It’s now verified that CNET bundles malware with their downloads in order to monetize free products and services.

It is highly recommended to analyze reviews about software you wish to download and download software from the manufacturer’s secure website or source.

If you need to download software, avoid CNET download’s website. Even legitimate software downloads including Malwarebytes are compromised. I had no problems before that, then suddenly had this Funmoods stuff and couldn’t figure out where it came from.”Īnother reader says “I was installing an extension renamer called… EXTENSION RENAMER and this **** was packaged in with it AND DID NOT ASK or NOTIFY that it was being installed.” ConclusionĪfter reaching out to CNET Downloads about these issues, and as mentioned before having numerous discussions with CNET employees concerning the removal of malicious downloads, it can only be concluded that is not safe to download software from. This reader states “The only download I’ve done in the last probably three months was downloading Malwarebytes from. One reader claims that they downloaded the legitimate Anti-malware software Malwarebytes from, and months later they became infected with a browser hijacker. This past year (2012), more amounts of visitors are leaving comments and sending messages about software they have downloaded from () containing privacy invading malware without their consent, categorized as adware, browser hijackers, and more such as Funmoods (see comments). Having said this, I have been aware for years that malware, mostly in form browser hijackers and rogue software CAN exist on the publicly accessible website ( See RegGenie), but it seems more malware is being distributed on today than ever, labeling the website a cesspool for privacy invading malware. I have a lot of experience removing rogue software from that is reported by our visitors and have shared many emails on a variety of subjects with employees of the CNET website (CBS).

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