August 17, 2009
False positives and our Wrapper
We’ve received enormous number of complaints that some of the antivirus/antispyware detecting our wrapped activation files as “malicious” content. So, our tech team looked through that problem and found what had been a cause of that. All the fuss was created by our GAOTD Wrapper and had nothing to do with the Software Informer as some of you have suggested. This one on us and we are sorry.
You see besides teaming up with Informer Technologies and adding an optional Software Informer client installation we’ve updated GAOTD wrapper version a bit (particularly, added advanced error diagnostics capabilities). Cause of that innovation some of antivirus software gave you false positives.
We’ve removed that part from wrapper (yep, back to the drawing board…) and re-wrapped all the software right on Sunday.
Sorry for the inconvenience and all the negative comments we’ve caused.
Regards,
GAOTD
That’s ok! I trusted you anyway, and not too scared of a little viral influence =)
Everybody knows AV’s give a certain number of positives, just to make you think something’s infected and you still need their protection.
Giveaway is trustworthy, and the only problem I’ve ever gotten is Trend Micro constantly bothering me to allow or block internet access.
Thanks for using the blog to update us. The way rumors fly, no news is bad news.
w00 caught it before i saw it. nice job, you’re forgiven
I use Sophos and your stuff routinely sets off false positives. This isn’t anything new, I’ve been with GAOTD for maybe a year and it’s always been the case.
BB
You guys are the greatest and thanks for letting us know and fixing the problem so promply.
As a long time tech… I certainly understand having a problem with a wrapper… I did plenty of packaging of software … I’d say review your Q&A … this is really bad press… good luck and keep up the great work.
Thanks!
I was one of your complaimants, saying I had not installed Sunday’s progrsm. I have since installed it without a hitch.
Bill Geertsema
it’s all good
I started using a different AV program just to continue with GOTD, it was time to try another one anyway.
Thanks so much for all the free games and other programs. i am not real tecky but i am learning a bit from you and all your patrons.i wish there was somehow for a fairly newby to know if i should download this and get rid of AVS Video converter. can you tell me?
Upon startup today, McAfee notified me that the recently installed app, Icon Commander (downloaded from GOTD) contained a virus: W32/Induc.
According to McAfee, it was only discovered on the 18th, and infects any Delphi programming:
“W32/Induc is a virus that adds its malicious code in to the Delphi library files thus adding itself to the compilation process. Any file compiled with the infected Delphi compiler will also be infected.”
Unless you are a Delphi programmer, you probably wouldn’t even notice, if not for the AV.
Wouldn’tcha know, it’s always something….
So this has nothing to do with this?
http://www.scmagazineus.com/Virus-discovered-deep-in-Delphi-programming-language/article/146804/
“A new virus outbreak has been detected and reportedly spreading quickly. Researchers at SonicWALL and SophosLabs claim that the Win32.Induc virus infects applications built using Delphi, an object-oriented, visual programming environment derived from the Pascal language, used to develop applications for deployment on the web, Windows and Linux.”
Because after my latest update, I’m getting notifications of this virus in some of my GOTD programs.
So…is the Software Informer program safe & okay to use? It looks interesting…
Some people are too paranoid and take too much stock in what their anti virus program says. Some of the “cheaper” ones have alot of false positives.
#13
If it is saying some of your programs are infected, it could be caused by a virus attaching itself to those programs.
I have never once got a virus from any of the programs i have downloaded here and i have been downloading GOTD programs for a couple years now.
Hi Guys…thanks for some super software..downloaded Wondershare FLV today…installed fine…but the key wrapper..mmmm…I cannot get the registration completed…keeps saying “failed to connect…keep trying”
I have been trying for several hours now and no luck…most disappointing
Good to hear. Thanks for letting us know!
Sincere admittance of error is always appreciated. :)
Vella, I’m not blaming GOTD. I, too, have been a regular visitor here for years. The point I was trying to make is that there IS a virus attached to some of the programs. If you read the article I linked to, you’ll see that it can infect anyone who compiles with Delphi. You know…like software developers. It was only “discovered” recently, which means that many other people out there (like me) may have already downloaded programs with the virus in it. It just wasn’t recognized by antivirus software at the time because nobody knew about it. (In fact, the giveaway software developers who put infected programs out there likely didn’t know.)
Thank you, it’s refreshing to hear a company take responsibility for a goof. Would the US gov. please take note!
@17 Same here, Thanks for letting us know!
I’ve had false positives before and never had a problem w/ GAOTD stuff! I don’t know IF we need the ‘wrapper’. Most of my settings will allow the program to ‘check’ for an update… those that are not allowed, I’ll check myself. Save everybody some trouble and get rid of the ‘add-on’! They must be paying good money for y’all to try to shove this down our throats!
I love you guys but…
thanks – keep up the really great work
Hey GGOTD, when can we expect some new games? You guys have been taking a lot of breaks since June of this year! Seems like everytime I turn around…NO GAMES THIS WEEKEND! I understand about the wrapper but according to your blog the problem was fixed August 7th abd here it is the 29th and still no games.
Thanks!
For what it’s worth I had Avira AVS installed and suddenly after a recent update there was a near constant barrage of alerts that both 3D Commander and Icon Commander GAOTD programs (that I really liked) were corrupted by this mystery Win32/Induc A. virus. My gut feeling told me this was not the case and I actually uninstalled Avira and installed a clean version of AVG to be sure… damned if that program didn’t tell me the same thing.
So sadly I erased both Commander programs just to be safe. Here’s hoping they get offered on-line again soon.
And yes I could *buy* them if I liked ’em so much… we’ll see.
In the meantime, anyone else encountering these issues might wish to pause a moment before deleting. I suspect a newer update will refine that particular virus parameters and it wont trigger alerts.
you guys are awesome and I have been enjoying and sharing your GAOTD for years.
Glad you found out what was casuing issues and are determined to fix it.
I do think some AV’s are way oversensitivve for the average user.
However if you are a 101010101 type person-it is important to know exactly what is getting into your computer-some things are harmless to the average user-but not to the advanced crew.
Rock On GAOTD
Hmmm…! Someone makes a mistake on software programming and ADMITS IT? Sounds like the kind of folks I want to be around. Thanks for fixing it. I don’t use the “Informer” function, but have no objection to its being packaged. With all you folks do for us, you’re entitled to make a nickel if you can.
Must be tough trying to find folks to give their stuff away all year. I have found a -lot- of really nice companies and software through GAOTD that I would never have even tried if I’d had to buy the software. Thanks for all you do.
Well i think that Advanced system care is rogue and it also makes users download IORBIT antivirus software
I agree, Advanced System care is crap!!! Slows down Windows 7 by about 15 seconds, no joke. Also a pain to remove.
You might want to try the Intel C++ compiler. 100% compatable with VC++ projects. It can be useful for compiling the output different ways, thus avoiding the false positive.
I blame the over-zealous AV guys. I’m sick of seeing false positives which usually means “check by hand to make sure it’s a false positive” – and usually – it is.
Thank you for your excellent work here, and TBH – the fault was not yours – let’s blame someone else :D
ICON COMMANDER AND IMAGE COMMANDER GIVEAWAYS WERE BOTH INFECTED WITH
W32/Induc VIRUS.
THE GAOTD WRAPPER ITSELF IS FINE.
Come on people… it’s a wrapper. Any good AV with heuristics is *supposed* to suspect this file, not the cheap ones. AV is to protect your files… you are supposed to want this.
Great Job GAOTD!!!
WordPress also may give you problems.Due the security holes in it… Just a heads-up!
I’ve been having trouble with installing GotD’s downloads.
With today’s offer (January 20, 2011), on my XP machine, I keep getting NSIS Error: Error launching installer after I tell my firewall to allow GotD to connect to the Internet. Then I get a message saying “Successfully activated” but what good does that do me if nothing’s getting installed?
On my Vista machine, I get Failed to connect. Please try again later. I don’t get it. For years, I haven’t had problems from this site but now, I don’t know what to do about it.