Crpt trojan found in Wild Tangent games!

I recently purchased a new Gateway (Acer) laptop.

It came with Wild Tangent games pre-installed. I'm not thrilled because Wild Tangent has a reputation for being spyware. In order to play one of their games, you need to click on an "Agreement", which I did NOT do.

I installed and ran aSquared in my laptop and it detected Crypt, a high-level trojan within the Wild Tangent games!

Norton didn't pick up on it.

I quarantined the trojan with aSquared.

Then I uninstalled WT with the Windows uninstall tool.

I ran a search to find traces of WT and removed leftover folders and cleaned the registry with CCleaner.

Needless to say, I'm not happy that my brand new computer shipped with a known trojan.

Manufacturers need to STOP pre-installing junkware in new computers!

Apparently, Gateway is the not the only manufacturer that pre-installs WT games. Dell and others do as well.

 

This is why I do a fresh install as soon as I receive it. Buh-bye crapware!

 

Expect the junkware or expect to pay more for your computer. This is how alot of these companies increase profit margins without raising prices in an already saturated market basically.

Also stop using norton, there are so many other viable and better ones out there.

 

To the original poster: Please don't cross post across multiple forums. It is against the forum rules. I have deleted your other ones so continue discussion in this thread. Thanks.

 

I they've gotta make their money. Not all spyware is malicious, the type on yours is probably just so they can sell you something. I don't like any type of spyware. I also do a fresh install. Try Avast Anti-Virus. Its free, and I haven't gotten a virus in 2 years.

 

Joker, it's hard to do a "fresh install" when they don't send you backup copies of the OS or anything. I was told that they haven't included backup CDs in years.

You have to make a snapshot of everything and then you're saving the stuff that you don't want as well unless you delete that crap first, which is what I'm doing.

Yes, the companies need to make their money but I think we're paying enough that we should have the right not have spyware pre-installed against our wishes.

 

Padme, sorry about the duplicate post.

I wasn't sure where was the best place to post since it belongs in Gateway and games.

 

Retto, which AV software do you recommend that's better than Norton?

I read good reviews about Avast on CNET (download.com).

 

Like people have said, the best way is do a clean install of Windows with a clean original Windows installation DVD. Borrow it from a friend or you can download Windows 7 legally off Microsoft:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html

If that's too much to handle, you can try some crapware removers, they remove just about every crapware that's installed on your computer:

Download | The PC Decrapifier

Revo Uninstaller Pro - Uninstall software, remove programs, solve uninstall problems

There are bunch others if you Google "crapware remover"

As for FREE anti-virus, try:
Avast!
AVG
Microsoft Security Essentials

 

Nod32 is the one i use.

 

Do you have a windows sticker on your laptop? Get a windows disc (same version), install, input sticker number, done.

Or spend the $100 and buy a new copy of whatever version you want.

 

You don't even have to use the product key on the sticker (and I've heard sometimes those don't even work) if you download one of the many windows activation backup/restore programs out there.

 

Avast is excellent.

 

Yeah, well now maybe people will believe me when I say that Wild Tangent is malware.

 

and spamware.. has adverts and the built in wild tangent hp games were a few plays and u have to pay to buy the game.

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Read below