Annoying malware stuff

[korrigan]

You guys know I love Open CPN and I love these cruiser forums. The information here is the best.

But the big green download link that I thought was to down load Open CPN instead downloaded a bunch of BS software that I didn't want.

I only noticed after the fact that it wasn't going to install Open CPN, but by then a half dozen BS 'Apps' had injected themselves onto what was ten minutes ago a virgin computer.


Even though I told it I didn't want it to change my default search to Yahoo it did it anyway. Not only that but it stuck that way even when I tried to change it.

That's malware!!!

Open CPN should not be associating itself with something that looks like malware.

And Yahoo? Are they really involved in this? Well I don't use Yahoo for anything anyway but I'm surprised a company that was trying to be legitimate would force itself upon the user in such a way.

I know big software companies are in the business of forcing things on their customers, that's why a lot of us use Linux and why a lot of us love Open CPN because we feel that we get choices. But malware does not give the user choices. Please if you can dissociate yourself and get rid of that download link.

I know you need to make money but please put big pink borders or something around the stuff that are external links especially the ones that offer downloads or downloads to get rid of the previous downloads or downloads that promise to get rid of the downloads that you downloaded to get rid of the download.

Thanks for listening.
Steve

[maytrix]

Maybe you went to the wrong site? The download is pretty clear at the opencpn.org site.

Download OpenCPN | Official OpenCPN Homepage

[bdbcat]

Steve...

Where exactly did you find the "the big green download link".

Screenshot, or URL, please?

Thanks
Dave

[kas_1611]

"Big Green Download button" made me think of CNET as they have a green download button but I've never had any malware or other unwanted software from them. If the download is served by an external site rather than CNET themselves they do clearly state that fact in a "pop up" window.

A quick check also reveals that OpenCPN is not available from CNET.

The only other place I have ever seen OpenCPN available for download, other than the home website, is SourceForge. They too have a green button but this takes you straight to a SF download page which automatically downloads the software without you having to click anything else unless the download does not start after about 5 seconds.

Sounds like you ended up on the wrong website.

If you tell a genuine Yahoo download not to change your default search it will not do this so it sounds like the malware was not genuine Yahoo.

Can I ask what firewall, anti virus and antispyware you are using as these should have prevented most of the problems you encountered. Even Linux and Mac OSX should have anti virus and antispyware software running despite what most people think.

Keiron

[SamsonovAnton]

The reason might be that OpenCPN's site displays Google ads:



And Google ads like to display “Big green download links”:



Those links are usually displayed on the original product download page, but lead to third party sites with completely unrelated software, often rogue.