Windows 10: Chrome Scans for Unwanted Software

I agree 100%

This is one of the problems today with software companies. They install stuff like this without telling anyone. I wouldn't mind if they said hey we installed something to keep your pc clean, do you mind if we transmit anonymous data of the scan results. Instead they installed it, set it to report and did not say a word. Privacy is only in your head these days. No where online.

 

Below is excerpt from an article explaining Chrome's scan for unwanted software.

Interested to hear opinions on whether this is actually spyware. In another thread, a forum member stated the Chrome Cleanup Tool can run without being activated. How often does software effect Chrome, rarely ?

I like Chrome and don't normally wear a tin foil hat, but I may start.

Yes Chrome is scanning your Windows PC, but it might be a bug

:)

 

Does Windows defender continue scanning after sleep mode?

Q1. I am doing a full scan with Windows defender for more than 8 hours and would like to put the computer in sleep mode and continue when I turn the computer on from where it was switched to sleep mode.... wondering if this will work or I have to start from
beginning for another round of over 8 hours of scanning?

Q2. I am getting a message to the nature of: preliminary scan results show I have got unwanted software in my computer and I will see the detected unwanted software at "end of scan"! Why it does not show the unwanted software when I cancel the scan to get
rid of unwanted software and start again with full scan. Thanks for your help and advice.

 

virus and malware

When I run Windows Defender on a Windows 10 laptop, it said "Preliminary scan results show that malicious or potentially unwanted software might exist on your system. You can review detected items when the scan has completed." But after the scan completed,
it shows nothing in "All detected items". But when I re-run full scan, it shows the same message "Preliminary scan results show that malicious or potentially unwanted software might exist on your system. You can review detected items when the scan has completed."
again... I am quite confused about that. How can I make sure there is no malicious or potentially unwanted software on my laptop?

 

Hi torre.

Not so sure this is a bug. It is mentioned in the Norton forums, and Eset even says they are powering it.

Google Chrome Cleanup. Now powered by ESET

Is it spyware? Well in some sense I would say it is if it is reporting back to mother ship. Our privacy is in serious jeopardy these days. Seems every program out their is collecting data.

I shut off my reporting back to the mother ship, hopefully your posting will alert others to this change and they too will decide what they want to share. Ideally this option would have been off with an alert both telling you this functionality had been added and requesting your approval to send.

Thanks for posting.

 

If you want to turn off the reporting of the information in these scans, click the 3 dots in the top right of Chrome to access the settings menu:



scroll to the bottom and click advanced, then scroll to the bottom again to see this:



click on that and then you can toggle off the reporting:

 

Thanks for the reply, Ken.

Would it be possible for the Chrome Clean Up Tool to find a software program the user was not aware that was installed by a malicious site ?

My first inclination was that I am aware of the software on my system and its credibility.

 

I would think so as it appears to be a skinny downed "AV" product.

Most folks on this forum are aware of what is on their machine and I think they understand what is going on the Internet. That said lots of people aren't and malware is everywhere. A couple of months back everyone was warning about Miners and the landscape just keeps changing.

Kind of smart for Chrome to say hey if our browser isn't right let's have a look at your machine although Defender in its own right has become quite capable.

Still would have like Chrome to announce it when it was installed and force the question "Share or No Share".