Malwarebytes always calling home? Version 1.75.0.1300

[Mkubo]

Hello all,

 

Everytime I scan a file using the right click option menu, my firewall notifiies me that Malwarebytes is trying to access the internet.  I don't have "Anonymously report usage statistics" checked in settings, nor do I have any auto updates or anything checked.  I'm confused as to why the program always tries to call home.  What's up with this?  Is the program trying to collect statistics on every file I scan?

 

Also, the scan won't complete until I allow or disallow internet access.  Basically, the status window that tells me the scan has completed won't show up until I allow or block the program from the internet.  If I set my firewall to always block the program and deny access as the default, the program status window shows up shortly after the scan is initiated/completed.  This tells me the program checked and detected it couldn't access the internet (because it's blocked), gave up, and completed the scan as if the computer natively doesn't have internet access.

 

Seems to me the program is trying to collect statistics, and if not for my firewall warning me, it would do so without my consent.

 

Thanks for any help in clearing this up as I would hate to think a program I'm using to help fight spyware is actually spying on my usage!

 

Mkubo

 

 

 

 

[daledoc1]

Hello and :
 
I'm not familiar with the behavior you describe (and my firewalls are set pretty tight in interactive mode), nor have I seen it reported here in the forum recently.

(Some security applications use a cloud-based definitions database, but I don't think that is the case with MBAM.)

We will need to wait for one of the staff members to specifically answer your question.
 
In the interim, however, 1.75 is not the current version of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) for consumers.
Version 2.0 was released in March.
While 1.75 still receives support and database updates for several more months, it might be advisable to update to the current version.
Reasons to use the newer version include: it has built-in rootkit scanning (1.75 does not); it has a new text parsing engine to address special threats targeted by using configuration files (1.75 does not); and it has built-in Self Protection (1.75 does not). It can also detect and remove some threats that 1.75 cannot because it offers native 64-bit support for 64-bit systems (1.75 does not).

 

So, I suggest the following:

• Please follow the steps in this pinned topic to uninstall your current version of MBAM and reinstall the latest build - MBAM Clean Removal Process 2x
• If that does not correct the issue, then please read the following and post back attached to your next reply the 3 requested logs - Diagnostic Logs (the 3 logs are: FRST.txt, Addition.txt and CheckResults.txt)
• NOTE: There is an FAQ section with valuable information located here - Common Questions, Issues, and their Solutions

Please let us know how it goes.

 

Thanks for your patience,

[Mkubo]

Hello daledoc1!  Thanks for the reply! 

 

A little background on myself... Several years back, I used to be a Tech on the Geekstogo forum under a different screen name, so I know a lot about computers and also about all the Anti Malware programs out there.  I've recommended Malwarebytes many times over the years to many G2G members, and I've been using it from basically when it first came out.

 

What this program is doing is "calling home" or something of that nature with every scan I attempt.  I'm quite surprised at this actually and I've known about it for some time... I just lived with blocking the program from the internet, but now I thought I'd inquire about it.  It may very well be a problem with this particular version (1.75.xxx), so I'll try to newest free version.  I do believe I went with 1.75 because the higher versions became more commercialized.  One thing for sure, this is not a problem with my computer (it also does it on my laptops), so no, no one with see the logs requested.  By the way, my firewall is Zonealarm... it'll catch any program trying to gain internet access.

 

I'll do a program update and get back.  In the meantime, I hope a staff member will chime in and clear the air with what's going on.

 

mkubo

[daledoc1]

Hi:

 

Thanks for the updated information.

 

Of course, MBAM phones home for many important tasks (database updates, license verification, etc.).

And even the new version will automatically "check for updates" prior to running a manual scan -- this was a safety feature built in to the new version because many basic users over the years failed to update their definitions, resulting in false negatives, false positives, and other untoward scan results.

So, perhaps that is what you are seeing, even with the contextual scan (having said that, I am no longer running 1.75 on any rig, so I cannot test it to replicate the behavior).

 

But, again, I'm not personally aware of users reporting this issue here in the forum.

So, perhaps there may be something specific about your firewall settings?

 

In any event, @Exile360 or @AdvancedSetup or one of the other staff members or experts will be able to shed some light on this, I'm sure.

 

Thanks for your patience,

 

Thanks,

[Mkubo]

Hello,

 

Don't get me wrong... I don't mind MBAM calling home if this is what I set the program up to do.  When it calls home without being told to do so, then I have a problem. 

 

I uninstalled 1.75 and installed the latest version.  The UI is definitely different and is probably why I never upgraded... I don't like banners showing up in stuff I run.  The program also stalls, or appears to stall with the progress percentage monitor completely stopping and freezing my computer.  The scan eventually finishes but can take up to 1.5 minutes to scan a single sentence notepad document.  It takes about the same time on a medium sized photo.  Very slow (comparatively to 1.75 with the same defs) and if this is due to improvements, then I can only imagine the time it'll take to do a small folder, much less the entire C drive.  I'm not at all surprised though given there are several threads (here and elsewhere on the net) noting the stalling, freezing, being slow, etc.

 

 

And even the new version will automatically "check for updates" prior to running a manual scan -- this was a safety feature built in to the new version because many basic users over the years failed to update their definitions, resulting in false negatives, false positives, and other untoward scan results.

This is curious... The latest version I downloaded only attempted to access the internet on first lauch to check for updates.  During any manual right-click scan I initiated, MBAM never asks for internet access as 1.75 does. 

 

I have hence uninstalled the latest version and have returned to the 1.75.  I guess I'll live with just blocking internet access with ZA and only allow access when I need the program to update defs.

 

Since I'm already here though, I wanted to say that I do appreciate MBAM for supplying it's free version all these years.  Like I mentioned, I've been using it from basically it's inception.  Up until somewhere around version 1.5, MBAM was smooth running and fast.  It launched fast, scanned fast, and was a pleasure to run.  As MBAM dropped support for the earlier versions, I went to 1.75.  This version also has a clean, simple, and straight forward UI, although it takes a few more seconds to launch, and calls home with every right-click scan.  MBAM 2.xxx's UI is terrible in my opinion, not to mention the changing text banner at the bottom of the window.   Are those banners only shown on the free version?  You know, I really wish companies would understand that keeping things clean and simple is always better.   Spywareblaster and Spybot are good examples of keeping it simple for many, many years.

 

In any case, since version 1.75 is an old version, there's no need to continue with this thread.  I'm guessing the program is running as it was designed to do.