AOL software gets 'badware' label

StopBadware.org, a consumer protection initiative backed by Google, Sun Microsystems and others, on Monday slapped a "badware" label on AOL 9.0, AOL's free client-software.

Some reasons the report cites for the decision are AOL's inclusion of bundled software applications and nondisclosure of additional installed components.

StopBadware.org is run by Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet & Society and Oxford University's Oxford Internet Institute. It is one of several efforts to battle spyware.

"Clearly, AOL does not belong in the same category as the malicious badware providers we have previously identified, but the free version of AOL 9.0 that we tested, in our view, does not live up to the company's rich legacy," John Palfrey, co-director of StopBadware.org, said in a statement.

StopBadware.org has several recommendations for AOL, most of which deal with disclosing certain behavior.

"No company has done more to fight malware than AOL," company spokesman Andrew Weinstein said. "We're reviewing the suggestions made in the report, and we are taking steps to address them, as they mostly involve minor UI issues. "

[billjones2]

re: aol gets badware label:::

I've uaed AOL for more than 20 year sand I can confirm that AOL 9.0 is a messed up version of AOL. Since I upgraded from version 7.0, I've had my Windows XP system in the shop twice to clean out the registry. Several contnuous running programs were secretly installed with the 9.0 upgrade. One that came with the installation was RealPlayer, which itself is a spyware program that continuously runs and stores cookies from the programs inatalled. The RealPlayer home center , wherever it is, continuously pings the computers that has the program installed and collects data-- for what purpose is not known, but my firewall detected the attempted intrusion and I blocked it.

Getting rid of RealPlayer is a problem itself, I un-installed it only to discover its spyware still running . I had to search the system for any file with "real" in the file name. Found several and deleted them. You have to to that the hard way. Then I had to do the same with control panel "Uninstall Programs", That didn't work, so I had to find them by name in C Drive and delete them. Then I used msconfig to look at starting programs, found another or two. My system might still be infected with insideous unknown functions of RealPlayer.. I dont know what the other anillary AOL programs are causing, but the spyware detector pops up coninuously saying that it is installing up-gades. I suspect it is for show, because they would need 50 programmers working 24/7 to design that many daily upgrades, so I suspect the spyware program just run, slows the computer, and does nothing useful. But, I'm just a user, not a programmer or technician.
Partial solution:
I discovered a 'Registry ' cleaner that searches, finds, and deletes registry errors. It is made by Uniblue . The program also de-frags the registry. After running AOL 9.0 every day for a week the Uniblue program will find up to 150 registry errors. Then a registry defrag will keep me operating for another week.

Right now I'm looking for a replacement for AOL, one that has a user friendly browser, word processor with spell checking and built in email send and receive functions. AOL has been the best for years, but is now in the self destruct mode. Bill Jones [e-mail]

[neilsequeira]

I think you can disable cookies used by real player from the software itself. Real Player has the options to disable cookies.

[Billjonespc]

More on AOL and Real Player: Copying Corespondance received:

"I READ YOUR ONLINE NOTE ABOUT THE ISSUES YOU HAVE/HAD WITH AOL... WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO REMEDY THIS? I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. AND NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES I REMOVE AOL AND REINSTALL ALL THE BS ERRORS RETURN AND I GET REGISTRY ISSUES AND FREEZES ETC....
CAN YOU ADVISE?
DIANA

Dear Diana,

I'm not sure which of my notes you are referring to but I will give your comments a try.

First the good: I have used AOL almost since it's beginning back in the days of Windows 3 version., with Aol Version 2 or 3. I give credit to AOL for being the "inventor of email'. And, over the years they progressed. As AOL progressed in email efficiency they copyrighted every new protocol, which turned out to stifle all competition. Microsoft, for instance, has been stymied in developing their Internet and Email protocols due to AOL patents. MSFT lost several patent infringement Law suites that cost them hundreds of Millions over past decades.

Fast forward to AOL Version 7. Version 7 of AOL came out for Windows 98. That was the last "Pure Email" version of AOL and is no longer available. Later version of AOL included multitasking additional software, such as; spyware, anti virus, and other programs that are not related to either email or Internet operations. I found none of these additional programs to be effective and some were harmful. Two "coupled in" applications that cannot be uninstalles are "Repair nt PC" and "AOL Spyware Protection", neither of which are useful and both slows the operating system. .The net effect was multitasking programs that both slowed computer operations and caused hard disk and system registry corruption.

I could not find a way to get rid of some of the other programs installed with AOL 9.0, such as Anti Spyware that runs all of the time and causes registry pollution. This begs the question; "Why don't I just abandon AOL completely? Answer: I prefer to keep AOL's superior Email functions, since I have eliminated some of its obnoxious badware stuff included in the 9.0 version.

I recommend that you RUN MSCONFIG (Startup Tab) and uncheck all AOL start-up lines.
This will remove AOL from the taskbar. You might need to find "AOL.EXE and create a short cut to desktop. That way you won't have the AOL junk programs multitasking all of the time and throwing junk files onto your drive.

Also, I recommend you Google up: "Uniblue". I bought two of its cleanup programs; "Registry Booster" and "Speedup my PC." I run each of these programs once or twice each month, or when my PC begins to slow down or act weird. And I Defrag the Registry quite often with Registry Booster. (That's cheaper than taking your PC to a shop when it dets so cluttered up with junk.)

Also, AOL Live Help reps are prohibited from discussing any of these issues.

Hope this helps,

Bill"

[Billjonespc]

Sorry, I've been out of Country an just read this reply that might have been posted by a Real Player employee.
If so, tell us why you rigged the Real Player Uninstall so that it does not uninstall the trojan and leaves hidden files.

To the Adninistrator of StopBadware.Org: : Some of AOL's undisclosed and bundled applications cannot be uninstalled and continuously runs when AOL icon is in the taskbar. It helps to RUN MSCONFIF and open the Srartup tab and uncheck all lines with AOL in the text. By doing so The AOL software and its malware will operate only when the user needs AOL operating and starts it intentionaly.

Both AOL and Real Player are joined at the hip and both should be labeled BADWARE until both disclose what they are doing. Bill Jones