10 replies to this topic

[darkin99]

Suddenly, when I'd go to a new tab in Firefox, I would get a page which was a search box from Blekko. I couldn't find anything called Blekko on my computer. Not ad-ons, extentions or programs. I spent many hours over several weeks trying to fnd a way to eliminate the Blekko search page from coming up when I clicked on New Tab. Finally, I found the Blekko web site. After several email exchanges with Blekko they told me to disable Ad-Aware Security Toolbar in my Firefox extensions. That did it. Ad-Aware had downloaded malware during an update that hacked my computer and changed my New Tab to a Blekko page without my knowledge. And they had the nerve to call it Ad-Aware Security Toolbar. Shame on you Lavasoft, providing malware protection software that itself loads malware on computers.

After several years of using Ad-Aware, I'm uninstalling it forever. If anyone from Lavasoft reads this, please forward it to the one responsible for making a deal with Blekko to include their malware in Ad-Aware and disguise as a security program.

Goodbye Lavasoft.

[CeciliaB]

Hi darkin99,

I'll inform my contact person at Lavasoft about your post.

Blekko isn't malicious. You can read about Blekko on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blekko
Some comments from other people about the web site: http://www.mywot.com...card/blekko.com

It is part of the security toolbar with its safe browsing feature. I guess that the search page will block you from ending up on malicious web sites, which can easily happen when using for example Google for searches. It is optional to install the toolbar during the installation of Ad-Aware.

You can configure Firefox and decide what shall happen when you open a new tab.

[hackerman1]

Hi darkin99,

I'll inform my contact person at Lavasoft about your post.

Blekko isn't malicious. You can read about Blekko on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blekko
Some comments from other people about the web site: http://www.mywot.com...card/blekko.com

It is part of the security toolbar with its safe browsing feature. I guess that the search page will block you from ending up on malicious web sites, which can easily happen when using for example Google for searches. It is optional to install the toolbar during the installation of Ad-Aware.

You can configure Firefox and decide what shall happen when you open a new tab.

Hi !

Well, that´s NOT exactly true !

That toolbar is already marked (pre-checked) during the installation together with Browsing-protection.
You have to unmark those options, which means it´s optional NOT to install it !
So that´s why you had it installed darkin99....

There is also a very annoying "forced" installation of the Browsing-protection.
It´s installed even if you unmark the option !
To remove it you have to open Control panel → Programs and features, and then uninstall it.

Edited by hackerman1, 25 August 2012 - 11:28 AM.

[darkin99]

It's probably true that the Ad-Aware installation has a negative option to NOT install Blekko. But negative options are easy to miss and software companies know it's an easy way to make a little extra cash by providing it as a negative option. Then, the user finds he has software on his computer he never intended to install and not a hint on how to uninstall it. I will boycot any software company that does this to me. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I won't give you a chance.

[CeciliaB]

Must be hard to find a free antivirus program of good quality with that requirement. Specially if the requirement should include previous versions too.

Sorry, my English isn't good enough to understand your last three sentences.

[darkin99]

Sorry Cecilia if I confused you. The last three sentences mean that if you fool me once, it's your fault. But if I let you fool me again, it's my fault for letting you do that to me. It means I have learned my lesson and it won't happen again.

Cecilia, even though I'm upset with Lavasoft for causing me to waste a lot of time, it's been a nice experience corresponding with you. Thank you for your help and advice.

David

[CeciliaB]

You are welcome, David.

It has been nice to correspond with you, too.

[Godsninja]

I disagree with your statement Cecilia. Blekko has caused me nothing but bad things. Ever since I ran into blekko, on my laptop and on my PC, I've had non-stop word artifacts all over my google searches. I could list off everything I've done to try to fully remove blekko, but I feel like it would be a waste of words. The word artifacts still appear. Ad-Aware should fully remove blekko from their system, and use something more trustworthy, and likable... like CCleaner for example.

[CeciliaB]

Hi Godsninja,

 

Blekko search engine is used to deliver more safe search results than Google. CCleaner doesn't have that function.

 

If you want help to remove everything of the browser add-on, please start a new topic and include the log files from DDS:

Save DDS to your desktop: http://download.blee...om/sUBs/dds.scr

Double-click on the DDS tool to run it.

When finished, DDS will open two (2) logs:
1. DDS.txt
2. Attach.txt

Save them to your desktop and paste the content of DDS.txt into your answer. In the log file I can see what's still there and give you advice how to remove the left-overs.

[brick]

I have blekko search engine in my browser since I installed adaware. Can I uninstall that in my browser?

[CeciliaB]

Hi brick,

 

Of course, please see the post http://www.lavasofts...-search-engine/ and restart your browser(s).

If you still notice anything of Blekko after that, please write here what browser(s) you use and how you notice blekko.