Broderbund and Spyware

I became interested in making greeting cards. One program which I purchased is Click Art Christian Publishing Suite III by Broderbund. When installing it, my security programs warned me of spyware, I think dssagent.

I removed it, but I wonder if Broderbund and maybe other programs install such spyware?

Any experience?

Jerry

 

Here are a few Links for you to read:

http://www.cexx.org/dssagent.htm
http://www.liutilities.com/products/wintaskspro/processlibrary/dssagent/index.html
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/computers/broderbund.html
http://www.spywarekiller.net/spyware_chart.html

Steve

 

Many thanks.
That is a disgrace, and I will steer of Broderbund from now on.

Jerry

 

yea, it is sad. i had bought some learning programs for my son a couple years ago. after installing the new software i noticed my computer started to run very sluggish and slow. all the new programs i had just bought were all broderbund, and unknowing to me, filled with spyware. when i ran spybot and ad-aware, i was shocked at all the entries that had popped up on my once clean system. i quickly deleted the entries, but then afterwards the broderbund software wouldn't work at all. turned out to be a big waste of money for me.

 

I was buying Broderbund (brotherhood) software waay back in the 1980's, for my Atari 800. It's sad to see a grand old marque cross over to the dark side.

 

That is a shame.....because they used to make some great programs.

Seems more and more companies..Security apps included are getting into the
calling home business...as in the prevx calling home thread

 

Since I purchased the program from Christian Book Distributors I sent them an email advising them of the spyware problem with Broderbund. The CBD policy is not to accept return of opened software. I did not ask for that, but did tell them that they should not sell software that knowingly includes malware as part of the program.
I forgot to tell them that the program is junk.

I subscribe to Kim Komando’s daily tips. On Friday she included the information that several software programs were on sale at nothingbutsoftware. One of the programs was PrintMaster 15 Silver by guess who. The price was $2.95 so I ordered it, not knowing that Broderbund includes dssagent in its programs.
I emailed her that Broderbund is including spyware in its programs. I would hope that she would learn if that is still the case.

Now I am undecided whether to try to use Printmaster or not. I assume that my security programs would catch any malware trying to install.
Anyone have a good feel for that?

Thanks,
Jerry

 

I'd happily take the $2.95 loss, with the info given and never bother to install it. It seems they install with all of their apps, I'd highly doubt anything has changed. It just isn't worth it to me.

 

Hi,

I have Printmaster Platinum 10 on my computer. It also installs the dssagent. Not that it justifies their behaviour, but the company did put out a cleaner tool called cleanbc.exe that did remove the parasite. Ad-aware also will(did)remove it. Whenever I start Printmaster, one registry entry which is apparently hard coded will re-appear. It is apparently a lame duck, but you will have to run Ad-aware again to remove that entry if so desired, as their cleaner tool will not admit to it's existence(perhaps because it doesn't function by itself?). The Printmaster app works just fine after the removal of the parasite.

Begin rant:
I do not know if this same scenario will hold true with any of the newer versions. Have not, nor will I, purchase anything from them since. It is inexcuseable for a kid's toy company(Mattell) to treat their customers in this fashion, for even though they tell you about and allow you to opt out of the installation of the Brodcast component, it doesn't matter what you tell it, it will be installed anyway, at least in the version I have.
End rant

The sad part of this story is the fact that this type of behaviour is all to common in todays world.

Hope this info is of some use to you.
VV

 

I received the PrintMaster Silver 15 a couple of days ago. I am pleased to find that dssagent is not present. I conclude that because none of my programs detected it being downloaded or present. I scanned with several pdrograms including Bit Defender 8.0, Spysweeper, Adaware, Spybot, Ewido, and mwav escan.

I had been told, and their site seems to verify, that they no longer package spyware.
So I guess they have cleaned up their act.

An added note, the PrintMaster 15 is not nearly comparable to the Art Explosion Greeting Card Factory I purchased at a cost of less than $3 + shipping. It is an old version 2.0 and the new is 4.0. However, having used the Christian Publishing Suite III, National Geographic Greeting Cards maker, and having downloaded a trial version of the Halmark greeting card maker The Art Explosion is far and away my favorite.

I did find a new Hallmark Deluxe 2004 card maker on sale and have ordered it. I guess I'll see what it is like, but so far the old program of Art Explosion is the best. Just for information for what it is worth.

Jerry

 

I purchased some of Broderbund's software programs in 1998.
Wasted my money damn it.... never expected them to be spyware baddies.

!@#$