Windows 10: Watch out for Avast installation with CCleaner!

A couple of times Avast has installed without my permission with CCLeaner. There was actually no option to exclude Avast from installtion! Despite uninstalling it immediately a few weeks down the track (today) I found some remnants in Task Scheduler:





:)

 

CCleaner

> Is it safe to install ccleaner on my pc?

Depends...

Piriform (the maker of CCleaner etc) was bought by Avast in July 2017 and there was this nasty incident...

• Avast Clarifies Details Surrounding CCleaner Malware Incident
• https://blog.avast.com/update-to-the-ccleaner-5.33.6162-security-incident

All CCleaner versions are bundling Avast AV and/or various Google products such as Google Chrome, a Google toolbar and possibly other products....

Microsoft Community has seen quite a few of related threads.

Recently more and more threads are popping up in the Piriform/CCleaner forum which hint at even more questionable methods...

Here are a few recent example threads:

• Problem with installer bundle offer? By
  
  nukecad, yesterday at 01:33

• Providers of CCleaner
  are forcing installation of Avast Antivirus By
  ecbritz, yesterday at 09:33

• CCleaner v5.38 installing Avast Free Antivirus
  By
  SMalik, Thursday at 05:37

IMO, CCleaner is not unproblematic and has to be treated carefully.

I, personally, would not recommend CCleaner to inexperienced and/or not so tech-savvy persons...

Suggestion to inform yourself before installing CCleaner (or any other product) and to always, always keep your eyes wide open during installation (watch out for any bundled softwares etc etc).

You also might want to read this article (in case you don't use an ad blocker: ignore all advertisements):

https://www.howtogeek.com/172820/beginner-geek-what-does-ccleaner-do-and-should-you-use-it/

WRT to CCleaner on Windows 10:

According to
this post Windows 10 blocks older versions: "CC v5.27 and older, (or somewhere around there) are no longer deemed safe by MS and automatically blocked when starting."

HTH,

Julia

 

Microsoft Update installed Avast Antivirus without my consent

FWIW...

These recent threads in the CCleaner forum hint at more and more sneaky methods of Piriform:

Examples:

• Problem with installer bundle offer? By
  
  nukecad, yesterday at 01:33

• Providers of CCleaner
  are forcing installation of Avast Antivirus By
  ecbritz, yesterday at 09:33

• CCleaner v5.38 installing Avast Free Antivirus
  By
  SMalik, Thursday at 05:37

 

Avast popup in new win 10 install

FWIW and just meant as an FYI

I see that other users are also complaining about Avast being bundled with CCleaner downloads...

Some examples:

• Latest Update Avast on Desktop
• Can not install the newest version
• the comments here (don't worry: clicking on this link will not download CCleaner ):
  
  https://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/#4b

And

• ESET detects a bundled toolbar in CCleaner:
  https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/54e4512e0bf7c8359b883d814b1a8ba587f67e62f7b07be496fccda79fd75f2d/analysis/