield of scummy adverts distracting the user from the real Download Now button. Press any one of them, and you have scummy software on the machine.

    But even when you do navigate to the correct button, there is then the installer package that has been added to the product by the hosting website. So many hidden buttons, triple negatives, and just plain scams added to the installers it makes it a puzzle game to get through even for the most paranoid of techs!

    And, of course, many of these are sticking in these dodgy certificates... It is getting nasty out there for the average home user.

    Funny little experiment at Happy to Geek where they install the top ten apps from Download.com

    http://www.howtogeek.com/198622/heres-what-happens-when-you-install-the-top-10-download.com-apps/

    1. JCitizen
      Big Brother

      Re: Download.com and the rest

      I hope you don't include MajorGeeks in "the rest". I rarely have a problem with crapware over there; in fact I can't remember one incident, although I'm sure they get by occasionally.

  5. Gis Bun

    Ha!

    They can start by cleaning up their own ads in Google's search engine. If you search for "Hotmail support" you will find three scammer ads. They can't help you and yet one charges between $100 and $200 per incident. And what will they do? Who knows. I know a novice who almost got hit when she tried them.

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