Avira and Ask toolbar

  • Thread starter Thread starter Shadow
  • Start date Start date
S

Shadow

http://www.calendarofupdates.com/up...calendar&do=showevent&cal_id=1&event_id=95954

There is no way I can get rid of the nag screen to install the
toolbar (appears at every boot), so I'll either have to do some more
registry hacking or go to Avast .... uggh
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
[]'s
 
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
Click to expand...

Avira is basically payware. Sad to see its free version to become adware.

Did you untick all the checkboxes when it asked you to install the Ask
Toolbar?

--
@~@ You have the right to remain silence.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and farces be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.39.1
^ ^ 22:55:01 up 17 days 7:04 1 user load average: 1.00 1.01 1.05
ä¸å€Ÿè²¸! ä¸è©é¨™! ä¸æ´äº¤! ä¸æ‰“交! ä¸æ‰“劫! ä¸è‡ªæ®º! è«‹è€ƒæ…®ç¶œæ´ (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_addressesa
 
Avira is basically payware. Sad to see its free version to become adware.

Did you untick all the checkboxes when it asked you to install the Ask
Toolbar?
Click to expand...
It does not ask, at least in my case, which was an automatic
update.
This hack seems to have buggered the nag:
...............................................................................

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths\{627bd220-820b-43f7-bf3f-45f21d00efe5}]
"Description"=""
"SaferFlags"=dword:00000000
"ItemData"="C:\\Program Files\\Avira\\AntiVir Desktop\\ApnStub.exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\Safer\CodeIdentifiers\0\Paths\{8dd552b7-edcd-474c-81fd-d2aca32e0da3}]
"Description"=""
"SaferFlags"=dword:00000000
"ItemData"="C:\\Program Files\\Avira\\AntiVir
Desktop\\ApnToolbarInstaller.exe"

..............................................................

Change the path to the executables ApnToolbarInstaller.exe and
ApnStub.exe, to whatever they are in your language.
Beware wrap.
FWIW. Only tested 3 reboots so far ....
[]'s
 
Shadow said:
http://www.calendarofupdates.com/up...calendar&do=showevent&cal_id=1&event_id=95954

There is no way I can get rid of the nag screen to install the
toolbar (appears at every boot), so I'll either have to do some more
registry hacking or go to Avast .... uggh
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
[]'s
Click to expand...

I dont understand, are you getting this on the standard avira free av
install? Or is it one of their extras?
 
From: "gaz said:
Shadow said:
http://www.calendarofupdates.com/up...calendar&do=showevent&cal_id=1&event_id=95954

There is no way I can get rid of the nag screen to install the
toolbar (appears at every boot), so I'll either have to do some more
registry hacking or go to Avast .... uggh
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
[]'s
Click to expand...

I dont understand, are you getting this on the standard avira free av install? Or is it
one of their extras?
Click to expand...

The standard fee license expires in September. If you download the software update you
are extended to November 2012 with a catch. From the System Tray Avira pop-ups a
notification of a search bar install as a new feature. That installs Ask Toolbar and to
use the Webguard feature of Avira you have to enable Ask Toolbar.

I just closed the System Tray Avira pop-up notification and it did not install and on my
WinXP pro desktop I denied the execution of "ApnStub.exe" and "ApnToolbarInstaller.exe"
via SECPOL.MSC.

On my Vista Business notebook it required a reboot. I closed the System Tray Avira pop-up
notification and it did not install as well as I denied the execution of "ApnStub.exe" and
"ApnToolbarInstaller.exe" via SECPOL.MSC. Vista shows there is a Webguard that is
disabled because Ask Toolbar isn't installed and I went into the configuration and
specifically unchecked the box to load Webguard.

All this is PITA and Avira will feel the backlash when thye lose customers.

My POC at Avira could only state "Alas, I am not allowed to comment on this."
 
Did you untick all the checkboxes when it asked you to install the Ask
It does not ask, at least in my case, which was an automatic
update.
Click to expand...

No Custom Install option?

--
@~@ You have the right to remain silence.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and farces be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.39.1
^ ^ 00:40:01 up 17 days 8:49 1 user load average: 1.03 1.05 1.05
ä¸å€Ÿè²¸! ä¸è©é¨™! ä¸æ´äº¤! ä¸æ‰“交! ä¸æ‰“劫! ä¸è‡ªæ®º! è«‹è€ƒæ…®ç¶œæ´ (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_addressesa
 
No Custom Install option?
Click to expand...
Dunno about a first install. Mine was just an update, and no
options were presented.
[]'s
PS David's hack with the security policy is the same as my
registry hack, just different ways to get the job done.
 
Dunno about a first install. Mine was just an update, and no
options were presented.
Click to expand...

That may be the reason. Try a clean install.

(I am downloading it now... :)

--
@~@ You have the right to remain silence.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and farces be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.39.1
^ ^ 01:00:01 up 17 days 9:09 1 user load average: 1.09 1.06 1.05
ä¸å€Ÿè²¸! ä¸è©é¨™! ä¸æ´äº¤! ä¸æ‰“交! ä¸æ‰“劫! ä¸è‡ªæ®º! è«‹è€ƒæ…®ç¶œæ´ (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_addressesa
 
That may be the reason. Try a clean install.
(I am downloading it now... :)
Click to expand...

There is a Custom option if you do a clean install.

Did you download your Avira from official website
http://www.free-av.com ? I hope you did NOT download
a hacked one! :)

--
@~@ You have the right to remain silence.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and farces be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.39.1
^ ^ 01:00:01 up 17 days 9:09 1 user load average: 1.09 1.06 1.05
ä¸å€Ÿè²¸! ä¸è©é¨™! ä¸æ´äº¤! ä¸æ‰“交! ä¸æ‰“劫! ä¸è‡ªæ®º! è«‹è€ƒæ…®ç¶œæ´ (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_addressesa
 
There is a Custom option if you do a clean install.

I don't see any option to turn off Ask Toolbar. So ... oh no...

There is a funny comment: Avira once listed Ask Toolbar as malware. :)

--
@~@ You have the right to remain silence.
/ v \ Simplicity is Beauty! May the Force and farces be with you!
/( _ )\ (x86_64 Ubuntu 9.10) Linux 2.6.39.1
^ ^ 01:05:01 up 17 days 9:14 1 user load average: 1.01 1.05 1.05
ä¸å€Ÿè²¸! ä¸è©é¨™! ä¸æ´äº¤! ä¸æ‰“交! ä¸æ‰“劫! ä¸è‡ªæ®º! è«‹è€ƒæ…®ç¶œæ´ (CSSA):
http://www.swd.gov.hk/tc/index/site_pubsvc/page_socsecu/sub_addressesa
 
From: "Shadow" <[email protected]>

PS David's hack with the security policy is the same as my
registry hack, just different ways to get the job done.
Click to expand...

Interestingly...

If you use SecPol.MSC to create the disallow execution policies you'll see it in the
Registry.

Export the disallow execution policies from the Registry to a .REG file and the delete the
entries, then merge the REG file back intio the Registry you will see the disallow
execution policies.
However, when you go back into SecPol.MSC you will not see those policies you imported
from the REG file.
 
David said:
From: "gaz said:
Shadow said:
http://www.calendarofupdates.com/up...calendar&do=showevent&cal_id=1&event_id=95954

There is no way I can get rid of the nag screen to install the
toolbar (appears at every boot), so I'll either have to do some more
registry hacking or go to Avast .... uggh
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
[]'s
Click to expand...

I dont understand, are you getting this on the standard avira free
av install? Or is it one of their extras?
Click to expand...

The standard fee license expires in September. If you download the
software update you are extended to November 2012 with a catch. From
the System Tray Avira pop-ups a notification of a search bar install
as a new feature. That installs Ask Toolbar and to use the Webguard
feature of Avira you have to enable Ask Toolbar.
I just closed the System Tray Avira pop-up notification and it did
not install and on my WinXP pro desktop I denied the execution of
"ApnStub.exe" and "ApnToolbarInstaller.exe" via SECPOL.MSC.

On my Vista Business notebook it required a reboot. I closed the
System Tray Avira pop-up notification and it did not install as well
as I denied the execution of "ApnStub.exe" and
"ApnToolbarInstaller.exe" via SECPOL.MSC. Vista shows there is a
Webguard that is disabled because Ask Toolbar isn't installed and I
went into the configuration and specifically unchecked the box to
load Webguard.
All this is PITA and Avira will feel the backlash when thye lose
customers.
My POC at Avira could only state "Alas, I am not allowed to comment
on this."
Click to expand...

I just prompted an update and sure enough their 'new security' shit popped
up. It gave me the option of install now or install later, the question is,
how often is it going to ask us to install it?
 
Shadow said:
http://www.calendarofupdates.com/up...calendar&do=showevent&cal_id=1&event_id=95954

There is no way I can get rid of the nag screen to install the
toolbar (appears at every boot), so I'll either have to do some more
registry hacking or go to Avast .... uggh
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
[]'s
Click to expand...

I use Avira, the paid version, and have no problem. Perhaps the
proverbial statement "You get what you pay for" applies in this case;
ie, no nag screen and no "Ask" toolbar.

It puzzles me when people use a free version of a product and then
complain when there is a "string" attached, such as a nag screen...not
so sure about installing a hidden toolbar without notification being in
the same league, however.

None the less, I don't mind paying for any useful and well written
software. Just my point of view.
 
From: "Yrrah said:
Please do not x-post to non-freeware groups.

Yrrah
Click to expand...


It was cross-posted alt.comp.virus AND alt.comp.anti-virus with a.c.f
Totally On Topic for all groups posted to and appropriate content for all.
 
gaz said:
David said:
From: "gaz said:
Shadow wrote:
http://www.calendarofupdates.com/up...calendar&do=showevent&cal_id=1&event_id=95954

There is no way I can get rid of the nag screen to install the
toolbar (appears at every boot), so I'll either have to do some more
registry hacking or go to Avast .... uggh
I have the ask domain blocked in my firewall. Apparently you
cannot opt-out of the install, you have to let ask.com install the
toolbar, gather your personal data etc before you have an option to
uninstall the bloody thing.
[]'s

I dont understand, are you getting this on the standard avira free
av install? Or is it one of their extras?
Click to expand...

The standard fee license expires in September. If you download the
software update you are extended to November 2012 with a catch. From
the System Tray Avira pop-ups a notification of a search bar install
as a new feature. That installs Ask Toolbar and to use the Webguard
feature of Avira you have to enable Ask Toolbar.
I just closed the System Tray Avira pop-up notification and it did
not install and on my WinXP pro desktop I denied the execution of
"ApnStub.exe" and "ApnToolbarInstaller.exe" via SECPOL.MSC.

On my Vista Business notebook it required a reboot. I closed the
System Tray Avira pop-up notification and it did not install as well
as I denied the execution of "ApnStub.exe" and
"ApnToolbarInstaller.exe" via SECPOL.MSC. Vista shows there is a
Webguard that is disabled because Ask Toolbar isn't installed and I
went into the configuration and specifically unchecked the box to
load Webguard.
All this is PITA and Avira will feel the backlash when thye lose
customers.
My POC at Avira could only state "Alas, I am not allowed to comment
on this."
Click to expand...

I just prompted an update and sure enough their 'new security' shit popped
up. It gave me the option of install now or install later, the question is,
how often is it going to ask us to install it?
Click to expand...
Mine's only going to ask one more time.
 
Block AskStub in your firewall and see if that will help. I tried it in
XPMode and it seems to get rid of the nag screen.
Click to expand...

That worked for me, too. If you are running XP's firewall, it's an easy
fix. I wrote up a little procedure for it:

1)Go to Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall.
2)Click on the "Exceptions" tab, then the "Add Program..." button.
3)Browse to the Avira > AntiVir Desktop folder and click on
"ApnStub.exe", then click OK.
4)Go back to the Exceptions tab and you should see ApnStub.exe added
with a check box next to it. Uncheck the box and click OK.
 
David H. Lipman said:
It was cross-posted alt.comp.virus AND alt.comp.anti-virus with a.c.f
Totally On Topic for all groups posted to and appropriate content for all.
Click to expand...

Non-freeware groups. He should not have x-posted.

Yrrah
 
From: "Yrrah said:
Non-freeware groups. He should not have x-posted.

Yrrah
Click to expand...

The product is in the genre of anti virus and was posted in anti virus related news groups
where the subject matter is important and apropos.

Shadow did no wrong and should not be chastised for cross posting to pertinent, On Topic,
news groups.
 
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