CCleaner becomes adware, here's how to avoid Avast ads

One of the more popular Windows cleanup tools, CCleaner, has added Avast ads on to their software. After being acquired by Avast, CCleaner wants you to install the virus protection suite along with CCleaner.

Avast bought CCleaner developer Piriform in July after which it was fairly clear that Czech security software company is going to utilize the new addition in new ways. One of these ways seems to be to try and push free Avast to CCleaner users.

In addition to CCleaner, Avast already has a similar cleanup tool called AVG TuneUp that troubleshoots and optimizes your Windows system. However, CCleaner is amongst the most popular Windows cleanup tools and certainly more known than Avast's offering.

Adding the huge user base of CCleaner to their pool of potential Avast customers is of massive value, and turning CCleaner into self-promoting adware is thus an obvious move.

The transition wasn't completely painful though � actually quite the opposite. After the acquisition CCleaner suffered from a hidden malware, according to Piriform caused by a hacker, that hit over 2 million computers.

Fortunately, there is still a simple way to use CCleaner without the Avast ads. Just download the CCleaner Portable, that hasn't yet been turned into an adware.

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 20 Nov 2017 13:00

jjstccean

I simply do not approve of aVast or any security software that comes bundled with software with a promise to clean and speeding up my PC. Avast installed by itself, prior to adding Ccleaner is a system resource abuser.

21.11.2017 04:08 #1

hearme0

Originally posted by jjstccean: I simply do not approve of aVast or any security software that comes bundled with software with a promise to clean and speeding up my PC. Avast installed by itself, prior to adding Ccleaner is a system resource abuser. Agreed!

As for the auto updating of CCleaner from now going forward............ain't gonna happen anymore. CCleaner's definitions are rather stagnant by nature and should last me several years on this last ad-free rendition.

When are companies, shit companies like these going to learn their f'ing lessons? Forcing crap upon prospective customers is ghetto. Bundling because you have no confidence in your product speaking for itself is ghetto, bad biz and a red flag of WHAT TO AVOID!

21.11.2017 10:13 #2

jjstccean

Originally posted by hearme0: Originally posted by jjstccean: I simply do not approve of aVast or any security software that comes bundled with software with a promise to clean and speeding up my PC. Avast installed by itself, prior to adding Ccleaner is a system resource abuser. Agreed!

As for the auto updating of CCleaner from now going forward............ain't gonna happen anymore. CCleaner's definitions are rather stagnant by nature and should last me several years on this last ad-free rendition.

When are companies, shit companies like these going to learn their f'ing lessons? Forcing crap upon prospective customers is ghetto. Bundling because you have no confidence in your product speaking for itself is ghetto, bad biz and a red flag of WHAT TO AVOID!

Bravo! Can't agree more!

21.11.2017 11:38 #3

KillerBug

21.11.2017 21:02 #4

jjstccean

Originally posted by KillerBug: Originally posted by hearme0: Originally posted by jjstccean: I simply do not approve of aVast or any security software that comes bundled with software with a promise to clean and speeding up my PC. Avast installed by itself, prior to adding Ccleaner is a system resource abuser. Agreed!

As for the auto updating of CCleaner from now going forward............ain't gonna happen anymore. CCleaner's definitions are rather stagnant by nature and should last me several years on this last ad-free rendition.

When are companies, shit companies like these going to learn their f'ing lessons? Forcing crap upon prospective customers is ghetto. Bundling because you have no confidence in your product speaking for itself is ghetto, bad biz and a red flag of WHAT TO AVOID!

It actually makes sense if you think about it...CCleaner is trash, Avast is trash. What do you do with trash? You put it all together in one place. Too bad cortana comes with Windows; it would be a great addition to this grouping. I've grouped them together alright, send them to Shift-Delete. CCleaner would've made the grade in my book if they'd continue to improve their product for what it was originally designed to do. Avast, I did not go for, I tested it when PiriForm first ever put it out on the internet and some later updates. Where does one go for 'the one' security software to suit ones needs? I tried a lot of them: Kaspersky [not too shabby] ZoneAlarm, [quite alarming] Norton I did not bother with, neither TrendMicro - costly and resource guzzlers.

I tested Sophos. It is great at not slowing my system down and do everything right though its got a bad attitude with certain safe utils I've been using for a long time. It's giving false positives on some program that supposedly contains malware just in an attempt to force/con you into buying their pro version of Sophos. [Process Hacker setup file is one such file! Can you imagine that!] I've been using it for years.

I'm now using Bitdefender Antivirus 2018. Which is not too bad and is easier to get off the ground with once installed. What I do like about it is that they don't force their extras off on you willy-nilly but have the options there for you to click on and do an upgrade such as firewall protection, antispam [strange this one as it has antispam active already] one click optimizer, startup optimizer, anti-theft and disk cleanup.

I don't need their extras because I have that sorted with free and stand alone utilities that I run when have a need for it.

The 2018 version also comes with a Wallet feature, allowing you to safe your passwords. [ONLINE - not for me thank you]

22.11.2017 02:32 #5

panchdara

1.12.2017 05:33 #6

physician

Does this affect the free version and/or paid version of CCleaner?

1.12.2017 16:47 #7

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