Ann
April 22nd, 2002, 06:29 PM
Scumware company attacks Ad-aware
It has come to our attention that the RadLight 3.03R5.2 (by RadLight)
software intentionally tries to uninstall Ad-aware components from your system, without your permission or knowledge.
After reports from concerned users, our tests have shown that the Radlight software indeed checks for the default Ad-aware installation path, and then removes all files that are not currently in use, upon its first execution.
Until now, such a malicious behaviour was commonly known for viruses and trojans.
It does not slip through Ad-watch, or hides from the Ad-aware scanner,
Radlight is not (yet) targeted by Ad-aware or Ad-watch.
It performs an silent uninstall of the Ad-aware components, including
desktop shortcuts and startmenu items.
This is not a bug in the RadLight software, it is intentionally uninstalling Ad-aware, with the only purpose to make your system attainable for further malware installation.
And if this wasnt enough, the Radlight software is bundled with WhenU's SaveNow software, a well known data mining company.
If Ad-watch is running, it will correctly prevent the installation of Savenow.
If neither Ad-aware or Ad-watch are active, they both will be uninstalled through Radlight upon its first execution.
A fix is in progress, and we feel its necessary to add Radlight to the AAW target list.
This is malware at its worst.
Update:
Unlike stated before, also the regular Ad-aware version will be uninstalled
by Radlight
--------------------
Ann-Christine Åkerlund
Team Lavasoft
bee@lavasoft.de
It has come to our attention that the RadLight 3.03R5.2 (by RadLight)
software intentionally tries to uninstall Ad-aware components from your system, without your permission or knowledge.
After reports from concerned users, our tests have shown that the Radlight software indeed checks for the default Ad-aware installation path, and then removes all files that are not currently in use, upon its first execution.
Until now, such a malicious behaviour was commonly known for viruses and trojans.
It does not slip through Ad-watch, or hides from the Ad-aware scanner,
Radlight is not (yet) targeted by Ad-aware or Ad-watch.
It performs an silent uninstall of the Ad-aware components, including
desktop shortcuts and startmenu items.
This is not a bug in the RadLight software, it is intentionally uninstalling Ad-aware, with the only purpose to make your system attainable for further malware installation.
And if this wasnt enough, the Radlight software is bundled with WhenU's SaveNow software, a well known data mining company.
If Ad-watch is running, it will correctly prevent the installation of Savenow.
If neither Ad-aware or Ad-watch are active, they both will be uninstalled through Radlight upon its first execution.
A fix is in progress, and we feel its necessary to add Radlight to the AAW target list.
This is malware at its worst.
Update:
Unlike stated before, also the regular Ad-aware version will be uninstalled
by Radlight
--------------------
Ann-Christine Åkerlund
Team Lavasoft
bee@lavasoft.de