Windows 10: PUP.Optional.Babylon

I have WIN 10 PRO. I back-Up EVERY Day with Macrium Reflect 6 and run Malwarebytes which scans & updates every night. During the past 4 weeks I have NOT Downloaded any FREEWARE Programs, just Unlocker last month. The Malwarebytes did a scheduled scan at 2:00 AM and found "PUP.Optional.Babylon". There were Files & Folders, 6 to be exact. Malwarebytes removed them all. I also run Norton Internet Security. How did this Malware get in ??

:)

 

Have you customed your program installations?
Checked your browser settings?

 

The most probable sources are download hosting sites (such as CNet) which have a habit of adding unwanted programs to the package in order to make some money. There are also sites that have "drive by downloads," where the site has a hidden macro command in the background. Just visiting this site is enough to start the d/l of a program without your knowledge.

If you are downloading any new programs, go to the source/authors site & get it directly from there. If you are running Firefox, the NoScript add on will stop drive by downloads in most instances. Do not use "standard" or "express" settings when installing a program, go to the custom installation to be sure nothing is included in the installation such as tool bars. In most instances nowadays, PUP's are bundled in with software installers & need to be manually unchecked.

A good read here will show you the dangers of d/l ing from hosting sites.

Heres What Happens When You Install the Top 10 Download.com Apps

 

THANKS Borg 386 !! Great reading !! The ONLY "Freeware" program I downloaded was UNLOCKER and that was over a month ago ??

 

It could very well have put something in. In an effort to make money on "free" software, more & more companies are choosing to bundle PUP's into their software to make a buck. Even getting something from a legitimate site doesn't guarantee they won't try to sneak something in. The more legitimate companies will present the PUP right up front giving you the option to not install it. The sneakier ones will bundle it & give you no clue, even if you check the "custom" install.

I used a couple programs in the past that I no longer use because, although they were good programs, they now include toolbars/add ons which you can not opt out of. Basically, their TOS said "You will install this added program if you want to use our software." So I said goodbye.

A Good source for you to get malware scanners in the future that does not add any unwanted extras is bleeping computer.com.

This is a good program to ad to your arsenal of scanners, and you'll note there are some good tools listed below it, such as AdwCleaner & RKill.

TDSSKiller Download

 

Borg is right on the money , the only scanner that has picked up every "pup" that every other on demand scanner misses is "Eset online scanner" , if you check the "find potentially unwanted programs" checkbox it finds just about everything .

I recommend you go with portable app's instead of the full program as even CCleaner installs google toolbars in the full version directly downloaded from Piriform themselves.

Don't believe it , run "Eset online scanner" with the (check for pups) box checked and see for yourself , no other scanner has found them . The portable CCleaner won't install them though.

I asked on Piroforms forums why does the full version install "pups" and a member said you must use the portable version to avoid. No option to opt out of installing them either.


The Babylon toolbar is a big pita , not a good one thats for sure.