Posted on 02/20/2015 1:19:16 PM PST by smokingfrog
The Internet is lighting up with warnings about Superfish, an adware program that came preinstalled on many Lenovo laptops in the past six months. Like a lot of the bloatware that comes on new computers, Superfish exists to help push advertising, not to serve any real consumer need. That would be annoying enough, but Superfish seriously undermines the user's safety, according to many security experts.
Superfish is a piece of third-party software that Lenovo installed to, as it says in its apology to consumers, “enhance the shopping experience.” That means it's meant to help advertisers target potential customers. But security experts say the software makes it easy for cybercriminals to intercept your data as it travels from your computer out to the Internet.
That’s because of the way Superfish deals with what’s called a root certificate. These certificates tell your computer what content to trust when you go to a secure site. The problem is, in order to place ads, Superfish installs its own root certificate that allows it to intercept and unencrypt your encrypted communications. Even if Lenovo's paying customers don't mind Superfish intruding in that way, they should be concerned because the software opens their communications to a malicious man-in-the-middle attack by hackers.
“What they would get is everything passing out of your machine—every password, every bank-account number, every e-mail,” said Professor Fred Cate, founding director and senior fellow at the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at Indiana University’s Maurer School of Law.
(Excerpt) Read more at consumerreports.org ...
Delete junkware from a new computer and update your protection.
Most computers come with bloatware , it’s your own fault if never clean it out
I have a Lenovo Thinkpad.
They’re as top notch as those made by IBM.
Love it.
One expects bloatware, but not a root kit!
Uninstall it and its gone.
My rule of thumb is unless they are computer company utilities, I delete what’s pre-installed and install my own software.
I like STOPzilla, has never failed me.
Seriously, that’s why I have Adblock Plus. Its free and it blocks malware domains too as well getting rid of nearly all adware - great for watching free movies.
If you have a Lenovo computer, you can check here to see if you have the Superfish malware and, if you do, get removal instructions.
Laptops need to be well built.
Apple
Lenovo
These are about the only ones I trust anymore.
This is an actual program that is pre loaded on their computers.
Or build your own pc.
sent from my killer Linux box, running Cinnamon Mint 17.1
That wouldn’t work if you wanted a Lenovo.
About 3 years ago HP won the contract to supply NASA computers. The ACES contract. They started rolling out Lenovo desktops. I wondered why NASA, a government agency, would allow a foreign owned company to supply computers.
I was told by an IT person that one day while they had 25 computers setup & installing the NASA client version of Windows that an IT security guy came running into the room and yanking network cables out of the computers.
One of the computers, OUT OF THE BOX, started uploading to a website in China. From that day forward, no more Lenovos were installed.
“They make super hardware.”
Their Lenovo M81 Series would not recognize National Instruments PXI Controller Cards. It is my professional opinion they are cheap pieces of computer garbage.
I have an IBM 3000 N100.
The first thing I did when I bought it: Wiped clean the hard drive, and installed Windows from media I already have.
Thank you for posting this! I have a new lenovo and just removed the threat.
I heard Asus laptops were pretty good.
Opinions? I’m kind of in the market for a new one, but not willing to plunk down too much for an Apple. Just need pretty basic computer stuff.
Think twice the next time you click on that “AGREE” button!
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