Why does Winzip download cause a warning?

[stephenk1509 0]

Why is it when I want to download latest version of WinZip to my Vista o/s I get a warning that winzip18.exe is a 'potential threat' as it is a variant of Win32/InstallCore.OY?

Can I safely ignore or is there something about WinZip to not trust please?

[SweX 871]

Hello,

 

That sounds like a PUA detection. Last time I used Winzip myself is ages ago, but it is possible that they have added a PUA in the installer. To clarify it is not Winzip that is being detected.

 

Meaning that additional software is bundled with it and may get installed along Winzip unless you untick

(if possible) the installation of the bundled software.(the PUA detection)

 

Other vendors does also detect it :hxxp://www.herdprotect.com/winzip18-lan_nl.exe-1eed925ba92e75c28ca32e1aed9058749ecf08df.aspx

 

Detection of (potentially unwanted/unsafe application) is optional and it's up to each user if they want to enable detection of PUA's or not.

 

FWIW, more info on what a PUA is: hxxp://virusradar.com/en/glossary/pua

Edited June 17, 2014 by SweX

[Marcos 5,070]

That's because it uses InstallCore which is a potentially unwanted application and is also detected by some other AV vendors.

[stephenk1509 0]

Thanks very much for your help and advice all ....................

cheers

[SweX 871]

Thanks very much for your help and advice all ....................

cheers

You're very welcome!

 

Cheers

[segalsegal 0]

Now, for WinZip 19 you get: Threat "a variant of win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application".

 

It seems that WinZip should work together with the NOD32 folks to get a download that passes checks.  Are customers supposed to ignore the warning if WinZip says not to worry?  That seems like an unnecessary risk, and it seems odd that WinZip hasn't made any progress on making a product that people can trust.

[SweX 871]

Well, Winzip (and all other developers/vendors) knows what they are doing when/if they bundle stuff like this, they don't need expertise from some 3'rd party to "get rid" of this, if they knew how to implement it then I'm sure they know how to take it out as well, if they do that then there is no need to detect it. Afaik you can trust Winzip itself but the "gift" may not be that fun to get onto the system. But there are good alternatives to Winzip that one can use instead.

Edited February 9, 2015 by SweX

[segalsegal 0]

_{I asked the WinZip folks what was going on and they told me "This is the false positive warning message from Windows or Antivirus application when you are downloading any executable(.exe) files. The WinZip application setup file and other downloads from WinZip download page are safe and does not contains any Virus, malware etc. "}

 

_{I told them I've never gotten messages like this with other downloads and that I didn't have enough confidence in them to use their product.  I got a refund.} 

 

_{I hadn't got around to deleting their EXE file and ran a NOD32 system scan and got the following 12 warnings:}

_{winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-32.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSPrivacyProtector.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-32.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSSystemCleaner.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-32.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSHelper.dll - a variant of Win32/Systweak.N potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-32.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSRegistryOptimizer.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-32.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSS.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-32.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSRegClean.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-64.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSPrivacyProtector.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-64.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSSystemCleaner.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-64.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSHelper.dll - a variant of Win32/Systweak.N potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-64.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSRegistryOptimizer.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-64.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSS.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak.L potentially unwanted application
winzip190.exe » ZIP » WINZIP190-64.MSI » MSI » Cabs.w1.cab » CAB » WINZIPSSRegClean.exe - a variant of Win32/Systweak potentially unwanted application}

 

_{For now I'll continue using WinZip 9, which triggers no such messages.  The problem with the old version is that it doesn't integrate into right-click context menus in Windows 8.1.  If someone can recommend a program that does and is not loaded with Potentially Unwanted Applications, I'd be interested in the details.}

 

_{It is hard to believe that the folks at WinZip are telling the complete truth. The assertion that  all EXEs give such warnings made it clear that the person at WinZip who responded  either didn't know what is going on or wasn't telling.  And if they don't know what is going on, they haven't gotten truthful training.}

Edited February 16, 2015 by segalsegal

[LaiLai 8]

You can try 7-Zip. It's free and don't bundles anything.

[SweX 871]

You can try 7-Zip. It's free and don't bundles anything.

Yep, that's what I use too.

 

I post a direct link to the right place so no one looking for it ends up at Softonic or some other PUA swamp.

 

hxxp://www.7-zip.org/

[segalsegal 0]

Thanks to both of you.  I'll check it out. 

[SweX 871]

You're welcome, take care.

[planet 232]

You can try 7-Zip. It's free and don't bundles anything.

 

Same with LaiLai and SweX, a great lightweight option. Right clicking on archives and using 7-Zip's context menu is very convenient.