Calling all dSupport users, need your input!

[FoolishTech]

As many of you know Microsoft Security Essentials flags dSupport. Although Microsoft for some reason won't respond to my numerous attempts at filling out their vendor dispute form, it seems they did to one of my users submitting it as a false positive today.

Here was the reason they gave this person that dSupport is flagged:

• Deceptive behaviors: lack of notice and consent
• Software that exhibits poor consent
• Installs, reinstalls, or removes software without user permission, interaction, or consent.

Since they weren't specific, I can only assume this means a few things:

1. Maybe dSupport needs a EULA to be displayed to the user on first run?
2. Definitely dSupport needs something done about the automatic download and install of apps, like CCleaner and Defraggler if configured, and possibly any custom apps for the Maintenance routine.
3. Probably dSupport needs a consent prompt prior to downloading and executing remote support software.

What do you think???

My big issue is I don't want to pester the end user every time dSupport needs to download something for maintenance, that defeats the entire purpose of a simple one click solution for the end user. I'm considering removing the functionality altogether. Let dSupport run the apps IF INSTALLED, but never download them. Would this trample on anyone's toes?

Alternately I wonder if a consent prompt pops up when the user clicks the Maintenance button would be enough? And the Remote Support button... I could write up a sample text document with some verbiage, let you all modify it as you see fit...

It's hard to judge what these buffoons at Microsoft want by their vague terms.

Does anyone have a better suggestion, or perhaps some additional insight as to what they actually have a problem with? Maybe I'm missing something. I want to make this right on the first attempt, because from the wording of the email that was forwarded to me by Microsoft, it sounds like they only "review" a submission a few times max every 6 months.

[kevinjhaag]

Hey Nick,

I get around it by just adding the /Support and /Programs Files/dSupport or /Program Files (x86)/dSupport to the exclusions in MSE. Actually I don't recommend MSE to my customers or install it anymore due to many customers getting infections with MSE installed. I actually think Avast is a better replacement for MSE. But I also add the same folders as exclusions in the other Antivirus Software I use; that way D7, dMaintenance and other software work fine.
Maybe you can add the exclusions somehow from D7 automatically. Or have all Foolish software install to the same folder; like /Support, so its easier to add to exclusions list because its just one folder that we have to add. Just an idea
Or get rid of auto downloader but have the installer auto download everything that is needed and install them. That way, when its ran, the programs needed are already installed.
Or get rid of auto downloader and just make a button to config so we can just manually click on it and it downloads all the programs and installs them.
Well just some ideas...

Kevin

[FoolishTech]

Well I have recompiled to v2.5 and decided to go with a descriptive PROCEED/CANCEL prompt for the user if dSupport is to download any 3rd party software. Verbiage for the prompts may be altered in the AltLang.INI file under the MessageBoxes heading.

Prompts occur on:

• Remote support button click (unless URL only is configured)
• Maintenance button click (if any 3rd party apps are configured, and if user cancels then maintenance still runs, just without the 3rd party apps functionality.)
• Custom button click (when download/execute or execute options are configured)

So I just resubmitted the vendor dispute form with MS highlighting the changes. Hopefully I'll hear something back from them.

In the mean time, even the new build of v2.5 is still flagged as a threat. But we will see what happens.....

Regardless, if any registered dSupport users wish to upgrade to the new v2.5 build (in the hopes that MS will eventually declassify it as a threat) then just shoot me an email and I'll upgrade your custom installer free of charge.

Thanks...

[kelvren16]

Hey Nick,

Lately I have been having problems with Mcafee flagging dsupport as a Trojan when I'm trying to install it. If I disable McAfee first, there's no problem running the program afterwords. Have you also come across this problem?

[FoolishTech]

Originally Posted by kelvren16

Hey Nick,

Lately I have been having problems with Mcafee flagging dsupport as a Trojan when I'm trying to install it. If I disable McAfee first, there's no problem running the program afterwords. Have you also come across this problem?

Probably due to the same reasons as Microsoft. Actually maybe because one A/V vendor decides something is bad and they all jump on board so as not to be left behind in their detection rates where they try to boast higher numbers than the competition.

The latest Virustotal.com report on today's v2.5 release shows up clean with McAfee. If you want your custom installer upgraded to v2.5 send me an email and let me know who you are/company name, and I'll recompile and send you the v2.5 release.

[DanB]

I was trying your tool for the second time on a business PC with AVG paid version. AVG kept having a issue with goog?.exe saying it was a virus. When I tried to cut the d7 folder and paste onto my usb avg flipped out. I had only tried it on my shop machine before and did not want to fool with it.

Not a big deal for me. Sorry I should have paid more attention and sent you the info. It was last Friday and I downloaded the file from your site.

[FoolishTech]

Originally Posted by DanB

I was trying your tool for the second time on a business PC with AVG paid version. AVG kept having a issue with goog?.exe saying it was a virus. When I tried to cut the d7 folder and paste onto my usb avg flipped out. I had only tried it on my shop machine before and did not want to fool with it.

Not a big deal for me. Sorry I should have paid more attention and sent you the info. It was last Friday and I downloaded the file from your site.

LOL goog.exe is for searching Google from the command prompt. e.g. goog "my search string" - this is funny to me that it wouldn't flip out over D7 itself which does that and so much more, but would of a simple tool like goog... *sigh* I'm in the submitting false positive mood perhaps I'll get around to doing that with goog hehe.

[Rosco]

nick what would be a good script to run it automatically with gfi? been trying different things but scripting isnt really my thing.

[FoolishTech]

Originally Posted by Bobscomputerservice

nick what would be a good script to run it automatically with gfi? been trying different things but scripting isnt really my thing.

To run dSupport automatically? Only thing you can do there is run the installer with a /silent or /verysilent parameter.

If you were wanting to run the maintenance bit automatically that is what dMaintenance is for Once configured it runs the maintenance routine automatically just by executing the app with no parameters.

[Rosco]

Originally Posted by FoolishTech

To run dSupport automatically? Only thing you can do there is run the installer with a /silent or /verysilent parameter.

If you were wanting to run the maintenance bit automatically that is what dMaintenance is for Once configured it runs the maintenance routine automatically just by executing the app with no parameters.

lol i must be really dense what would the simple scipt look like... as i said scripting is not my thing.

Actually i am starting to learn just because of gfi. i attended one of there webiars and they said you can do just about anything with scripting. But with all my regular work and promotion of the business and spending time with the family its pretty slow going.