Hi, this is my first time here and today I tried to access FDM's official website and I couldn't. So, I guessed it could be the cos of the hosts file and it was. The web site www.freedownloadmanager.org is being blocked.

Why?

As far as I know, it is not a bad one.

Any thoughts on that?

Thanks.

The FDM site was included because it is offering malware and rogue applications;

http://www.siteadvisor.com/sites/freedo ... downloads/

Yes, I know that www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads leads to that sort of things. They should know better, but I guess they don't really care as long as they get money with it (I'm guessing is a way of getting money, hosting apps), so they can give FDM for free.

It's a wrong approach from their part, but, well ...

Why not just block www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads instead of www.freedownloadmanager.org ? People could have access to the safe page and not allowed to access the bad page.

After all, FDM is not a rogue or malware app.

Best regards

Unfortunately, the HOSTS file does not support blocking sub-directories. In addition, we cannot allow the unblocking of those that support the distribution or get paid to help distribute, malware.

Yes, that is correct. Forgot about that fact.

Perhaps, the only thing to do, is to alert the users of hpHosts, that the domain www.freedownloadmanager.org/downloads leads to rogue and malware apps, but that the main domain is safe to visit. This alert, of course, would have to be included in the hosts file, at the beginning.

Then people can just comment or uncomment that line.

Just an idea.

Best regards.

There are many sites that would fit into that category however, including many Zlob sites that have nothing malicious on the homepage, but have the Zlob trojan in subdirectories. If I included a note in the file about them all (couldn't do it for one without doing it for them all), the file would be 10 times the size.

I will however, add a note to it's listing on the site

Alas, upon checking the latest version of their program, the FDM site does not deserve a safe site notice.

1. Software Informer is bundled AND prechecked

If you leave this ticked, it is also preticked to autoload with Windows.

2. NO mention is made of this on the download page
3. SI is beta software - something NOT recommended for general users

Note, Software Informer was a safe program to use the last time I checked it, the issue here is lack of pre-download disclosure, and prechecking options to install bundled software from third parties.

What else are they bundling without disclosure?

That's odd. I installed the beta version and I didn't see that field at all.

After seeing your reply, I reinstalled FDM beta and no field such as that. Then again, I performed an upgrade. Perhaps, that is why I didn't see it.

Also, these days, many software vendors, including security vendors, include things not related to their companies and that have nothing to do with what the software in cause does.

For example, Crap Cleaner will install the yahoo toolbar by default.
SpySweeper and Comodo Firewall Pro will install Ask.com toolbar by default.
If users don't read and see, as they should, then they will get that crap installed on their systems.

Thats a few that I remember.

Should their sites be blocked? No, they develop safe software.

Don't take me wrong. I am against those software vendors that bundle other apps with their apps, specially when they come selected by default, to be installed.
But the user must see the steps he/she makes while installing something. It is common sense. Otherwise they will be fixing something they should have prevented in the first place.

I downloaded the setup for FDM, directly from their website



I agree, users should be looking. However, users are downloading from what they think are trusted developers, and thus trust that developer not to include something thats not wanted or mentioned.

The main blame for this lies squarely with the developers. Users are only recently (within the past year or two) being told to read everything within an installer, and even then thats only due to the rise in malware. Users shouldn't have to be this paranoid.

Thats a little insulting ....... there's more of us freeware dev's that still have our ethics and morals intact than there is those without