Wanted to post this here to warn potential users.
Ahead Software recently released the newest version of its Nero burning software. This seems to be a fairly major update as the last few have had version numbers 7.5.x.x while this one updates it to 7.7.x.x.
It initially shipped with an optional Yahoo! Toolbar, while later downloads gave the option to download a package with and without it. Recently, it was changed to the Ask toolbar. With this incarnation, the Ask toolbar option was removed from the download page and the program prompts during the install instead (defaulting, of course, to enabling the toolbar).
While it's irritating to have bundleware included with software I purchased, it was easy enough to avoid installing it. What I found later, though, is a little more disturbing.
Scanning with Avira AntiVir revealed that the Nero installation files (two of the .CAB files) as well as an installed file (the Nero HD video encoder) contain a worm; specifically, the MSN IM worm Licat J. No other traces were found of the worm on my system - only in Nero. The worm propagates spyware that browser hijacks as well as capturing/sending contact info from MSN.
Now, it could be accidental, but you'd think that these things would be scanned before posting. Also, their past behavior doesn't exactly demonstrate integrity.
It's easy enough to test with the download being a Nero demo by default (thus free) as well as AntiVir Personal Edition's free download.
I checked again on a different PC with the same results - two temp files with the worm and one final installation file containing it.
So, any Nero users should be cautious with this new update, and potential Nero users might want to re-think a transition.
Ahead Software recently released the newest version of its Nero burning software. This seems to be a fairly major update as the last few have had version numbers 7.5.x.x while this one updates it to 7.7.x.x.
It initially shipped with an optional Yahoo! Toolbar, while later downloads gave the option to download a package with and without it. Recently, it was changed to the Ask toolbar. With this incarnation, the Ask toolbar option was removed from the download page and the program prompts during the install instead (defaulting, of course, to enabling the toolbar).
While it's irritating to have bundleware included with software I purchased, it was easy enough to avoid installing it. What I found later, though, is a little more disturbing.
Scanning with Avira AntiVir revealed that the Nero installation files (two of the .CAB files) as well as an installed file (the Nero HD video encoder) contain a worm; specifically, the MSN IM worm Licat J. No other traces were found of the worm on my system - only in Nero. The worm propagates spyware that browser hijacks as well as capturing/sending contact info from MSN.
Now, it could be accidental, but you'd think that these things would be scanned before posting. Also, their past behavior doesn't exactly demonstrate integrity.
It's easy enough to test with the download being a Nero demo by default (thus free) as well as AntiVir Personal Edition's free download.
I checked again on a different PC with the same results - two temp files with the worm and one final installation file containing it.
So, any Nero users should be cautious with this new update, and potential Nero users might want to re-think a transition.