Batu69 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 If you are a tech-savvy user, you have probably helped more than one friend or family member remove various toolbars, viruses and other unwanted contents from machines running a version of Windows.If you are not, you may have been affected by those by yourself trying to find ways and methods to get rid of them again.One of the most notorious toolbars is the Ask Toolbar which up to this day is bundled with Java downloads for Windows and Macintosh systems.The main issue with bundling is that most users don't expect other software to be offered with software downloads, and I guess it is fair to say that this contributes largely to the spreading of toolbars across Windows systems.Some toolbars are notorious for changing core browser settings such as the default search engine. The Ask Toolbar is no exception as it will switch the search engine to Ask.com when you are not careful and disable it during installation. It may also change the browser home page and new tab page as you can see on the screenshot above. The options are enabled by default and will be installed if you are not careful during setup.Microsoft announced back in May that it decided to change the company's evaluation criteria in regards to programs that have search protection functionality.In particular, Microsoft security programs will detect these programs starting June 1, 2015. Programs that may modify search engines are detected automatically by Microsoft software regardless of whether the code is functional or not.Microsoft updated information about the Ask Toolbar recently on its security portal. It states now that the "software poses a high threat" to PCs which is the second highest rating available.These are programs that might collect personal information and negatively affect your privacy or damage your PC. For example, the program collects information or changes settings, typically without your knowledge or consent.The description on Microsoft's security portal makes a distinction between the latest version of the toolbar, which it classifies as "not considered unwanted software" and previous versions which is classifies as "unwanted software".Did Ask change its toolbar behavior because of Microsoft's policy change in regards to programs making use of search protection code?It is clear however that Microsoft security software such as Windows Defender, Microsoft Security Essentials and Microsoft Safety Scanner detect some versions of the Ask Toolbar and offer to remove it from user systems.So what does this all mean?Microsoft security software, which is pre-installed on many Windows PCs, detects and removes at least some versions of the Ask Toolbar now. This alone should have a drastic effect on toolbar's installation base on Windows systems.Source Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CODYQX4 Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Only 10 years too late, about time to purge that evil piece of trash from the world once and for all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batu69 Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 Only 10 years too late, about time to purge that evil piece of trash from the world once and for all.Yes too late to who know about this trash but not all windows users know about this trash, especially who just born 'yesterday" and know about internet today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akaneharuka Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Thank you for sharing this news :)I really don't like Ask and baidu it hurt my computer :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exodius Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Thank you for sharing this news :)I really don't like Ask and baidu it hurt my computer :(Yeah agreed with you. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
212eta Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Too late for M$ Security...Too bad for it... :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Only 10 years too late, about time to purge that evil piece of trash from the world once and for all.When they done the 10 most hated programs of all time in 2012 it was ranked 3rd .http://www.techradar.com/news/software/applications/the-10-most-hated-programs-of-all-time-1060129Its been around a very long time in free and paid programs alike even in Java installers <_<Microsoft should banned toolbars years ago and there would been no need for programs to remove them like Remove Toolbar Buddy for IE :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steven36 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Too late for M$ Security...Too bad for it... :angry: Google had there run at making this kind of spyware too.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_ToolbarThe whole www is guilty of imposing this spyware on us and browsers and O/S maker's are guilty of making stuff they can be installed on no one is innocent when comes to toolbarsthis is a list of toolbars still active today http://www.toolbarshredder.com/toolbar-list/If you look at that list banning one is just removing a needle from a hay stack . :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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