iMesh V4.5 link has adaware

[videobruce]

Do NOT download iMesh V4.5 as it has a embedded virus on top of adware!!;

http://www.oldversion.com/program.php?n=imesh

It was the last version I d/l'ed and ran. It warned about the adware from Gain, but it also installed a virus and added around 30 items (mostly Windows files) to the startup list when I checked under MS Config/Startup.
I did not restart, but did a virus scan and two came up right away.

This needs to be removed form that list of programs!!

[the gaffer]

strange that ?? i just downloaded the last three and scanned them with several different tools and they came up clear,all files here are extensively checked and scanned before they are archived,you will find certain programs do come bundled with certain programs as in they are ad supported and many spyware scanners etc do give false positives.i am certain though that if you have a virus it didnt come from those downloads,you may want to think and check what else you have downloaded as well recently.i will make the site owners aware of your claims though as im sure they will want to check them anyway.

[videobruce]

Durning and after the install the HDD kepted on churning as it does writting files. I have heard this before when a virus is working. Directly after that when I went to MS Config (after I checked 'Services' and Task Manager, there were 76 bogus entries under the Startup tab. Almost all were Window file names. None showed in the Services console.

Mind you, this was directly after installing the program. This HDD action was what caught my attention as I have heard it before where the virus scans the computer and either startes creating duplicate files or starts deleting files. The delete part has never happened to me before, but the creating part has. ;)

I d/l'ed the last version, did a scan (NOD32) and here are the results;
E:\Backup Programs 1\imesh45b143.exe » WISE » NNMSH485.exe - a variant of Win32/Adware.NdotNet application
E:\Backup Programs 1\imesh45b143.exe » WISE » fsg.exe - Win32/Adware.Gator.A application
E:\Backup Programs 1\imesh45b143.exe » WISE » file_0000000A.bin - archive damaged I did two d/l's and both came up with 'error'.

[the gaffer]

just as i expected,as previously stated most if not all p2p software comes bundled with some form of advertising,both items that you have in your reply results are bundled with imesh and are in it full stop where ever you get it from,one of the pitfalls of using p2p software is such bundled software, http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2004-020511-0558-99
http://www.symantec.com/security_response/writeup.jsp?docid=2003-080410-3338-99
gator is merely another alias of gain,if you dont agree with this type of software then you really really need to start doing some research before you start using such things as p2p software.adware is bundled in sooo many places nowadays research as with anything is always best.as the old saying goes ,prevention is better than a cure.

[OldVersion.com Admin]

The adaware was imbedded with the original installation program. What do you guys think we should do? Should we remove this program, or should we archive it? We need to figure out what the policy is for adaware software. Perhaps, we should just have a notice.

[Goslow]

I am strictly of the opinion you shouldn't remove it, a simple warning should suffice.

Or you could send us all on a course where we are told that downloading stuff can cause us problems and that we shouldn't do it unless we have been on the course & filled out the proper forms & filed them in the correct pigeon hole & to make sure we submit our application for the refresher course before we leave and that we will receive our dodgy looking certificates in the mail but in the meantime we can use an even dodger looking temporary card to access the quarantine area where we can blissfully download to our hearts content. (please provide lunch at said course or I'm not coming)

Most of the software on oldversion is funnily enough old! so any issues with it are generally known and documented if people care to spend a little time researching the software that they are going to trial, it should be enough for people to assured that the files are as originally distributed and that sometimes software vendors dont always have the end users best interests at heart and they have been warned.

[the gaffer]

The adaware was imbedded with the original installation program. What do you guys think we should do? Should we remove this program, or should we archive it? We need to figure out what the policy is for adaware software. Perhaps, we should just have a notice.

personally im against removing it,as goslow has said a little research on the part of users and they would know what was what.by all means put up a notice so that it is clear it comes with bundled extras,it will make it clear that it always has been like that and not just the ones archived here