JetClean came with spyware

I have read some good reviews about JetClean in this forum. I downloaded it. ESET on line scanner produced the following result:



This was installed by JetClean behind my back. How trustworthy and safe is it to use this software. Should I get rid of it?

 

depending on what was deleted, the program may still be viable and just this part was quarantined, check to see if jetclean works and if it does then the spyware part has been quarantined, you are good to go.

running it with virus total 5 out of 53 detected a virus, but yes I would delete it, and if you still want jetclean, download again from somewhere else and ALWAYS scan a downoad once it hits your desktop and before installing.

 

In this case I am worried that this might connect to the internet (for instance to update JetClean), and infect me again. What do you think?

 

Just disconnect your internet before JetClean runs. Then there is no way that it can update.

 

also look at your settings, you should be able to disable automatic updating for jetclean

 

Automatic updates can be disabled. But "Check for updates when program is launched" cannot be deselected. The trouble is to remember to disconnect the internet when using it

 

I just would not use jetclean then if it will not give me the option to choose.

 

Agreed. Doesn't sound like a trustworthy app.

 

I suppose I have to get rid of it. It's such a pity because it seemed to work very well, removing hundreds of little things from the computer that we are not even aware of. And such good reviews by users here too.

 

Before uninstalling Jetclean I ran Malwarebytes. It detected 99 items from Jetclean! See screen shot.

 

obviously this is not a good program, or maybe it was just your download, might try a different download site.

 

When I had a problem with BleachBit auto-updating, I blocked it using my software firewall (Outpost Firewall 2009). Your firewall can likely prevent any given app from connecting to the internet. As I recall I had to explore around in the settings, as Outpost was not intuitive.

Some apps are just infected from the get-go, as the developer sells out to purveyors of bundleware to make some chump-change at the user's expense. Other apps are clean to start with, but places like CNET/Download.com add in the nasties. There are only a few download sources that are still trustworthy.To know which it is try here:
http://m.majorgeeks.com/files/details/jetclean.html
If your malware scanner still detects nasties, then it's the developer doing the dirty deed, so you should avoid it. I been using BleachBit and CCleaner consecutively for at least a year, with no problems.

 

This is where I downloaded from and there it says, "We've used JetClean for years here at MajorGeeks and it is easily one of the top 3 best cleaning apps available". Now, how do we reconcile this with my experience. In addition to what I show in the screenshots at posts #1 and #10; I did another scan with Malwarebytes after I uninstalled Jetclean and found 28 more places infected by Jetclean! All 28 were found in Application Data and System Volume Information.

The last time I downloaded something from CNET was about 10 years ago, when they were clean, and from Download.com never.

At BlueSprig web page when I clicked on 'Download' I was redirected to the Majorgeeks download page. There is a link there 'Download@Authors Site' (click the link in post above to see). I clicked to download from the author's site, and on the 'jetclean-setup.exe' pop up window it was written that it was coming from 'http://download.bluesprig.com'.

This is my 1st experience with such a massive infection and from a supposedly reputed website.

 

If anyone has a clean JetClean installer, they could upload it for Janice.

 

https://www.techspot.com/downloads/5966-jetclean/similar/
according to Techspot they have noticed the pups in all jetclean downloads and have given a list of alternative cleaners

BlueSprig is the publisher of jetclean

I went through 4 pages looking for a clean download and gave up.

 

I have never used or heard of JetClean until reading through this thread but like so many of these "PC Booster/Optimizer" programs it should be avoided.

My professional opinion is all these so-called "PC Optimizer/Booster, Registry cleaners" and their like are nothing more than placebo. I've had to fix computers from 3 different people last month that inadvertently downloaded and installed these types of programs on their PCs. They claim to remove obsolete registry entries and junk files left behind by other programs. I had one that wouldn't boot Windows 7 after running through the cleaning process - I had to restore from an image I made for her PC six months earlier - she lost data of course because she didn't follow my backup advice. Others wouldn't uninstall completely or would freeze the PC.

I stopped using CCleaner after they were acquired by Avast and then infected 2 million PCs with Malware.

My trust level is very low when it comes to any third party application to automatically maintain and optimize my computers and those I am responsible for. I prefer to do these things manually and backup my registry/image my PC regularly.

Take the time to learn proper PC maintenance it is a wise investment.

 

I think the best choice for me is CCleaner. I'll use the 5 .32 version with updates disabled, the last version before Avast got hold of it.

 

As mentioned, either the malware was added by the developer, or by the download source. Majorgeeks is known for being a 'clean' site (so far), so my guess would be the developer is responsible. Also, if you clicked on Download@Authors Site, then you are not actually downloading it from Majorgeeks, but direct from the author, which gives the developer the opportunity to add in bundleware, PUPs, etc. If the Download@MajorGeeks option works, that would be my choice, as they run the apps on offer through their inhouse virus checker.

Or you might try downloading it from another source with a good reputation, and see if that also triggers your malware scanner:

https://downloads.tomsguide.com/JetClean,0301-51412.html
https://www.softpedia.com/get/Tweak/System-Tweak/JetClean.shtml

There is one other possibility, in that your malware scanner could be giving a 'false positive'. I'd report this to Majorgeeks forum, and see what they say. Frankly, I'd just go with using BleachBit and CCleaner.