Lenovo caught installing adware on new computers

Discussion in 'malware problems & news' started by SweX, Feb 19, 2015.

  1. SweX

    SweX Registered Member

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    http://thenextweb.com/insider/2015/02/19/lenovo-caught-installing-adware-new-computers/
     
  2. emmjay

    emmjay Registered Member

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    Seems that this is going to be a trend across all electronics in the near future. I read that Samsung is embedding Pepsi ads in their smart-TVs even when a consumer is watching a home movie. A lot of free software comes with ads and we can no doubt expect paid software to follow suit. Computer hardware is just another mule. It will not stop there - IOT will be the mother of all mules.
     
  3. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    From https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=9072424 I get that this involves MitM, and that all affected consumer laptops have the same certificate. Quoting TeMPOraL:
    This may become very funny (in a sick way, yes) soon :eek:

    Edit: Maybe sooner: https://twitter.com/supersat

    Edit2: Test sites: https://www.canibesuperphished.com/ and https://filippo.io/Badfish/
     
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2015
  4. Coldmoon

    Coldmoon Returnil Moderator

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    No better reason I can think of to do a bare metal wipe with a fresh, clean install of the OS after buying that new computer...
     
  5. markloman

    markloman Developer

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    You can also run HitmanPro to look for the Superfish malware and SSL root certificate:

    SuperfishEN.png
     
  6. Gullible Jones

    Gullible Jones Registered Member

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    Well yes. But the problem is that it's even necessary to do that in the first place. People should not have to shell out an extra $100 or whatever, just for the privilege of having an OS that isn't malware infested the first time it boots. This is anti-consumer garbage.

    IMO Microsoft needs to step up on this - they should modify their OEM licensing, to prohibit OEMs from preinstalling software they haven't okayed. Companies selling computers with their operating system should be required to play by their rules.
     
  7. Dermot7

    Dermot7 Registered Member

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  8. Robin A.

    Robin A. Registered Member

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    I agree. In no case should people need to do a clean install of the OS in a new computer. This seems absurd to me.
     
  9. lotuseclat79

    lotuseclat79 Registered Member

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  10. BoerenkoolMetWorst

    BoerenkoolMetWorst Registered Member

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    Fail, the password protecting the private key is the name of the company behind the SSL hijacker:
    http://www.komodia.com/
     
  11. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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  12. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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    I knew that I couldn't trust Lenovo, shame on them!

    Would HMPA also be able to stop this MITM attack? I haven't read everything yet, but these tools will often modify browser memory. I believe Zemana is already watching for certificate tampering, but then again, it also has a trust-list.
     
  13. Rasheed187

    Rasheed187 Registered Member

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  14. BoerenkoolMetWorst

    BoerenkoolMetWorst Registered Member

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  15. siljaline

    siljaline Registered Member

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    How to remove the dangerous Superfish adware preinstalled on Lenovo PCs
    Proceed with all precautions - contact your Lenovo reseller if unsure.
    http://www.pcworld.com/article/2886...erfish-adware-presintalled-on-lenovo-pcs.html
     
  16. vojta

    vojta Registered Member

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    If internet was taken seriously someone would have to go to jail in this case.
     
  17. Daveski17

    Daveski17 Registered Member

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  18. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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  19. Dermot7

    Dermot7 Registered Member

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    http://arstechnica.com/security/201...do-enough-promises-to-wipe-superfish-off-pcs/
     
  20. LoneWolf

    LoneWolf Registered Member

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    Well Lenovo just got kicked to the curb as possible new laptop for myself.
     
  21. roger_m

    roger_m Registered Member

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    That's a shame as the quality of them is first rate.
     
  22. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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  23. Azure Phoenix

    Azure Phoenix Registered Member

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    "Good, Superfish is probably not intercepting your connections."
    Probably? They aren't even sure...
     
  24. guest

    guest Guest

    And that is why I would never use preinstalled OS, aside of it's usually full of crap spamming your desktop. But this would get harder to deal with when they started to put one of these into the hardware.
     
  25. The Red Moon

    The Red Moon Registered Member

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    I do not believe that the pre-installation of this adware should in any way reflect badly on lenovo because the quality of their laptops is top-notch.A bare-metal wipe of the hard drive and a fresh installation of any os of choice would be a wise choice of action.
     
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