Security Utility in 5.23 install package?

[Docqualizer]

I realize this may be in the wrong forum - and I apologize if it is.
When I grabbed 5.23 and installed it, I found a "New security program" icon on my desktop.
What is it, and why is there nothing about it on the web site? If there is, would someone please give me a link to it.
This is highly unusual for Nullsoft to do something like this, and I hope I am making "...much ado about nothing".

Thanks,
Lou

[DJ Egg]

FAQ

Winamp 5.0x Component List (full list/details of Winamp installation options)

QUOTE

Screen 5:
Choose Install Options
-Get AOL Active Security Monitor - its FREE! icon (bundle versions only)

Uncheck what you don't want and click "Next"


Winamp 5.23 Released

QUOTE

Also note the new item on Screen 6 of the installer options (bundle versions):
"Get AOL Active Security Monitor - its FREE!" ;-)

____________________________________________________


Apparently, it's just a shortcut icon which leads to the actual download on download.com
If you didn't uncheck it in the installer options, then just delete the shortcut icon.

[gameplaya15143]

Originally posted by DJ Egg
"Get AOL Active Security Monitor - its FREE!"

..and winamp slowly succumbs to more and more AOL bloat

Don't people pay attention to what they install?

[DrO]

Originally posted by gameplaya15143
..and winamp slowly succumbs to more and more AOL bloat

by definition of bloat you can't call a shortcut icon that, since it's what a few kb (if that even) and it's not like it can't be unchecked in the installer (or just using an installer without the stuff in to begin with)

Originally posted by gameplaya15143
Don't people pay attention to what they install?

nope and that's the way it works for most people and installers. ain't computing just fun

-daz

[RickPaulista]

Ok, just an icon... Sure... Why don't you "explain" this in the download page?

[DJ Egg]

What happens on the main winamp.com site and what happens here on the forums are two separate unconnected entities. We explain what it is/does here.

I guess that if they were to explain what every little option was in the installer on the winamp.com download page, then the page would end up being rather large.

Always pay attention to installers. Never blindly click next without reading everything, otherwise you've got no-one else to blame but yourself.

[FlamingDeath]

Hmm I load winamp this morning and hello whats this, security patch needed for winamp! so ok i download and as usual check to see if winamps have slipped anything in there that I DO NOT WANT OR NEED. Then i notice this thing called Active Security monitor?

Me thinking its winamps way of plugging the security patch i google the name and find myself here as expected. What isn't expected is any mention of the dreaded AOL.

Please winamp, I love your product, stop tainting it with the great unwashed, pure evils such as AOL, they are blood suckers.

And if you do decide to anyway, at least put AOL's name in the installers tick box, then i can make my own decision as to whether i really want AOL crap messing up my machine, I have always stayed clear of AOL as if they were the plague themselves.

AOL products are classic examples of "install but not to be uninstalled" ARRRghhhhh


I might just do a format anyway just to be on the safe side AOL haven't infiltrated my registry like the scum they are


Thanks

Just kidding

[drewbar]

The security fix was something with in_midi. As already stated in this thread, you can uncheck the AOL Security Monitor from the installer (it's got nothing to do with the patched in_midi).

If you blindly hit "Next" in the installer, that is your fault, not Winamps.

By the way, Winamp/Nullosft has been owned by AOL since 1999.

[spoon579]

Hmmm, as FlamingDeath said, though, he installed the new version as part of a security update recommendation. When winamp tells you thta it needs to install a new version because of security issues it sounds pretty serious about it. So you download the new versoin and get an option to install the "Security Monitor". I don't think it's unreasonable to assume that it is part of the security update that you have just installed.

Now the fact that it says "It's free!" should be a good warning. If something uses exclamation marks, I immediately assume it's some form of advertising and so I I don't take it seriously, but on the whole I think it should be more clearly marked as being not a part of the product.

[hsrumsey]

It's not just a shortcut. I have IE crippled by making it prompt to run any sort of scripting, rather than silently blocking or allowing- once you understand that IE=spyware, this is useful.

I'm a tech/reseller, and have to install Winamp upgrades often enough that one day, in a rush, I forgot to uncheck the Get Active Security Monitor- it's Free! box. The next time I started Winamp, and every time since on that computer, starting Winamp brings up the IE
"Scripts are usually safe to run? Do you wish to run this script?"
dialog, without otherwise showing that IE is running. (The correct answer is no, which has probably kept it from installing more crud.)

I'm now several versions of Winamp past that one on that machine, but can't get rid of what is essentially a browser hijack.

[Wildrose-Wally]

Guess you are a lousy re-seller if you don't know what you are doing.
Way to many people sell themselves as experts, and then they are here whining about something they did wrong.

[DJ Egg]

The "Get Active Security Monitor- it's Free" thing was removed a few versions ago,
ie. it's not even in v5.35 :/

[hsrumsey]

*Someone's* sure got an attitude! Wally, lose it.

It's on an inhouse, non-critical system, not a client's, or I'd have worked harder at finding and removing it. No Add/Remove, no program group, regedit didn't find "security monitor", no package had been DLed, this forum had nothing useful, and the 10 minutes I was willing to spend were up.

"No" stops IE, and it's not malicious spyware, so it doesn't return and even the best ASW programs (SS,SD) don't flag or remove it. It's just an annoyance, but a lot of people here thought it was merely a shortcut. Was letting them know the more suspicious among them were correct.

Yeah, that was 5.32 and was removed in 5.33. I thought it odd that although Nullsoft apparently recognized it was a bad idea, the subsequent versions don't clean it up.

Wally, if you want, I think I have the old package to send you so you can configure your own system to block the script, install only the stub, waste your own time, and then enlighten all of us.