Zango Shuts it doors for Good!

In a post I did a few weeks ago about [intlink id=”3303″ type=”post”]Zango and Mythbuster[/intlink],  I talked about how the site wanted you to install Zango but Now it looks like they aren’t doing that anymore.

[ad#cricket-right-ez]Although this isn’t unexpected by me because of the need to have a way to check the affiliates sites and installing some where even exploiting a vulnerability in Windows to install the software.   Some would call this a Notorious Adware Vending and I tend to agree in a quote from Computerworld:

Zango’s Smith saw it differently. “The bigger problem was that the vast majority of our installs received inadequate consent: the user technically had an opportunity to decline the install, but wasn’t presented with enough information to make an informed choice,” he wrote.

[Via Computer World]

In a blog Entry from Ken Smith the former Co-founder of Zango talks a lot about what was the prime reasons for the downfall of the Zango Name.  The Demise of Zango isn’t one that we will ever truly know the reason for the downfall but I am for one glad this Adware site is down for good and according Graham Cluely blog post so his.  Graham raises a glass and I say “Here here!!”

Online Episodes helps Adware Installer Zango

I was surfing the web hoping that Mythbusters would start putting there episodes online and I the first link that I get a website that looks like this:

mythbusterzangosite

This site even has the Theme music playing as if it was affiliated with Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters show.   If you look at the screen shot above you will see who someone has been keeping this site updated with the most current episodes of Mythbusters.   So I check out The Season 7 Episode 1 – Demolition Derby Special and I was curious as to what would happened if I clicked that link, and this screen pops up:

mythzango1

So I have to install this Zango Software to view this show?  So I find out go doing my research about Zango and Wikipedia says:
Zango, formerly ePIPO, 180solutions and Hotbar, produces software that provides access to partners’ games and DRM-restricted videos and software. Zango software is listed as adware by Symantec.[1] McAfee states, “this program may have legitimate uses”, but describes it as a “potentially unwanted program”, and an “adware downloader”

[Via Wikipedia]

I didn’t like the sound of this but I wanted to see what my AVG would say when I downloaded this software, and it pops up with:

zangowindowsdef

[ad#cricket-right-ez]Windows Defender comes back with Win32/Zangosearchassistant warning,  and thus I go around checking out this adware out around Google and I am seeing reports after reports on asking how to get rid of this Adware.  Some of the ones that I think would help people get rid of this program is:

If you haven’t installed [intlink id=”2205″ type=”page”]anti-virus or Firewalls[/intlink] this would be the first thing to do.   I’ve also read some reports about Zango that are quite disturbing like these:

Although these are just a few examples of what I found out just Googling Zango, I thought I would share these with you.  There are more examples like Zango’s Facebook Widget that I will say acts like adware and encourages you to send to 5 different users.  Although Facebook as Stopped this widget, we all know that Spyware and Malware is being used on social networks and will be undoubtedly be more and more in the future.   Remember you’re the only one to prevent having a virus.

A side not, if you did  try to install this software you would need to be and Administrator and that also concerns me because the type of stuff they are claiming in the EULA is Browsers stuff which shouldn’t need Administrator rights or at least I am not going to give Adware that right.   Zango is being Classified as Adware and I am only reporting that the software is being clasfied as Adware, but Zango claims it not.   This is where the End Users decide if it is or not, I however think it is!! I am also sure there are other sites like this that are trying to get you to install this software to view movies, and shows. Your best bet is to not install the software and go to Hulu or Fancast to find safe movies and shows.