Theme

[Borys]

Have you seen the new goblins theme?

► Show Spoiler

I'm using GC...

but it looks better on Firefox.

[Changes_everything]

[Glemp]

Have you seen the new goblins theme?

► Show Spoiler

I'm using GC...

but it looks better on Firefox.

*grumbles* Bloody browser supremeicists...

[Xavier78]

I tried it... it installs crap I don't want and isn't very appealing to look at. No thank you.

[Unlucky-for-Some]

looks cool ... will install when I get home and see

[Krulle]

Read Carefully:

Your free browser theme is made possible through its default premium search engine provider, the WebSearch+ enhancements and other search partners. Please, try them. By installing this theme, you accept Brand Thunder's License Agreement and Privacy Policy. Thank you!

Translation:
Your browser(s) will be modified to send all searches and unknown addresses to the "premium" (whetever that means in this case) search engine provider (websearch.brandthunder.com).
Your IP and computer related data will be used for merchandising.

I once had one trying to install an add-on bar in ALL windows-installed browsers, not just the one I ran it for.

But it's your PC, if not, ask consent from the PC-owner(s), and do inform them of any possible additional stuff being installed.

For a theme, you would not need an installer, much less an un-installer (which is even advertised)...
A theme can be deactivated with a few click in the browsers settings.
No uninstaller needed for that.


For afterwards, I point you to this informative page:

Websearch+ by Brand Thunder is a potentially unwanted program, which is promoted via other free downloads, and once installed it will display pop-up advertisments, and change your browser homepage and your browser search engine to websearch.brandthunder.com.

[...]

However, when you uninstall Websearch+ from your computer, your web browserÔÇÖs default settings will not be restored.

[Arles]

Yeah, I installed it but didn't like what I was getting into so I quickly erased it.

[Borys]

I know, I have so much different add viruses, I don't even care anymore.

[LAYF]

Well... it look cools, but, I newer.. newer uses themes... have had 1 to may viruses sneaked in that way...

[Borys]

I have one virus that I literary can't get rid of. It's called ad yield manager I think and I got it by... downloading drivers for my phone from official page of samsung. It contained three viruses in total.
I got another one from anti-virus.
I managed to quickly delete the one that was in this theme though.

[Sessine]

Huh. Glad I decided to pass. I just spent most of a day I had much better uses for, cleaning up a nasty browser hijacker program like this from my spouse's computer. I sure don't want to lose another day over this.

These things technically aren't viruses -- I think they're called Potentially Unwanted Programs or something. But they are horribly annoying, tricky to get rid of, and even if this one does come with some cool Goblins art, as far as I am concerned it's not the sort of thing nice people like Thunt should be recommending to friends or fans.

[stevedj]

These things technically aren't viruses -- I think they're called Potentially Unwanted Programs or something.

Try "Trojan Horse Software". And as a general rule of thumb... they are bad!

[Borys]

My dad misclicked once in the ad on the site of wizzair. It installed his browser some kind of new search engine and tab. It somehow managed to write itself into ROM. Impossible to delete.

[gamecreator]

I'm pretty much sure you do something wrong and it has nothing to do with ROM.

[Sessine]

These things technically aren't viruses -- I think they're called Potentially Unwanted Programs or something.

Try "Trojan Horse Software". And as a general rule of thumb... they are bad!

Yeah, that's a much better name. That "potentially unwanted" thing got a derisive snort from me when I saw it. Can you say, "weird euphemism," boys and girls? No...? How about "sell-out weasel words"?

They're calling it potentially unwanted because it usually does get you to click on some sort of an "I agree" box before it installs itself and does its dirty work, but what people think they're agreeing to is NOT what they get.

Again:
Thunt, you've been duped into pushing some really shady software to your fans. There's got to be a better way to offer a real Goblins browser theme.

[Thunt]

I understand that there have been shady browsers out there, but Brand Thunder is a reputable company who have been making browser themes for years. They work with companies like Sony, IGN, The Huffington Post and many other huge companies that trust them.

Their software isn't a trojan horse or a virus. I see some people pointing at the theme and making these pretty serious accusations, but can anyone show me the malware that it's carrying? Do any of you actually have any facts that show that Brand Thunder is doing terrible things to your computer, or are you simply yelling "witch"?

Here's all of Brand Thunder's contact info, including email and phone number...

http://brandthunder.com/about/

Feel free to contact them and ask them about any concerns you have. Or poke your head into their forum and see how they actively address their user base in a helpful manner, including offering instructions on how to completely remove BT's themes.

Or enter BT's address into this site checker to see what Google thinks of it... http://asafesite.com/home/

If someone were to find malware in BT's themes, that'd be a whole different matter but so far, all I see are people telling scary tales about other themes, then following it with unfounded accusations about BT.

Of course, you're all welcome to avoid the browser theme for any reason you like and if you specifically find something malicious with the theme, I absolutely want you to let all of us know, but please don't just assume that it must be evil software and that I blindly "got duped".

[Changes_everything]

Alright Thunt, here's what you get with this theme: It's a browser hijacker called WebSearch+.

You can read about what this adware package does in detail for instance here or here. It apparently does rather extensive damage to your browser and may even require cleaning the registry, which is no menial task for lots of people.

While it probably cannot really be called a trojan virus, its methods are certainly bordering on it.


I wouldn't trust software that displays an opt-out field for grabbing the start page even before you get to downloading farther that I can spit anyway...

[Thunt]

Alright Thunt, here's what you get with this theme: It's a browser hijacker called WebSearch+.

You can read about what this adware package does in detail for instance here or here. It apparently does rather extensive damage to your browser and may even require cleaning the registry, which is no menial task for lots of people.

While it probably cannot really be called a trojan virus, its methods are certainly bordering on it.


I wouldn't trust software that displays an opt-out field for grabbing the start page even before you get to downloading farther that I can spit anyway...

Alright, thanks CE. I'll give BT a call and talk to them about the info you've brought up. I'll get back to you with what they say.

[Mytical]

Always create a backup CD when you first get a computer. Always. Every so often, on another set of disks entirely create a backup CD (DVD..whatever). Then if you catch a virus that you just can not get rid of ... use the "Nuke it from orbit just to be sure" method. Make sure though to have a backup of the backup..because once you use the backup CD, toss it. Then create another backup. Better safe then sorry.

IE I have two factory default disks, and two 'up to date' back up disks. If I catch a virus I can not get rid of, I use the up to date one (all are read only). If the virus is still there, I reset it to factory default. Which ever back up disk I use though..I reformat entirely. Then copy each once the virus is found to be gone for good. A bit of overkill.. but almost guarantees there is no virus. Though..if you have to factory default you lose everything. It can be a huge pain getting it back.

[Borys]

It disappeared from my browser.

[Krulle]

The theme, sure.
The web enhancement too?
And have your old settings been restored?

BrandThunder is actually one of the "better" guys around..
They hijack your search engine and home page, but after they asked permission.
And they have a complete uninstall (if you remember to check all boxes to remove the search improvement engine too...), but they still do not restore your old settings.
If you had specific search engines installed, they are not restored.
And other settings remain changed, some of them only adjustable by the windows registry being changed by hand.


(I don't know if the last hijacker was a brandthunder or not (likely not), but now my browser settings are so screwed in the registry, that my location bar does not offer google search results if the site is not found, but simply an error page. Annoys me.
Years ago, it annoyed me that the web browser automagically forwarded your searched web address to the partner search engine when the site was not found - go figure how my behaviour has changed.)

[Changes_everything]

Well, I'd call that malicious software... at the very least it is bad software. I mean, removing registry entries and restoring previous settings when uninstalling is quite simple, provided you actually want your uninstall routine to function properly.

Also, anyone who does that kind of thing probably can be reasonably suspected to do other things with lasting effect to your machine as well, things you wouldn't notice because they're designed not to be noticed...

[Krulle]

I have to say though, that the theme itself looks great (as far as I can tell from a few snapshots here and there).
But that's part of BrandThunder's job: they design browser themes, and make their money by directing traffic towards their brand endorsement optimized search engine (where they actually earn their money).

[Borys]

That Web search I deleted right after I installed theme.
Theme disappeared as it was never there, not leaving any traces.
My previous settings was restored. I mean they never changed. Only on the new tab page where are most often visited pages displayed, pages that I previously deleted from the list were back. Not a big problem. Normally such programs delete entire list.
I didn't spot further differences.

[BTMike]

Alright Thunt, here's what you get with this theme: It's a browser hijacker called WebSearch+.

You can read about what this adware package does in detail for instance here or here. It apparently does rather extensive damage to your browser and may even require cleaning the registry, which is no menial task for lots of people..

The posts you are referring to are simply wrong. And if you look at the sites they are on, you'll see that they are link baiting sites trying to get you to download anti-malware software. When those posts happened, we had no idea where it came from and no one contacted us.

Our themes are free. In order to monetize them, we use WebSearch+ which is our name for enhancements including a search engine and some injected ads.

Everything we do is:

1. Disclosed.
2. Able to be turned off and continue to use the theme (see the preferences).
3. Uninstalled when we are uninstalled.

I work my ass off to make sure the work we do is clean. It gets old when people claim malware/adware when they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about.

If you'd rather send Brand Thunder a few dollars and get a free theme, I'll send you an address.