Warning to users of uTorrent

[shamu726]

Many users of the popular BitTorrent client uTorrent are complaining about it silently installing a cryptocurrency miner with a recent update. The Epic Scale tool, which slows down host computers, is reportedly being installed without consent and for some is particularly hard to remove.

With well over 150 million active users a month uTorrent is by far the most used BitTorrent client around.

The application brings in revenue through in-app advertising and also presents users with “offers” to try out third-party software when installed or updated.

These offers are usually not placed on users’ machines without consent, but this week many users began complaining about a “rogue” offer being silently installed.

The complaints mention the Epic Scale tool, a piece of software that generates revenue through cryptocurrency mining. To do so, it uses the host computer’s CPU cycles.

Epic Scale is flagged by many anti-virus vendors. However, it has been included with uTorrent for several weeks already, without any significant complaints. However, starting this week many users reported that the software was installed without any notification.

“This is pure bloatware, just updated my uTorrent. There was no notification about the software it just installed,” Aiziag complains.

“Got this installed quietly when upgraded U-Torrent. When I arrived home this evening my PC was running at full tilt and practically blowing steam. I felt like it was going to catch fire,” Daniel adds.

The issue was also brought up at the uTorrent forums, but the initial thread was deleted by a moderator. Meanwhile, many more complaints started pouring in, mostly on the freefixer website.

“Just updated uTorrent and it didn’t tell me anything about that total f*cked up ‘Epic Scale’ trash, which constantly keeps popping up with ‘Could not connect to server’,” Simon writes.

“Noticed the laptop was ‘laggy’ and then I saw the mysterious E in the taskbar. Blamed the kids again but then I saw the Utorrent update comments and bingo, me too,” Ian notes.

The sudden increase in complaints over the past two days suggests that something went wrong with the install and update process. Several users specifically say that they were vigilant, but instead of a popup asking for permission the Epic Scale offer was added silently.

“When I updated uTorrent today, an offer to install Baidu Av just popped up. I declined. I wasn’t told nothing about Epic Scale! I was alert, this software was simply installed quietly, without even a single checkbox. I wasn’t given a chance to decline,” Marcos writes.

The Epic Scale team says that it’s investigating the issue. Despite being grilled by an angry mob, they’re offering assistance and a $20 Amazon gift card to affected users who provide additional details.

“I recognize many of you are reporting a silent install. We are going to address this with all our distribution partners and determine what’s going on,” Epic Scale’s Alexander writes.

TF reached out to uTorrent’s parent company BitTorrent for further details but they have yet to reply. However, in a new forum post a customer support manager denies that there are any issues.

“We design our software to ensure that partner software downloads don’t occur without approval by the user. But given your report, we’ve also double-checked this particular offer, and have determined that it cannot be installed without user."

Given the unusual surge of reports about silent installs, however, it might be that something went wrong, at least for some.

Update: The silent install appears to happen selectively, and not on all machines. TF had confirmation from various sides and with screenshots of every step of the install process where no Epic Scale screen appeared. In one case, the opt-out screen was eventually shown after several re-installs.

Update: BitTorrent Inc. informs TF that they are not aware of any problems.

“In terms of user complaints in our forums, we always take these claims seriously. We highly value our users, they are a passionate and tech savvy group. In the last 24 hours we have received less than a dozen inquiries out of several million offers.”

“We have reviewed the issue closely and can confirm there is no silent install happening. We are continuing to look at the issue. But this is most likely these users accepted the offer during install.”

Source: TorrentFreak

[knowledge-Spammer]

[steven36]

Funny thing is uTorrent dont never have to be installed but once you can go to Filehorse are somewhere and get and old version before they had toolbars and adware and just overwrite new versions like a crack. And you never have to install nothing ever again. Also portable versions never you get infected . Most people get infected because they dont know no better . But still as I said before its a nasty program because in the root the exe is all this adware .One time I was trying install this program it happen to me But it was some different adware so I never install it anymore . :)

[SacredCultivator]

And now their forums "Account Suspended" or just me?

[Joe13]

And now their forums "Account Suspended" or just me?

http://forum.utorrent.com/ changes to http://forum.utorrent.com/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi

[Joe13]

Funny thing is uTorrent dont never have to be installed but once you can go to Filehorse are somewhere and get and old version before they had toolbars and adware and just overwrite new versions like a crack. And you never have to install nothing ever again. Also portable versions never you get infected . Most people get infected because they dont know no better . But still as I said before its a nasty program because in the root the exe is all this adware .One time I was trying install this program it happen to me But it was some different adware so I never install it anymore . :)

2.0.4.22967 wanted to install crapware. This has been an ongoing issue for many years.

It is not surprising they chose Epic Scale. Both are programs that operate continously over lengthy time periods.

[steven36]

Back when I 1st came on the computer they were all these programs that had spyware in them FastTrack programs (Grokster, iMesh, Kazaa, Morpheus, etc.) Millions of people were infecting themselves to download music and other stuff . Limewire free had ads and charged . All P2P programs was clean when they 1st came out . And Limewire got shut down . Now uTorrent is full of adware . Any all they done was copy Limewire idea's for there pro version if Limewire was still running they could sue them for patient infringement. I think they need shutdown. There two faced they got rich off piracy and suck up to the mpaa and the riaa . And now they have got greedy . I think uTorrent is trying to suck all the money they can out of people before it ether gets closed down or have to change it were it cant be used for open torrents.

[steven36]

Funny thing is uTorrent dont never have to be installed but once you can go to Filehorse are somewhere and get and old version before they had toolbars and adware and just overwrite new versions like a crack. And you never have to install nothing ever again. Also portable versions never you get infected . Most people get infected because they dont know no better . But still as I said before its a nasty program because in the root the exe is all this adware .One time I was trying install this program it happen to me But it was some different adware so I never install it anymore . :)

2.0.4.22967 wanted to install crapware. This has been an ongoing issue for many years.

It is not surprising they chose Epic Scale. Both are programs that operate continously over lengthy time periods.

uTorrent 2.0 Build 17920 is clean http://www.filehorse.com/download-utorrent/5657/

Then you can overwrite new versions like a crack :)

[knowledge-Spammer]

how do u think the plus crack wos made just like this from a older version

[steven36]

how do u think the plus crack wos made just like this from a older version

Whats out now is not crack at all its a leaked key in .data file is all. Old crack was not a crack at all it was a cosmetic fix .

[knowledge-Spammer]

how do u think the plus crack wos made just like this from a older version

Whats out now is not crack at all its a leaked key in .data file is all. Old crack was not a crack at all it was a cosmetic fix .

i mean veryold settingsdat file is what helped make new crack for utorrent and bittorrent pro

antivirus and player

wos made from a old version of utorrent

if u no what i mean

[steven36]

how do u think the plus crack wos made just like this from a older version

Whats out now is not crack at all its a leaked key in .data file is all. Old crack was not a crack at all it was a cosmetic fix .

i mean veryold settingsdat file is what helped make new crack for utorrent and bittorrent pro

antivirus and player

wos made from a old version of utorrent

if u no what i mean

I dont need a crack here I can put settings file in my UT DIC and it will update to pro .

[knowledge-Spammer]

how do u think the plus crack wos made just like this from a older version

Whats out now is not crack at all its a leaked key in .data file is all. Old crack was not a crack at all it was a cosmetic fix .

i mean veryold settingsdat file is what helped make new crack for utorrent and bittorrent pro

antivirus and player

wos made from a old version of utorrent

if u no what i mean

I dont need a crack here I can put settings file in my UT DIC and it will update to pro .

i think u not no what i mean but its ok

ill try again say it abit better the settings dat file wos made from a very old utorrent its how it wos made

from 2.1 i think and made to work on all version

its not a crack at all if u thinkabout it crack or setting dat not needed at all from 2.1 i think can be made to work on all utorrent versions

so it will update to pro and without readdin a new settings dat

i mean with out ru-board new settings dat

its how he made it work from older version

[IDAProFTW]

http://betanews.com/2015/03/06/reports-that-utorrent-silently-installs-bitcoin-crapware-are-crap/

[steven36]

The trick for me is this i have install is portable to upgrade to pro with settings.dat if try to upgrade it in program dic i get access error . If do in portable its ok.

[Gabben]

just use Tixati :guns:

[knowledge-Spammer]

just use Tixati :guns:

nice i use it be for but now use utorrent but ill try Tixati again

[GRiM]

If you want to use utorrent use v2.0.4 (Older UI) It is by far the most stable version. Maximum version I would ever use is v2.2.1 (Newer UI), after that the program turned to shit. Too many issues and eventually became bloatware.

[steven36]

just use Tixati :guns:

If you use private trackers they dont allow Tixati there's only certain ones. they allow and only certain versions witch are older they allow . Updates only good for pubic torrent sites . Some are banned like Tixati. You can use newer ones of some on some trackers if not on the ban list but there not supported and if it reports wrong and your using a version not supported you will be banned. only versions a sites list is supported. Ones not tested by the staff sometimes (will report too much are too little ) and ether one can get you banned . ;)

[Cerberus]

I use an older version before all the ads and crapware....I wont update. ;)

[SPECTRUM]

please stop using uTorrent!

better start using qBittorrent: http://www.qbittorrent.org/

[steven36]

please stop using uTorrent!

better start using qBittorrent: http://www.qbittorrent.org/

i use it on public sites some were I dont care . even though its not banned on the private site I belong too its not supported . there's some reports upload credit not working right with it . Im not going use something on a private site and not get credit for seeding . It will mess up my ratio . :) Ill stick with old ut builds that's supported.

[manju]

Avira Web Filter [avira pro 15.0.9.480] blocking utorrent beta download!

it may be preventing that bitcoin minning thingy..... :showoff:

[Luaine]

Is it safe to use 3.3.2 Build ? May be they are doing this type of nonsense from a long time :unsure:

Metascan

[Joe13]

Epic Scale and uTorrent: Bitcoin mining 'riskware' investigated

http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinions/epic-scale-and-utorrent-bitcoin-mining-riskware-investigated

Metascan: epicscale.exe, 6 / 43 https://www.metascan-online.com/en/scanresult/file/af81740a56294ebb870ce7a83c5af711