Is this WhenU SearchBar really safe?

[Cygon]

Hi!

Great! Just after reinstalling my whole system, I proceeded to install Daemon Tools and accidently accepted this SearchBar thingy. Immediately deinstalled it again.

There was still a VVSN.exe running in my task manager - *after* the uninstall finished. WTF?
Some googling revealed that this is directly related to the WhenU SearchBar, that it monitors my surfing habits, displays pop-up windows is a major security risk and in short should be uninstalled ASAP if found on a system. Ok, I killed it off.

Quite pissed off I downloaded and ran SpyBot S&D on my just installed windows, and it found 6 items the WhenU uninstaller obviously "forgot" to remove.

Well, whatever, I don't trust any kind adware, all greedy bastards. I'm off reinstalling my system yet again

-Markus-

[Copytrooper]

Usually un-installation via control panel -> software should work fine. There are certain problems that may cause this to fail, but this can happen with all software - so un-installation issues with Search Bar are not WhenU related.

[lottobear]

Easiest way to fix:
-> run -> Msconfig -> Autostart -> uncheck VVSN/WSN
restart.
Use firewall to block it permanetly
Also. CTRL ALT DELETE check the processor to make sure its not up there either.
then. Go to google. Search on Ad Aware go to Lavasoftware somethings homepage. download the free version, update it, take a full system scan , delete them all. reboot. fullsystem scan again , if you found anything... reboot again and do that until Ad Aware doesnt find anythign

[laboye]

THIS SHOULD NOT BE SO. WhenU is a company that is affiliated with others. Their privacy statement reserves their right to download other unsolicited malware. If an UNINSTALLER FAILS TO REMOVE THE CORE COMPONENTS OF MALWARE, I DEEM IT UNSAFE. Im quite tired of hearing, you can opt out. This is just too much of a problem... You shouldnt have to use MSConfig; you shouldn't have to block the software in the firewall; you should have to end this malicious proccess, and you damn well shouldn't have to remove extra components of adware that you uninstalled. Im tired of it!! Adware is a threat to the integrity, security and stability of ANY SYSTEM. Please people! Just rid WhenU. Choose something that causes less trouble like Google Toolbar or the like.


Jeez...

[Underheaven]

Re: right to download unsolicited software

THIS SHOULD NOT BE SO. WhenU is a company that is affiliated with others. Their privacy statement reserves their right to download other onsolicited malware.

laboye you may be talking about past license agreements WhenU used in the past. Please inspect the current documents. I have faith that the company will stand by exactly what is said in them. I read both the license agreement and privacy policy and every single section relevant to your claim I pasted below. If I missed something call me on it. I do not believe there are statments or clauses allowing unsolicited software (you called it "onsolicited malware").

http://www.whenu.com/products/searchbar/mini/DaemonTools/eula.html

http://www.whenu.com/products/searchbar/mini/DaemonTools/privacy.html

---begin quotes---
License Agreement

WhenU reserves the right to periodically update and/or upgrade the Software at WhenU's discretion. Your installation of the Software indicates your acceptance of potential future updates and/or upgrades to the Software. For any material change to the privacy protective nature of the Software, WhenU will request your permission prior to making such change.

DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTY
YOUR INSTALLATION OF THE SOFTWARE INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF POTENTIAL FUTURE UPDATES AND/OR UPGRADES TO THE SOFTWARE.

Privacy Policy

Certain text links within SearchBar represent paid listings provided by third-party partners. Clicking on these links will subject you to the privacy policies of such third-party partners, which may be different than the terms described in this Privacy Policy.

For any further questions about our privacy policy, please email privacy@whenumail.com.

For any material change to the privacy protective nature of the Software, WhenU will request your permission prior to making such change.
---end quotes---

I see that they will "request your permission" for updates to both the EULA and privacy policy. The only part that I could guess you were talking about was the paragraph i colored in green. However, I don't think they're talking about software installation. I also note that the DAEMON Tools installation program allows you to uncheck the Searchbar in which case you won't encounter any of this.

[laboye]

I have been working in the IT area for years. I service computers and deploy them to other branches of the company. One of the largest annoyances of repairing machines is spyware. Among the most difficult to fully remove, Gator (GAIN), WhenU, eZula, and keyloggers pose the highest threat. They sacrifice network integrity, speed and reliability. I only argue my point because of my experiences with this company. It'd just be far more painfree if you could use bundle software that hasn't been known to wreak havoc to end users' machines...

[Underheaven]

pointing to thread traffic of searchbar ...

They sacrifice network integrity, speed and reliability

Do you have any information to show that the version distributed by DAEMON Tools sacrifices any of the three items mentioned above?

I cannot understand what "network integrity" means to you? Your download and upload speed? If so, the average bandwidth usage is only around 70Kb per day. If you're on a 56K modem this is just over a second of transfer time used.

[ramonidus]

System stability

They sacrifice network integrity, speed and reliability.

Well, they might not interfere much with networks themselves but they do with systems & OS. This is verified stuff, WhenU does often require 3rd-party software to completely remove; and it does slow down the system on occasions.

I would prefer some trusted adware instead of totally untrusted by public opinion ones.

[Jito463]

What trusted adware? No one likes or trusts it. But it is completely optional, and the DTools team apparently trusts it enough to include it in their installer. Besides, WhenU has undergone severe changes from their past behavior. Before you ask, no I do not have the search bar installed for two reasons. Number one, I'm already a customer and as such have paid for a license negating the need for the search bar. Number two, even if I wanted to install it, it wouldn't work on my system as I use Opera for 99.99% of all my internet browsing and this toolbar is just for IE.