Free software often offers you additional "goodies" to download at the same time as your chosen item. These items are to be avoided completely. As I know to my cost!
The additional offering is usually a "helpful" toolbar; however, they often turn out to be malicious at worst and annoying at best.
I admit I wasn't concentrating as hard as I should have when updating some security software, but it still came as an unpleasant shock when my browser of choice decided that when I opened a new tab it would "helpfully" re-direct me to a website that was not my choice.
It took me a few frustrating hours to get rid of the offending download. I tried all the usual scans for malware, but nothing was detected. I searched for help on Google, and there was plenty, but none of it worked. This was a very clever piece of malware, that protected itself against all known dis-infections. That is worrying, and that is why I am alerting you to this threat.
The fact that it took me so long to remove it indicates a degree of maliciousness that is totally unacceptable.
In the end, only the complete uninstalling of the browser (Firefox) removed the infection, as the malware had deeply embedded itself into the workings of that browser.
Fortunately, I remembered to back up my Bookmarks/Favorites before doing a complete removal of the browser software, else I would have lost them in the necessarily complete uninstall.
This infestation ranks as reasonably annoying in terms of its effects on my computer use, but totally unacceptable in terms of not allowing me to decide where I want my browser to go. If it can control that, what else can the infection control?
You have been warned! You do not need yet another toolbar - trust me, you don't. Just say no, and you will save yourself hours of frustration trying to get rid of it, and possibly the cost of a computer engineer to do it for you.
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