[dba-Tech] "Search App by Ask" Add-On - how to remove it from IE 11?

Heenan, Lambert Lambert.Heenan at aig.com
Mon Oct 20 15:23:44 CDT 2014


Yes indeed. The Java update app has that sneaky choice buried in one of the various install wizard screens. These days you actually have to read those screens instead of just clicking "Next", "Next"... like we used to. Otherwise you can wind up with Annoyware like this.

Lambert

-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Salakhetdinov Shamil
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2014 3:55 PM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] "Search App by Ask" Add-On - how to remove it from IE 11?

 Hi John and Gustav --

I have got really confused by what software/my actions, when and why I have got 'Search App by Ask' installed - if I haven't missed something 'Search App by Ask' could have been brought to my system by Java (TM) update - here is an excerpt from my system app log:

...
15-oct-2014 7:44:02
Beginning a Windows Installer transaction: C:\Users\{myUserName}\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\AU\au.msi. Client Process Id: 7348.
15-oct-2014 7:44:02
Product: Java Auto Updater -- Installation operation completed successfully.
15-oct-2014 7:44:02
Windows Installer installed the product. Product Name: Java Auto Updater. Product Version: 2.1.71.14. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: Oracle, Inc.. Installation success or error status: 0.
15-oct-2014 7:44:02
Ending a Windows Installer transaction: C:\Users\{myUserName}\AppData\LocalLow\Sun\Java\AU\au.msi. Client Process Id: 7348.
...
15-oct-2014 7:46:13
Beginning a Windows Installer transaction: C:\ProgramData\APN\APN-Stub\ORJ-SPE\AskToolbarInstaller-12.18.0_ORJ-SPE.msi. Client Process Id: 3860.
15-oct-2014 7:46:14
Product: Search App by Ask -- Installation completed successfully.
15-oct-2014 7:46:14
Windows Installer installed the product. Product Name: Search App by Ask. Product Version: 12.18.0.82. Product Language: 1033. Manufacturer: APN, LLC. Installation success or error status: 0.
15-oct-2014 7:46:14
Ending a Windows Installer transaction: C:\ProgramData\APN\APN-Stub\ORJ-SPE\AskToolbarInstaller-12.18.0_ORJ-SPE.msi. Client Process Id: 3860. As you can see 'Search App by Ask' setup is activated a couple of minutes after au.msi (Java Auto-Updater) was installed.

---

I have just Googled and it looks like "crapware/annoyware" did come from Java/Oracle:

I have the following registry key:

Key Name: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\JavaSoft
Class Name: <NO CLASS>
Last Write Time: 10/15/2014 - 7:44 AM
Value 1
Name: sponsorsoffered
Type: REG_SZ
Data: SP18;

Here is how to fix the issue effectively:
"Registry keys to prevent Java installs from adding sponsors (Ask/Google/Yahoo Toolbar, McAfee virus, etc) via: Super User"
http://wiert.me/2014/06/02/registry-keys-to-prevent-java-installs-from-adding-sponsors-askgoogleyahoo-toolbar-mcafee-virus-etc-via-super-user/

Thank you.

-- Shamil

P.S. I was in a hurry that morning 15-oct-2014, I can't remember if Java Auto-Updater setup has had a check-box option to setup "sponsors' crapware" or not...

Mon, 20 Oct 2014 10:31:32 -0500 from "John R Bartow" <jbartow at winhaven.net>:
>Shamil,
>I see it a lot. It comes prepackaged with many apps from a wide array of vendors. Two that I use that have included it In the past are Piriform's Ccleaner and Auslogic's Disk Defragmenter - both had it as an option during install. If the silent install option is used Ask Toolbar would get installed by default. I had used a script with silent install for both. Ccleaner now has updating built in and offer a 'slim' download which doesn't include any optional software. I turned the silent off for Auslogic's DD in order to avoid having to uninstall Ask Toolbar.
>John B
<<< skipped >>>
>
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