Zango Experiment

[kodyack]

Ok I am going to do a test to see if any adware spyware ect, can come from Zango. I will update you as I go along.

My main plan is to do a 24 hour evaluation

I will start by downloading an antispyware viral ect program called ad aware, and I will clean out my computer of any spyware and viruses that currently are calling my computer home, then I will install Zango from Vreel. After which I will monitor by sweeping every hour, excepting at night when I am asleep, duh. at the end of the sweep I will post the results on the forum.

The Administrators have approved of this thread and I will try to add screenshots as I go along.

my first update will be after I have finished the preliminary sweep


UPDATE 1: Finished Sweep

I finished a sweep with Ad Aware and my results are 0 critical and 210 privacy objects

I selected them all and removed them, thus having a clean computer, I will now download Zango from Vreel

here is the agreement

Zango is a free, premium-content access tool, paid for by advertising. Once installed and while online, using keywords sent to Zango from your Internet browsing, Zango software (with Weather) shows ads in a Zango Toolbar; a temporary Slider, on (e.g.) the bottom corner of your screen; and a separate browser window that pops up on your screen. If you search for or view Adult websites, you may receive Adult-oriented ads. Depending on your browser version, Zango may become the default search provider. Additionally, Zango may redirect a search resulting in an error to a list of sites similar to your search terms. Zango's Internet Explorer, Outlook/Outlook Express and Word Toolbars give access to free emoticons (and more) within those applications, when online. Zango runs continuously and upgrades automatically. Uninstallation is easy via Add/Remove Programs.

here is the End User Licesnse agreement

Zango is a free, premium-content access tool, paid for by advertising. Once installed and while online, using keywords sent to Zango from your Internet browsing, Zango software (with Weather) shows ads in a Zango Toolbar; a temporary Slider, on (e.g.) the bottom corner of your screen; and a separate browser window that pops up on your screen. If you search for or view Adult websites, you may receive Adult-oriented ads. Depending on your browser version, Zango may become the default search provider. Additionally, Zango may redirect a search resulting in an error to a list of sites similar to your search terms. Zango's Internet Explorer, Outlook/Outlook Express and Word Toolbars give access to free emoticons (and more) within those applications, when online. Zango runs continuously and upgrades automatically. Uninstallation is easy via Add/Remove Programs.

I ran the installation program

It asks if I want to install shopper reports, since this is about zango and adware I will go ahead and say no

I have now installed Zango on my computer and will run the Ad Aware program on my computer.

[kodyack]

Ok the first sweep got me two alerts

101 Critical objects, that was inhabited by Zango, under the definition of adware and the other one was a privacy privacy object.







So Ad Aware identified Zango as adware thusfar, and I have one new MRU object, which is how a computer stores a Most Recently Used object. so its nothing.

I will start a sweep at 12:30, and check back with the results later.

NEW UPDATE!!!

Thus far we have no new critical threats, but we do have one new tracking cookie, lets see what happens

[kodyack]

The next Sweep will be at 2:15

At 3:00 AM I recieved my first Popup on Clocks, it was somehow on IE which I had uninstalled from my computer. I the current tab I had on was Coldplays Clocks Lyrics... Close but no banana.

At 3:03 AM I got a second popup, again on IE, I have no idea what its about because it can't seem to find the popup it wants, so there ya go if you wanna mess with your popup thingie just google coldplay viva la vida and wait.. but I do have a question, It says finalizing installation... this worries me in that it is installing software on my computer without my permission, albeit the software is harmless IE, it proves that Zango can and does install software without permission.



Nothing new for adware or such



I'll sweep when I wake up later today, its 4:30 AM here

UPDATE

Nothing new to report.

Update, I am going to try uninstalling the program now, I swept before now and have found no new spyware or adware or anyware... Update when I am done

Uninstall was easy and quick though I had to restart the computer afterwords


I have tested the Software, the worst thing that happened is my computer slowed down, but my computer doesn't have a lot of memory so I don't think i can blame Zango, Zango has been Kodyack Certified SAFE!

[kodyack]

Reserve 3 Post

[kodyack]

Reserve 4 post

[kodyack]

Reserve 5 Post

[mcmxxi]

wow man u rly doin somethin here... It's getting interesting, keep the updates comin

[XxDeMoNxX]

Just to add to the list of.. Whatever picks it up haha..

Here's what I got:



it also installed "Weather" Seen as Adware.. and "Hotbar" seen as Adware/Spyware.

Oddly enough I was able to remove the adware part, yet keep zango running, heh!
It did delete weather, and hotbar, but the actual zango is still there. :P

[Coma]

Well of course it's detected as adware... that's what it is, software that advertises.

[kodyack]

UPDATE See my journey up from the first post!

I might make a video of my adventure but thats for later.