Tools query...

[carpetmojo]

Having got a new laptop, took the opportunity to get the latest Tools, 6.8...

Did the usual, hit the left hand button to download them, not the big one on the right . I opened the download to get installation going, I got a box for permission to permit alterations to hard drive/systems etc.., again as usual I think but the name/publisher was given as Daniel Jemoch ...... also a notification from Bullguard that it was not trusted, and was blocked.
Now I didn't recall seeing the name before - but it may be me just not checking in the past, because something made me Google the name, and got a lot of, well, not very reassuring references !
The general gist was "Beware anything from this source", and warnings re: virus' and corrupted file warnings .
Was, was I right to hesitate ?
Shows, at the least, that my security awareness has become a bit lax, in that I must never have looked at the name before........
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

[signum]

Sounds like you got an infected copy of Calibre from a dubious source. The only way to be sure you're getting a clean copy of Calibre is to download it from the official site:

http://calibre-ebook.com/download

Calibre is unusual in that updated installs are posted on every Friday. The current version as of this writing is Calibre 1.39.

[PeterT]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Having got a new laptop, took the opportunity to get the latest Tools, 6.8...

Did the usual, hit the left hand button to download them, not the big one on the right . I opened the download to get installation going, I got a box for permission to permit alterations to hard drive/systems etc.., again as usual I think but the name/publisher was given as Daniel Jemoch ...... also a notification from Bullguard that it was not trusted, and was blocked.
Now I didn't recall seeing the name before - but it may be me just not checking in the past, because something made me Google the name, and got a lot of, well, not very reassuring references !
The general gist was "Beware anything from this source", and warnings re: virus' and corrupted file warnings .
Was, was I right to hesitate ?
Shows, at the least, that my security awareness has become a bit lax, in that I must never have looked at the name before........
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

By any chance did you forget to deselect the Use Download Manager button?

[MartyTX]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Having got a new laptop, took the opportunity to get the latest Tools, 6.8...
Any help or advice would be appreciated.

Last version on Alf is 6.0.8. Was "Tools, 6.8..." a typo?
If not a typo, what is download URL?

[theducks]

Originally Posted by MartyTX

Last version on Alf is 6.0.8. Was "Tools, 6.8..." a typo?
If not a typo, what is download URL?

Do NOT post any 'tools' URL here. MR policy.

Only hints are allowed

[MartyTX]

@theducks,

Thanks for the policy reminder.

In fact, requesting a URL for any program that might contain malware wasn't too bright on my part!

[eschwartz]

carpetmojo, don't you use the Fully Automatic calibre Autoupdate Solution (Windows)? That should alway download the right file...

(I looked up the thread to recommend it, then saw you had posted to that thread. )

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by carpetmojo

Having got a new laptop, took the opportunity to get the latest Tools, 6.8...

Did the usual, hit the left hand button to download them, not the big one on the right ...

Yep, did the same thing, clicked the left hand button before realising there was a "Use our download manager and get recommended downloads" checkbox under it which was checked by default (in my view default checking of such is a disagreeable practice). Unusual for me to miss such but was in a hurry.

All the rubbish that was downloaded was identified as malicious by Malwarebytes but ignored by MS's Windows defender - I suspect it was actually all ok threatwise, just useless junk so only pain was uninstalling it all.

[BetterRed]

@AnotherCat - I'm not sure any of the security packages detect PUPs as they arrive. I disinfected 4 machines recently that run MWB Pro, the PUPs and the other junk were only detected with a full MWB scan.

One of their data sources changed from mediafire to a fly by night free file sharing host. Lawyers at twenty paces are priming their Purdey's

BR

[AnotherCat]

Originally Posted by BetterRed

@AnotherCat - I'm not sure any of the security packages detect PUPs as they arrive...

But hopefully do if the PUP download automatically installs as it arrives.

For unwanted non malicious type programs that automatically install themselves on arrival, as I believe the Alf associated ones likely did as I did not knowingly take any specific action to initiate their installation myself, I would assume none warn?? But I don't really know and my hands on experience is, fortunately, very limited to just this one event over many, many years .

Am talking generally above, I suspect the Alf associated ones are very likely not malicious in any way so not really PUPs, I did not investigate though I just ditched them all; it may be that they are valued downloads for some users.

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by AnotherCat

But hopefully do if the PUP download automatically installs as it arrives.

MWB Pro doesn't, that's what happened in the case I mentioned - automatic download and 'execute'. A skim through the other security products seems to tell a similar story - full scan only after the install.

UAC should prevent, but no one reads the messages they just click through them - familiarity, contempt... Best thing is to do each step yourself, then there's a chance that you'll see blahblah.exe and say eh, what the.... I was expecting blahblah.zip.

Most PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) are 'harmless' in and of themselves, they're 'come-ons' to get you to buy something that you don't want or need anyway. But they create visual havoc with zillions of glitzy popups telling you to backup, clean the registry, etc etc. The damage is done by users panicking.

In the case above it took the gov't funded not 4 profit welfare agency over a week to fully recover and redo lost work. I'm going back next week to de-fang the automated download processes that were implemented by a 'we're from the government, we're here to help' dude.

BR

[carpetmojo]

Originally Posted by signum

Sounds like you got an infected copy of Calibre from a dubious source. The only way to be sure you're getting a clean copy of Calibre is to download it from the official site:
http://calibre-ebook.com/download
Calibre is unusual in that updated installs are posted on every Friday. The current version as of this writing is Calibre 1.39.

First, thanks for all the input - I seem to have at least touched upon a topic worth airing for the general community ..........
Briefly, and more or less in order ....


Signum, nope, kosher Calibre, that was OK.

"Deselect .... yes,Pete, now that may well be the answer ... I'm sure I saw a note somewhere "make sure the 'Download Manager Button is selected" which I did - so that will be my first port of call !......
[I so agree, 'Cat -default checking, rather than an "opt in" process,is a really annoying, and potentiallly damaging practice, and in my opinion, should be outlawed.]

"Fully Automatic calibre Autoupdate Solution (Windows)" - thanks, schwartz, that'll be my second port of call !

So thanks again, one and all - I'll check all the above and report back, it may help some members.

Oh, Marty, yes, typo I'm afraid, bit digit challenged at the moment after hand surgery !!