Avast reports H. Bonus as adware (on download.com)

Miscellaneous Forums/General Discussion/Avast reports H. Bonus as adware (on download.com)

http://www.download.com/Holiday-Bonus/3000-2111_4-10618228.html?tag=lst-1

For a start the download link is like 200k instead of 16Mb so what has download.com done to my game? When I try to download it, avast aborts it near the end and says it's adware. Well that's just great, thanks download.com!

Anyone got any ideas what the silly buggers are playing at? I've emailed them but don't expect a response soon...

GfK

Have you actually tried it?

When you double-click the file it downloads a 17.5MB installer.

Note: The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download (18MB).

AVG reports nothing suspicious, but having to download that from download.com, which then downloads another 16MB by itself when you run it, is a bizarre setup whichever way you look at it.

Amon

Just downloaded it and it appears to be one of those download manager thingy's. Basically it's 200k in size but when you launch it it connects to the internet and download holiday bonus.

It's downloading now for me and AVG gives me no errors or warnings.

Will let you know in a sec if it's really holiday bonus or some HD wiping Virus. :)

[edit] Definately Holiday Bonus as it just installed and I played it. SO me thinks Avast is falsely flagging it as a virus. It may be worth contacting Avast to let the know of the issue.

TaskMaster

Note: The Download Now link will download a small installer file to your desktop. Remain online and double-click the installer to proceed with the actual download (18MB).

It says this on the page. The downloader probably displays an ad, so the little downloader probably is, in fact, adware.

Grey Alien

That's annoying and crap, thanks all for checking for me. Avast doesn't even let me download it, it aborts with no choice! I guess I could switch it off.

Hotcakes

having to download that from download.com, which then downloads another 16MB by itself when you run it, is a bizarre setup whichever way you look at it.

I've come across tonnes of game portals that require you to download the downloader. It's pretty retarded, but I suppose it stops people from spamming the networks with download accelerator programs or what have you.

SO me thinks Avast is falsely flagging it as a virus.

It's not. It's flagging it as adware. Which is probably true, knowing download.com.

Grey Alien

Got some more info back from download.com:

Hello Jake,

Our records indicate that your product listing for Holiday Bonus is being distributed through Trymedia. The Download Now link downloads a small Trymedia installer file to your desktop. Double-clicking the installer will proceed with the actual download, which is 18MB

Please, also note that CNET Download.com and Trymedia are working together to help simplify the process for listing products on both services, and as a result we are now able to update your listing information via a feed provided to us by Trymedia.
Updates for your products received from Trymedia will be processed automatically with no further action required. However, we cannot guarantee the frequency or timing for these updates. You may continue to submit changes to your product listing via your Upload.com account, and your listing package will remain unchanged, but we recommend you submit changes to your product listing via Trymedia to ensure the best possible service.

Please let me know if you have additional questions or concerns.

I thought I couldn't remember listing my games on there. It seems that Trymedia did it for me (in order to scoop off the profits). Maybe I should kill their listings and put up my own!

Hotcakes

Do it! Not only are they scooping the profits, but extra profits from their own ad-laden downloader software and giving your software a bad impression as a result! =]

Fight teh power Grey!

Grey Alien

haha, yeah man I should do it although to be honest I should probably just spend more time on more profitable things...