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UTorrent update installs “web companion” without permission
I got a notice to update uTorrent for important security reasons. Clicking through, I carefully declined the offer that came with it.
Nevertheless, I saw a new program Web Companion, start up afterward. uTorrent also took the liberty of closing my browser and changing its default search engine. (I did not have a choice in this matter.)
For this behavior, uTorrent has been listed as a Threat by Microsoft:
https://www.google.com/search?q=utorrent+installs+web+companion
As of now, uTorrent installation may change your default search engine and install unwanted software without asking you.
UPDATE: also it tried to install a Chrome extension which Chrome notified me of and allowed me to block -
https://imgur.com/a/RWzJZ0E
- jasonkester 8y agoYou're witnessing the final stage in the BitTorrent Client Lifecycle: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6621393 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6621393 The solution is to switch to the latest "lightweight" client, and use it for about five years, until it also starts installing malware and mining bitcoin in the background.
- romanovcode 8y agoThe solution is to use FOSS client. https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent https://github.com/qbittorrent/qBittorrent
- mkbkn 8y agoThankfully I use qBitTorrent, A FOSS client available on most of the platforms. No ads, no junk.
- neilsimp1 8y agoI came hear to say this. uTorrent was great for a number of years, but I'm now using qBitTorrent on both Windows and Linux. There's a lot of great features, too, such as renaming files before starting the download.