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Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

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Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#91

Post by sliverstorm »

cdr wrote: post #86
AlexeyBrin wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Your strategy works only if you have a clean copy of the OS or you buy one (since the thread is about Lenovo I assume you are talking about Windows). Typically, a new PC doesn't come anymore with a copy of the OS, but with a hidden recovery partition that will basically let you do a factory reset (meaning all the crap will show up again).

Microsoft itself has provided Windows installation media for download since Windows 8, including Windows 7 media. All you have to do is read your key off BIOS or the sticker. And of course Windows 10 will be a free download.

Unless things have changed, usually the sticker key is only valid for a certain kind of media. E.g. VLK's only work with VLK images, retail keys only work with retail images...

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#92

Post by larzang »

superuser2 wrote: post #73

Lenovo was the last respected PC laptop brand. Is there anyone I can trust to sell me a well-made laptop anymore besides Apple?

Clevo makes high quality laptops that are also very reasonably priced when bought barebones from the right vendor (they don't do direct consumer sales). Sager, System76, FalconNW, and a whole bunch of other boutique laptop companies are actually selling rebadged/modified Clevos.

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#93

Post by erikschoster »

I don't see myself ever bothering to keep the default windows install on a thinkpad but this really hurts my impression of the company regardless. I've had my eye on the new X1s and had planned to upgrade my X201 this year but now I'm having second thoughts.

Who if anyone has taken over the place of great laptop for linux / development?

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#94

Post by moe »

kentonv wrote: post #80
WestCoastJustin wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cannot see how this could possibly be true. Having been privy to OS bundling for products, I can assure you there is lengthy contracts, and negotiations, about exactly what is happening. You do no simply walk up to Lenovo and have your "software" installed into the OS without a very detailed contract and pay structure. There also looks to be js injected into pages, which is serving up the ads, and a comment about Len…

Oh I'm sure they had lots of meetings about the contracts and pay structure, and they may have done testing to make sure it didn't break things, but apparently no one did a security review. Sadly, this doesn't surprise me that much. If they did know about the problem, they could have fixed it. If the app simply generated a new key as part of first-time use, then it would just be run-of-the-mill crapware rather than a…

but apparently no one did a security review

It doesn't take a "security review" to spot a gaping security and privacy violation like this.

Any engineer with even the slightest clue of how a browser and "the internet" works would have called this out during the first "How does this product work?"-presentation.

Let's not pretend Lenovo is staffed with monkeys.

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#95

Post by pkulak »

SwellJoe wrote: post #76

Jebus, how far the might IBM laptop line has fallen under the leadership of Lenovo. There was a time when a ThinkPad was arguably the best laptop money could buy. Many companies, including Google, would offer a choice between a ThinkPad or a MacBook, because those were the really reliable choices that were free of shovelware. I even considered buying a Lenovo recently when a pretty nice looking ThinkPad was on sale,…

Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed?

This is exactly why I've been recommending Chromebooks to anyone who asks my advice for about a year now.

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#97

Post by runevault »

kentonv wrote: post #12
kentonv wrote: post #5

This is much worse than just installing adware. They install a web proxy which MITMs all web connections, including HTTPS by means of a pre-installed trusted root certificate. The root certificate is the same across all installs, and the private key is present on the machine (necessarily, to operate the proxy): https://twitter.com/fugueish/status/568258997578371072 Someone will extract the private key in the next few…

Here's Lenovo trying to justify the presence of this software, naturally oblivious to the security implications: https://forums.lenovo.com/t5/Lenovo-P-Y-and-Z-series/Lenovo-...

Interesting this appears to only be on the consumer grade laptops. I know at first glance I saw nothing relating to it on my W540 that I bought in November.

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#99

Post by vxNsr »

michaelelliot wrote: post #26

Just found this: Spy agencies ban Lenovo PCs on security concerns (27th July 2013) - http://www.afr.com/p/technology/spy_agencies_ban_lenovo_pcs_... "Multiple intelligence and defence sources in Britain and Australia confirmed there is a written ban on computers made by the Chinese company [Lenovo] being used in “classified” networks."

I thought that had to do with the fact that they're a chinese owned company and if say the CIA makes a large order (or any order really) the chinese government might step in and force malware to be installed.

Re: Lenovo Caught Installing Adware on New Computers

#100

Post by reitanqild »

pkulak wrote: post #95
SwellJoe wrote: post #76

Jebus, how far the might IBM laptop line has fallen under the leadership of Lenovo. There was a time when a ThinkPad was arguably the best laptop money could buy. Many companies, including Google, would offer a choice between a ThinkPad or a MacBook, because those were the really reliable choices that were free of shovelware. I even considered buying a Lenovo recently when a pretty nice looking ThinkPad was on sale,…

Is it even possible to buy a Windows laptop right now with only the OS installed? This is exactly why I've been recommending Chromebooks to anyone who asks my advice for about a year now.

Microsoft sell their own laptops, in US. They are said to be good.
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