Disturbing allegations regarding IOBits software

[Ghastly]

Recently, my mother described to me a "scareware" tactic that we see all too often - a piece of software that tells the user that they have a lot of infections and prompting the user to buy the full version to get rid of them.  I was confused, because she described what sounded like the IOBit software, which she said she'd just clicked on an upgrade to. I've been recommending IOBits for several years as an option for the occasional general tuneup, and of course, for the gamebooster tool, and I'd never had it do what she described.   My Mom isn't the most computer literate person and could VERY easily have accidentally done almost anything, but still, it sure sounded like IOBit was what she was seeing.

Sure enough I upgraded IOBit System Care on another machine later, and the newest version goes what I consider to be well over the "scareware" line. To be honest, if I hadn't had years of good experience I would have blacklisted it immediately - and even with years of good success with it, it was enough to make me uncomfortable.  Companies change hands, and companies change tactics with new leadership, so I did a search for IOBits as malware, and was dismayed to have this come up.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10389650-245.html

and more detail from MalwareBytes.

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=29681

Take it for what it's worth, but I for one am feeling very very uncomfortable with any IOBit software on my system right now.  I just can't see where Malwarebytes - who has an impeccable reputation - would have any reason to start a legal war unless very convinced of what they were seeing.

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EDIT->  Just found this on the MalwareBytes forum, where the resolution of the matter has been posted.  (And not in a manner that is complimentary to IOBits...)

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=33217&pid=168832&st=0&#entry168832

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[Tigger29]

That's the problem with software these days.  It's very difficult to make money charging for the software, as there is probably a free counterpart out there somewhere.  You can't give it away for free because you don't make any money off of it.  So what can you do?

Well same thing local TV stations do.. charge for advertising.  You can put ads up during the installation.  You can 'sneak' toolbars and whatnot in there during the installation routine, and you might make two cents for each toolbar that gets installed, but it's better than nothing... but even this doesn't add up to even enough to make a living off of.

And then here lies the problem.  You have a company making a piece of software and no matter HOW great the software is, since they never made any profit off of it, they pretty much sell it to the first company that wants to buy it.

Then this new company has control of this popular piece of software (which is well known and trusted for not stooping to 'evil' levels) and wants to make a bunch of money off of it right from the get-go.  They don't care about the reputation of the software... all they care about is return on investment.  If they paid $2mil for it, and can make $3mil off of it.. then so be it... so they do whatever they think they can get by with to do exactly that.

So... how does this get fixed?  It's simple.  If there is a piece of freeware software you use frequently, then pay them for it.  Convince all of your friends to do the same.  If the company is making money off of its users then it has no reason to sell out.  You have to support the companies who produce products that you enjoy.  As long as people keep taking advantage of 'free' things, this kind of thing is going to continue to happen.

[Ghastly]

In this case it would have meant paying thieves who were stealing someone else's intellectual property and claiming it for their own.  How exactly would that fix the issue? 

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[Tigger29]

In this case it would have meant paying thieves who were stealing someone else's intellectual property and claiming it for their own.  How exactly would that fix the issue?  

Well then I must have read your post wrong.. I thought you were saying that IOBits sold out to another company who then started these wrongful practices.  My bad.

Some weeks ago we presented evidence demonstrating that the Chinese company IObit had stolen Malwarebytes' database and incorporated it into their software.

That just proves that people should do some more research before using free software.  I remember hearing about it about a year ago, but forgot this is what you were referring to.   'Nuff said

[guncrasher]

I got dupped into buying it when it mentioned that i had something like 10k problems with my computer.  all problems were that it hadnt immunized cookies/folders against some viruses.  but at the time I thought that I actually had lots of viruses/malware installed on my computer.  I just refused to renew and completely removed the program from my computer.  I also had to do a complete os install but that was for other reasons.  once I found out about them stealing malwarebytes virus definitions, that was it for me.  It's a good program, but it makes you wonder why they would steal and then ask you to trust them.

semp

[Ghastly]

Well then I must have read your post wrong.. I thought you were saying that IOBits sold out to another company who then started these wrongful practices.  My bad.

That just proves that people should do some more research before using free software.  I remember hearing about it about a year ago, but forgot this is what you were referring to.   'Nuff said

Assuming the emphasis on "Chinese company" is your own, are you saying that you can tell solely based upon where a company is headquartered that the company is illicit?

[DeltaFox]

It has been all downhill and not a good situation since Delphi (Delphi Forums) went to the Premium version and started charging money to use it.  Everybody else jumped on the band wagon to get their's $$ .

I don't mind paying a one time fee for something, but every year another $ dishout for the same thing I do not like.

PCs are like having a new car, and endless money pit.  I do not think I will be able to afford this thing on a fixed income and retirement in a few years.

Crap Cleaner and the other items in its family do a good job of keeping my PC clean and lean and they are free.

Recently, my mother described to me a "scareware" tactic that we see all too often - a piece of software that tells the user that they have a lot of infections and prompting the user to buy the full version to get rid of them.  I was confused, because she described what sounded like the IOBit software, which she said she'd just clicked on an upgrade to. I've been recommending IOBits for several years as an option for the occasional general tuneup, and of course, for the gamebooster tool, and I'd never had it do what she described.   My Mom isn't the most computer literate person and could VERY easily have accidentally done almost anything, but still, it sure sounded like IOBit was what she was seeing.

Sure enough I upgraded IOBit System Care on another machine later, and the newest version goes what I consider to be well over the "scareware" line. To be honest, if I hadn't had years of good experience I would have blacklisted it immediately - and even with years of good success with it, it was enough to make me uncomfortable.  Companies change hands, and companies change tactics with new leadership, so I did a search for IOBits as malware, and was dismayed to have this come up.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-27080_3-10389650-245.html

and more detail from MalwareBytes.

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=29681

Take it for what it's worth, but I for one am feeling very very uncomfortable with any IOBit software on my system right now.  I just can't see where Malwarebytes - who has an impeccable reputation - would have any reason to start a legal war unless very convinced of what they were seeing.

<S>

EDIT->  Just found this on the MalwareBytes forum, where the resolution of the matter has been posted.  (And not in a manner that is complimentary to IOBits...)

http://forums.malwarebytes.org/index.php?showtopic=33217&pid=168832&st=0&#entry168832

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