PC Matic and Malwarebytes - Pup flags

[lopies]

I just ran a new scan with each program and they are both coming up as PUP flies with each program? Not sure if there is a some sort of competitiveness going on here or what. Anyone know how to tell both programs to stop flagging each other as PUPS?

[Y kawika]

The folks at Malwarebytes decided to flag our products as PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) and their scans are removing our products.

After reaching out to them, they made it clear that they are not interested in altering their database, so we have no choice but to remove them from any of our systems that are running both programs.

Malwarebytes has decided that they do not wish to work as a compatible application with our programs, so we are stopping them from removing our programs.

We will continue to speak with them, but will not allow them to remove our programs in the meantime.

Y

[Tx Redneck]

So yall are removing their products in turn?

 

[dklauer]

Malwarebytes can be instructed to IGNORE ALWAYS Pups that it detects. This is what I had to do to get Malwarebytes to not flag PCMATIC. Now PCMATIC is removing MALWAREBYTES completely. Can't you guys get together and work this out. Otherwise one of you is going to lose.

[IntelGuy]

Malwarebytes has decided that they do not wish to work as a compatible application with our programs, so we are stopping them from removing our programs.

We will continue to speak with them, but will not allow them to remove our programs in the meantime.

[SteveBJax]

Had the same problem after getting Rob's email today.

 

In MBAM I put the Pitstop folder into Malware Exclusions under Settings. In PC Matic I white-listed all the MBAM files that showed as Viruses during the scan. May not be pretty, but each work OK for now.

[Norm1116]

This happened to me also. I put in a ticket with PCPitstop. Heard nothing back. 100's of dollars in my 10 seat evergreen license, and no response (NOTE: PCMatic support did respond to me. Somewhere between them clicking send and Comcast, I just did not get the email. It looks like I had my spam settings wrong. Sorry support!) Malwarebytes has a problem with PCMatic. PCMatic should have posted a solution to stop MB from removing the software. Instead, they retaliated resulting in the users being collateral damage.

 

I emailed Malwarebytes. I have 3 paid licenses for personal use and a 60 seat enterprise setup. Here's their response:

 

Thank you for inquiring about our PUP detection. We have flagged PC Matic because they meet the standards set on www.malwarebytes.com/pup. While we believe the detection is accurate. We understand that you may want to use the detected program. If you intentionally installed PC Matic and wish to keep it, please do the following:

 

 

1. Launch Malwarebytes and click the Settings tab

 

Click the Protection tab (or Settings → Detection and Protection)
Look for the ‘Potential Threat Protection’ portion and change the PUP and PUM settings to ‘Warn user’

 

 

2. Reinstall PC Matic if needed, then run a Scan. When the scan completes, uncheck the boxes next to all the detections. To uncheck all of them at once, click the uppermost box next to the column title of ‘Threats’

 

You will now see a Next button – click the Next button.

 

 

3. In the Next pane, select ‘Ignore always’. After this, Malwarebytes will no longer detect that program.

 

 

For PC Matic detecting Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, we would highly recommend contacting PC Matic.

END OF MALWAREBYTES RESPONSE

 

 

 

I really like both of these products, but the decisions on the part of these two companies has created a minor nightmare for me. Not appreciated. BTW, yes, I know how to whitelist Malwarebytes within PCMatic.

 

 

The Malwarebytes PUP list says:

 

Here are some of the criteria we use:

• obtrusive, misleading, or deceptive advertising, branding, or search practices
• excessive or deceptive distribution, affiliate or opt-out bundling practices
• aggressive or deceptive behavior especially surrounding purchasing or licensing
• unwarranted, unnecessary, excessive, illegitimate, or deceptive modifications of system settings or configuration (including browser settings and toolbars)
• difficulty uninstalling or removing the software
• predominantly negative feedback or ratings from the user community
• diminishes user experience
• other practices generally accepted as riskware, scareware, adware, greyware, or otherwise commonly unwanted software by the user community

END OF MBAM LIST

 

I've seen a couple of these at the third party sites, but not at PCPitstop. I've seen horrible PCMatic reviews that just can't be true, or are written by users who really need assistance, or by competitors. I personally really like PCMatic. I also like Malwarebytes.

 

This is kind of sad.

Edited January 4, 2017 by Norm1116

[IntelGuy]

Please check your junk mail folders both locally and online as I just checked in the help desk and they are current. I cannot locate your ticket using your forum email address, but there is no ticket in the help desk over 20 minutes old, so it was answered, probably within an hour or so.

[caintry_boy]

Question here IG, I run both Malwarebytes FREE (as a standalone) and PC Matic. Why can't I whitelist the Malwarebytes "threats" that PC Matic finds so that it won't wipe them out and unless I'm wrong we're given the choice in Malwarebytes to delete the "PUP" programs or not. Why can't I choose not to delete the PC Matic that Malwarebytes finds?

Just sounds to me like a lot of grief and worry over much ado... Granted, we don't want them flagging our products but I don't see that flagging theirs is helping "Joe Public"...

 

 

 

 

[IntelGuy]

Good question caintry_boy, and yes, our more computer literate users are doing exactly that, forcing the two products to work together.

 

The main reason we allowed PC Matic to shut down malwarebytes is because malwarebytes was removing not only PC Matic but also Super Shield from over 50,000 of our users' computers, leaving them with no real time antivirus protection at all. And given our demographic, many of our users are not aware that this has happened. Malwarebytes has opened them up to any kind of infection and they still think they are being protected by Super Shield.

 

There is more information about why we made that decision here:

 

http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2016/12/16/malwarebytes-alert/

 

From the article: " Malwarebytes has broken a rule of security. Never remove an AV product without replacing it with another. Both Malwarebytes and PC Pitstop are Microsoft certified security partners. Up to now, a Microsoft security partner has never attacked the customers of another."

[Tomk_]

I believe you are wrong IG, and PCMatic is wrong in their retaliation. Malwarebytes doesn't just unilaterally remove PCMatic. It simply flags it as a potentially unwanted program. It will only remove it if the user tells it to, Granted, many users may delete everything by default, but by definition malware is any program that makes changes to your system without your approval. That's why a choice is given. PCMatic is calling Malwarebytes a virus and removing it without the consent of the user. That's bad JuJu. These schoolyard tactics are not very professional.

 

I'm disappointed in everybody.

[caintry_boy]

Just ran a Malwarebytes scan on my main rig and it detected 500+ PUP's all PC Matic, I started unchecking the little boxes and then realized hojw many there were, I think total was actually 648. I cancelled the scan and went on with my business, but there is no way anymore to "deselect" the PUP's and I'm not going to spend time unchecking 648 little boxes, it'd take me all day!

Sure wish they'd just change their definitions to exclude PC Matic.

 

 

 

 

[Tomk_]

Are all of the PCMatic files in a single folder?

[caintry_boy]

Are all of the PCMatic files in a single folder?

 

No. They are in individual folders i.e., SuperShield, PC Matic, Infocenter, etc. within the program filesx86 PCPitstop folder.

 

 

 

 

[Tomk_]

OK... if all of the folders you've listed are in the program files (x86)/PCPitstop folder, then you can put that folder in the exclusions list and it shouldn't try to remove them anymore.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/support/guides/mbam-legacy/MalwareExclusions.html

[Y kawika]

If you decide to keep malwarebytes running, then be sure to add the following exceptions to their Web Blocking utility, since they are also blocking anyone from accessing anything on the pcmatic.com domain, including anyone that wishes to request support from https://pcmatic.com/support

 

104.20.21.127

pcmatic.com

www.pcmatic.com

https://pcmatic.com

http://pcmatic.com

 

Y

[IntelGuy]

Tomk_, on 19 Dec 2016 - 07:15 AM, said:Tomk_, on 19 Dec 2016 - 07:15 AM, said:Tomk_, on 19 Dec 2016 - 07:15 AM, said:Tomk_, on 19 Dec 2016 - 07:15 AM, said:

PC Matic doesn't just unilaterally remove Malwarebytes. It simply flags it as a threat. It will only remove it if the user tells it to, Granted, many users may delete everything by default, but by definition malware is any program that makes changes to your system without your approval. That's why a choice is given.

 

I fixed your post for you.

 

 

OK... if all of the folders you've listed are in the program files (x86)/PCPitstop folder, then you can put that folder in the exclusions list and it shouldn't try to remove them anymore.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/support/guides/mbam-legacy/MalwareExclusions.html

 

There are also files in the hidden Program Data folder. So now our users have to know to unhide the folder and add that one to the exclusions. That is not our demographic.

 

And as to using the word retaliation, we spent a week going through channels with Malwarebytes and they made it very clear that they were not interested in working with us. So if preventing Malwarebytes from removing our paid customers' real time antivirus protection by default and leaving them exposed to all manner of infections is retaliation, so be it. I prefer to think of it as protecting our customers from having a program make changes to their computer without their explicit approval.

[Tomk_]

Agreed. I'm not your demographic either so I'll stay out of things that don't concern me.

[lopies]

I just received this update. More details on why they flagged PC Matic.

 

https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/12/why-malwarebytes-detects-pc-pitstop-as-potentially-unwanted/

[Y kawika]

I just received this update. More details on why they flagged PC Matic.

 

https://blog.malwarebytes.com/puppum/2016/12/why-malwarebytes-detects-pc-pitstop-as-potentially-unwanted/

 

Thanks

 

We replied hours ago, but as of yet, they have not "approved" the post to be visible on that link.

 

So we posted it on our own.

 

http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2016/12/23/pcpitstop-addresses-malwarebytes-claims/

 

Y

[Tx Redneck]

Salty much?

[ek1118]

This happened to me also. I put in a ticket with PCPitstop. Heard nothing back. 100's of dollars in my 10 seat evergreen license, and no response (NOTE: PCMatic support did respond to me. Somewhere between them clicking send and Comcast, I just did not get the email. It looks like I had my spam settings wrong. Sorry support!) Malwarebytes has a problem with PCMatic. PCMatic should have posted a solution to stop MB from removing the software. Instead, they retaliated resulting in the users being collateral damage.

 

I emailed Malwarebytes. I have 3 paid licenses for personal use and a 60 seat enterprise setup. Here's their response:

 

Thank you for inquiring about our PUP detection. We have flagged PC Matic because they meet the standards set on www.malwarebytes.com/pup. While we believe the detection is accurate. We understand that you may want to use the detected program. If you intentionally installed PC Matic and wish to keep it, please do the following:

 

 

1. Launch Malwarebytes and click the Settings tab

 

Click the Protection tab (or Settings → Detection and Protection)

Look for the ‘Potential Threat Protection’ portion and change the PUP and PUM settings to ‘Warn user’

 

 

2. Reinstall PC Matic if needed, then run a Scan. When the scan completes, uncheck the boxes next to all the detections. To uncheck all of them at once, click the uppermost box next to the column title of ‘Threats’

 

You will now see a Next button – click the Next button.

 

 

3. In the Next pane, select ‘Ignore always’. After this, Malwarebytes will no longer detect that program.

 

 

For PC Matic detecting Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, we would highly recommend contacting PC Matic.

END OF MALWAREBYTES RESPONSE

 

 

 

I really like both of these products, but the decisions on the part of these two companies has created a minor nightmare for me. Not appreciated. BTW, yes, I know how to whitelist Malwarebytes within PCMatic.

 

 

The Malwarebytes PUP list says:

 

Here are some of the criteria we use:

• obtrusive, misleading, or deceptive advertising, branding, or search practices
• excessive or deceptive distribution, affiliate or opt-out bundling practices
• aggressive or deceptive behavior especially surrounding purchasing or licensing
• unwarranted, unnecessary, excessive, illegitimate, or deceptive modifications of system settings or configuration (including browser settings and toolbars)
• difficulty uninstalling or removing the software
• predominantly negative feedback or ratings from the user community
• diminishes user experience
• other practices generally accepted as riskware, scareware, adware, greyware, or otherwise commonly unwanted software by the user community

END OF MBAM LIST

 

I've seen a couple of these at the third party sites, but not at PCPitstop. I've seen horrible PCMatic reviews that just can't be true, or are written by users who really need assistance, or by competitors. I personally really like PCMatic. I also like Malwarebytes.

 

This is kind of sad.

I Fully agree. I've used MBAM for several years and PC Matic for a little over 2 years, I love both programs. Thanks for the insight about how to get MBAM to play nice with PC Matic. Ed

[IntelGuy]

We have resolved the issue with Malwarebytes. The two programs should now work together again.

 

Thank you for your patience while we worked through this issue.

[Tomk_]

Glad to hear it!

 

Well done guys!

[lopies]

Sweet. Thanks for the update.