Pre-installed Spyware
 

Dear All

Last week I found installed on my PC, in the Program Files\Common Files Folder, a Teknum System folder. Within that folder was SendEmail.exe, Uninstall.exe (which did not work) and other various files designed to send information secretly to a person or persons unknown.

From the dates on the Teknum System files, i.e. 19/10/2001, they were installed before I purchased my PC. I became aware of these files when one of my protection software, Prevx Home V2.0, warned me that Teknum was trying to change something in Windows.

I did a quick Google and confirmed that Teknum, especially Teknum Updater, is considered to be spyware and that Spybot has it marked as such.

However, I did not understand why my Spybot, Ad-Aware SE and MS Spyware did not spot it before, especially as I keep them up to date.

Anyway, I deleted the Teknum System folder, even though it's readme file warned against it, and ran my anti-spyware apps again. Only Spybot was now able to pick up the Teknum Updater registry entry, I guess that because the Teknum apps were now gone the registry entry references stood out enough for Spybot to see and delete them.

This has lead me to believe that various pre-installed software, such as the non MS utilities that come with new PCs, contained spyware. This "spyware opportunity" be can be directly attributed to MS insisting that windows installation disks are no longer supplied with new PCs, and now PC manufacturers do not supply any disks with new PCs.

Before, you would get Windows, various utility and driver disks, this gave you the chance to choose which utilities to install. Now, you have no choice because if your pre-installed utilities contain spyware you are (unknowingly) stuck.

What makes this worse is that your anti-spyware software will not identify pre-installed spyware and unless you do a visual inspection, and have the experience to recognise suspicious or unknown software, you could be living with spyware on your PC.

Although readers of this post my conclude that I am being paranoid please note that this is the second time I have visually found and deleted spyware from my system that my anti-spyware apps failed to find.




UK Bob

I agree, the best thing to do when buying a PC or a Mac from a manufacturer is to actually reformat and install what is needed, that's what I do and you should too. Every manufacturer is putting useless stuff including some "registration" features so you give them your personal infos.

Ciao

Fact - Pre-installed spyware
 

Guys

As I live and learn,

Peerless, you are quite right, I had no idea that PC manufacturers pre-installed malware on new PCs, until I discovered it on mine.

et voilà, I am inclined to accept your advice and, when I get a new PC two or three years from now, I will start from scratch, do a reformat and install all the stuff I need.

Cheers




UK Bob