Viewpoint Manager, Spyware On Your Computer! (important)

[Mainter]

Ok, my computer has been acting funny lately and I've been combing over things to pinpoint any problems. Aside from a Java trojan, not much has come up. I did a scan with this website program called Housecall by TrendMicro that works well and is free. Something came up that was labeled AWS or something, and it was unnamed so I did a search for it. A while later, I started learning about Viewpoint Media Player.

This is secretly installed with several programs, the biggest infiltration is with AIM. With AIM, the program is not only installed secretly, but upon removal it is automatically re-installed, EACH TIME YOU OPEN AIM

What does it do? Well, it used to just look for updates and hijack your browser with pop-ups, along with allowing AIM to do those video ads. As of this year, they have begun something much more devious: TRACKING AND COLLECTING YOUR EVERY MOVE ON THIS INTERNET AND DOING SO WITH PRIDE, CLAIMING IT IS IN YOUR BEST INTEREST. - http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3561546

This means that it is using not only your internet connection, but a heavy amount of resources on your PC. If you are experiencing any sort of slowdowns on your computer (not just the internet), this might be why. They claim to have 120 million "customers", so there is a very good chance that it is installed on your computer.

Here's a bit from their "privacy statement":

"Our clients are wide-ranging, from online retailers to auto manufacturers to online advertisers. For example, Sony uses Viewpoint to display complex features of its notebook, desktop, and server computing products. Toyota, Ford, and other car manufacturers use the Viewpoint player to highlight capabilities that are difficult to promote in a showroom or on a test drive. Many other product and service companies, most notably AOL, Coke, M&Ms, Sega, and Visa use Viewpoint for high-impact rich media advertising on a variety of popular web sites. The Viewpoint Media Player comes bundled with AOL, AIM, Adobe products and most retail computers sold today."

THIS PROGRAM DOES NOT SHOW UP ON A VAST MAJORITY OF SPYWARE DETECTION PROGRAMS AND WEBSITES, INCLUDING:

PestPatrol (Computer Associates)

Norton

Mcafee

Hijackthis

liutilities

-----> Ad-aware <----------

System Info

Computer Cops

Webroot Spysweeper

Microsoft Anti-Spyware

Spybot Search & Destroy

This is probably because either Viewpoint has paid these guys off, or they have found a loophole where you automatically sign their agreement when you install AIM. Also, they have only just recently started their tracking and collection, so the spyware detectors might still be playing catch-up.

If you open your Control Panel, you will most likely find Viewpoint has installed an icon even in there, as if it were an essential component.

Here's a way to remove it:

ViewPoint Media Player manual removal:

Uninstall Viewpoint Media Player from 'Add/Remove Programs'. Make sure you close any programs that might use this and also check your taskmanager (ctrl+alt+delete) for the "viewmngr.exe" process, or anything else with it's name. If you see it, close it, because if you try to remove the program, it will not fully do so when it is open. CLOSE AIM, FOR SURE.

Misc:

These Related files needs to be deleted if you want to remove viewpoint:

AxMetaStream.dll, ComponentMgr.dll, MetaStreamID.ini, MtsAxInstaller.exe, npViewpoint.dll, npViewpoint.xpt, JpegReader.dll, Mts3Reader.dll, SceneComponent.dll, SreeDMMX.dll, SWFView.dll, WaveletReader.dll

BEFORE YOU READ ANY OF THE SITES BELOW, READ THIS ONE: http://www.clickz.com/news/article.php/3561546

YOU WILL SEE THE PRESS RELEASE REGARDING VIEWPOINT'S BLATENT DESTRUCTION OF YOUR PRIVACY. THIS IS VERY RECENT AND KEEP IT IN MIND WHENEVER YOU READ ANYTHING ABOUT THEM NOT BEING SPYWARE.

Here are some links to help you:

Removal:

http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-view...ia-player.html - This site lists it as being "legitimate", obviously they have been comprimised, but still tell you how to get rid of it. You should also read the comments, because they go much further into the illegality and the removal.

http://www.download.com/ViewpointKil...-10492072.html - A "Viewpoint Killer", I have not tried this, but will after I begin the removal process.

Explanations:

Recent (March), guy also offers a hidden way to stop AIM from re-installing it, and a pathetic excuse for a man named "Michael Tzez" defends Viewpoint: http://edeldoug.blogs.com/thoughts_r....html#comments

A very recent Slashdot discussion: http://ask.slashdot.org/article.pl?s...26202&from=rss

http://ask-leo.com/is_viewpoint_spyware.html - A guy named "Leo" explains some things, plus more of Michael Tzez's ranting, the guy is becoming a well-known name for those who try and speak out against Viewpoint.

For more information, simply search for "Viewpoint", "Viewpoint spyware", "Viewpoint removal", etc on Google.

Viewpoint has more users than Realplayer and nearly all of them never even knew they had installed it. Think about that and then go and rid yourself of this plague. They claim they are not spyware and campaign that statement, but they are lying and you should not be fooled. Please spread this information. The more people that know, the sooner this will end.

Edited May 18, 2006 by Mainter

[TheTerrorist_75]

Hijack This does show it. We have known about this for a long time.

CastleCops calls it foistware and has a warning.

http://castlecops.com/s4102-ViewMgr.html

[thesidekickcat]

What part of "THIS IS MY COMPUTER, DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT MY FULL INFORMED PERMISSION!" do these sleeze bags not understand?

Thanks for the information about this scum stuff!!!

Pat

God bless everyone

[TheTerrorist_75]

What part of "THIS IS MY COMPUTER, DO NOT ENTER WITHOUT MY FULL INFORMED PERMISSION!" do these sleeze bags not understand?

Thanks for the information about this scum stuff!!!

Pat

God bless everyone

What would you expect from AOL? They have always snuck crap on your systems since they started. Amn y big websites such as Ford Motor Company contain ads that use this crapware to display them. Big business can't be bothered to research the spyware used for their ads as long as it brings in the bucks.

[xxkbxx]

At one point of time MSN.com had banners that would load spyware if you clicked on them (very common throughout the internet anyways)

[Matt]

meh, Viewpoint isn't that big of a deal.. Some experts don't even consider it malware. While I don't support drive-by installs or the like, viewpoint shouldn't be anywhere close to the top of your security warnings. Big removal steps aren't really needed, if you know what you are doing.

I know it says it may become big adware this year, but as of right now, not much is to worry about. Way to prevent this? Don't use AIM. Get trillian or similar software.