Does either/both have some sort of 'auto-update' feature, or is there another reason why they need outbound connection to the internet? Both were making regular outcalls on my XP Pro rig, until I blocked them via firewall. I am now preparing to transition to a better PC (using Win 7 Pro 64-bit), and wondering if the current versions of BleachBit and CCleaner need to be blocked as well? Thanks.
Others will chime in for you per those 2 particular programs i'm sure. But IF ANYTHING tried to outbound from any of my rigs the first thing I do is investigate which one and then decide if it's ok or not, Such as a trustworthy update or running a check thru Jotti-Virus Total etc. Even with updates some prefer to perform it manually. I'm strictly on Windows 8.1 so am not hindered with Microsoft Win 10 shenanigans. But softwares calling home get (Interrupted) first to allot for me the user to decide on that linking out to an outside source or not.
Both 'phoned home' on my XP Pro PC at least once a week that I recall. Been awhile. I installed both several years ago, and SterJo NetStalker alerted me to the outbound connections soon after. I procrastinated maybe a week or so before using the firewall to end their fun. Was never good enough with SterJo to figure out just what was happening, but my first concern was that info was being tapped and downloaded from my computer. Not that is matters, as I cannot think of any (good) reason why software like CCleaner or BleachBit needs any hidden connections, outbound or inbound. Anyway, was just wondering if this stuff continues with the current versions, or has gotten even worse, as with the ever more invasive telemetry of Firefox, Win 10, etc. If so, I will have to figure out how to use the new firewall to block outbound connections before installing them, as I don't think my current firewall (Agnitum Outpost 2009) will work on Win 7. Thanks for your reply.
I completely and totally understand the concern and share the same suspicions. We can't trust hardly anything anymore to be on the level and its not necessarily always on purpose. Some do it for the easy payoff and make excuses it's nothing when it very well is. Then there are some apps that can be hijacked at server level unknowns to the server controller management to siphon off PC data for from nefarious reasons to like I mention the quick penny in their greedy coffers. Your very savy in keeping a sharp eye out for the frequent call home outbounds especially that often and just for Cleaner Programs? It could be nothing at all but it's always the better part of valor to hold to a healthy suspicion when noticing those occurrences if you ask me.
You run from out of support to out of support, from vulnerable to vulnerable, exchange devil with the beetleguise. Nevertheless, you should start without ccleaner and those tools, windows will run much more smoother. windows 7 is much more sensible to ccleaner than xp.
My XP Pro supposedly went EOL/EOS sometime in 2014 as I recall, yet I was actually being bombarded with a slew of KB updates as of early last year, when I finally shut the backdoor to M$....but one of their countless other lies. Irregardless of when the EOL/EOS occurred, my XP Pro has remained bulletproof for the entire 3+ years I have used it. I am still waiting for even one of the deluge of trojans, viruses, rootkits, keyloggers, etc., threatened by M$ and their army of parrots for many years now. To date I have gotten the sum total of four PUPs, which were quickly found and euthanized (I haul the PC to the local computer shop once a year for full malware scan, cleaning, and whatever else). So when it comes to EOL/EOS, you will find me as skeptical as Amazing Randi and his posse is toward ghosties. Maybe Win 7 will change my mind, but I doubt it. Vulnerable (like beauty) is in the eye of the beholder. I am aware of the exploits for Win 7, just as I'm aware of those for Win 10: https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerab..._id-32238/year-2019/Microsoft-Windows-10.html https://www.cvedetails.com/vulnerab...min-9/cvssscoremax-/Microsoft-Windows-10.html https://www.cvedetails.com/product/32238/Microsoft-Windows-10.html?vendor_id=26 The difference is along with these vulnerabilities, users must also contend with the slew of corporate spyware (malware in my view), that has been packed into Win 10, and yes, I'm also aware MS is desperately trying to backport these 'features' into Win 7. I will predict that Win 10 will soon be receiving a flood of patches and service packs. The modus operandi of Billie Gates is by now quite predictable. Win7 is quite secure enough for me, as it will be used exactly as XP Pro was...surf the net, watch TV shows/movies, and deal with the very few remaining forums I have not terminated. For online shopping/banking, I use Linux Mint in LiveCD mode. For high security, I use Kodachi Linux or TAILS. Expecting security from any M$ product is like expecting privacy from the TLAs...good luck with that!
dont pick on windows 10 if you dont know the major differences to windows xp or win7. its much more safer by default - and it get patches, while xp had none since 2014 and win7 since feb. there is nothing to discuss. you only had luck, no more, no less.
Three years of luck? That's 6,354 hours of internet use, going to every site (yes, including those infamous dens of malware called porn sites) I could get to...with zero malware. That's some mighty fine luck, considering the shrill and constant threats from M$ (and their legion of parrots), about how vulnerable XP is after EOL/EOS has deprived it of all those essential service packs, patches, etc. Seems almost akin to the odds of winning the lottery. The major differences of XP Pro and Win 7 to Win 10 is twofold: 1. The former two lacks all the latest&greatest corporate malware/spyware 'features' of the latter. A thing M$ is so sorrowful about they have generously begun fervent attempts to surreptitiously backport into Win 7, maybe even XP (I get conflicting reports about the latter). 2. Win XP and Win 7 is supposedly EOL/EOS and supposedly no longer receiving all those wonderful and essential updates, service packs, and patches that Win 10 fans love to crow about. Supposedly. As said already, my XP Pro was being bombarded with a slew of KB crapola as of last year, til I locked M$ out of my PC. As for Win 7, you obviously have not bothered to keep up on it, or you would know M$ have been busy beavers, using the cover of KB junk to backport those corporate malware/spyware 'features' of Win 10, along with other such crapola to enable forced and surreptitious upgrade of Win 7 to Win 10. So much for EOL/EOS. Before you contest this, be advised I have done extensive research on this prior to Win 7 transition. I not only have near 2 pages of links documenting this, I can provide a list of KB critters either backporting spyware or forced upgrades...and would be more than happy to share. As the cvedetails links show, your Win 10 is not that much safer than XP or Win 7, and becoming less so with each passing month. Like all M$ renditions, it is just as full of security holes as any previous version, and it will not take too long for the blackhatters and scriptkiddies to find them all. No worries. I'm sure M$ is already at work (despite any protests to the contrary) on Win 11 or whatever, which they will be happy to sell you for what? $100? $200?
BleachBit has an option that users can select to check periodically for updates. Not sure if it is the default. I always keep it unchecked. CC I don't know about as I haven't run it for quite a long time.
I run Win7 & use portable CCleaner, but only for cookie management. Wise Disk Cleaner is my main cleaner app but it lacks a decent cookie manager. In any event, CCleaner definitely tries to call home quite often. Thus, you might want to block it.
Yeah, I have that unchecked in both BleachBit and CCleaner, but it did not stop the 'call home' junk in either. As I vaguely recall, it was checked by default in both. So either unchecking it did not stop the autoupdates 'feature' or both are phoning home for some other reason...or they were before I blocked them via firewall. Guess I will assume this is still going on in the current versions, and a preemptive strike is required to block them as soon as they are installed. Thanks.
