How do I stop getting the Malwarebytes VPN up selling pop-ups?

[WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit]

I saw in another thread prior to making this one a staff member said you shouldn't ads for other products if you have premium. I do. Every. Damn. Day. I see MALWARE BYTES™️™️™️™️™️™️™️ VPN TRIAL NOW 7 DAYS FREE HOLY COW WHAT AN OFFER. Apparently your own staff cant keep their word straight for more than a month as the post was from October. So please kindly tell me how to stop this garbage VPN ad permanently?

 

As an aside that you can choose to comment on but I wont read it as I am only looking for an answer to the question above there are far better VPNs depending on what your goal is. Are you simply trying to bypass geoblocks then there are VPNs that offer dedicated IPs which all but guarantee you will never have an issue there (TorGuard). Are your concerned about your privacy online due file sharing, there are ones for that too but just get a seedbox like a normal person. Are you doing highly illegal dangerous online activities? There are VPNs like Mullvad where you can remain anonymous if paid with bitcoin that you have moved sufficiently though the likes of coinjoin or use monero to make bitcoin payments using xmr.to (not available in the US but that wont stop you if you have reason to be this paranoid), or long standing reputable services like Perfect-Privacy who has had their servers raided and no logs found - a provider than existed before the average internet user knew what a VPN was (in this use-case). I do not represent any of these companies, and do not endorse the use of them. I am just acknowledging what each one I have noticed other users say and compiled it here for my own enjoyment.

 

I look forward to an answer to the question posted in the last sentence of the first paragraph.

 

Warm Regards,

WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit

[Malwarebytes]

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[Porthos]

41 minutes ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

So please kindly tell me how to stop this garbage VPN ad permanently?

Simple Answer... No... unless you have Privacy installed.

The marketing dept pushes these offers.

43 minutes ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

I saw in another thread prior to making this one a staff member said you shouldn't ads for other products if you have premium.

That is the past. There is a plan in the works last I heard (no ETA) that will give premium users an option to opt out in the future.

[WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit]

2 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Simple Answer... No... unless you have Privacy installed.

The marketing dept pushes these offers.

That is the past. There is a plan in the works last I heard (no ETA) that will give premium users an option to opt out in the future.

Past? It was like two months ago lmao

[Porthos]

Just now, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

Past? It was like two months ago

Those without it are offered the program trial to build awareness and subscribers of the product. VPN's are a hot topic around the web.

I am sorry you do not understand/like that.

I do not work for Malwarebytes so I have no say.

Do they show up inside the program or are you seeing a push message at the bottom right of the screen even if MB is not open?

 

[WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit]

4 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Those without it are offered the program trial to build awareness and subscribers of the product. VPN's are a hot topic around the web.

I am sorry you do not understand/like that.

I do not work for Malwarebytes so I have no say.

Do they show up inside the program or are you seeing a push message at the bottom right of the screen even if MB is not open?

 

In side the program, daily, possibly more frequently. I've lost count, basically every time the software pops up due to shady binaries I work with.

And VPNs being a hot topic is hardly an excuse when Malwarebytes own manual says in the introduction "Malwarebytes, layered with the AV (which is the default mode) or as your stand-alone defense, is the most effective approach against modern threats. "

If my Native AV (or 3rd party for other users) and malwarebytes is the most effective approach against threats then what exactly is the VPNs adding? To answer my own question with Malwarebytes own words, nothing.

[WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit]

The manual from about a year ago, and nothing has changed in the consumer VPN landscape between now and then takes it a step further.

 

The free AV that comes with modern operating systems, in conjunction with Malwarebytes is all you will ever need

 

 

[Porthos]

1 minute ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

In side the program, daily, possibly more frequently. I've lost count, basically every time the software pops up due to shady binaries I work with.

Since you open the GUI often that explains the frequency.  The majority rarely open the interface.

3 minutes ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

then what exactly is the VPNs adding?

It as you probably already know what a VPN is, It keeps your actual IP hidden from others when using the web. Many use VPN's and Malwarebytes has its own now and is letting current customers know about it.

It has really little to do with the Malware protection Malwarebytes premium offers.

1 minute ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

The free AV that comes with modern operating systems, in conjunction with Malwarebytes is all you will ever need

For malware protection, NOT the protection of your privacy when using the web.

Many now are real paranoid/protective of their privacy now a days. Every website knows where you are located without a VPN.

 

[WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit]

35 minutes ago, Porthos said:

Since you open the GUI often that explains ("how often") the frequency.  The majority rarely open the interface.

So you think it has to do with how many times the interface is opened? You really think that's useful metric without time to temper it? Or better yet you think that is how they coded it?

And we are getting away from the point, it was the said not months ago by staff you shouldn't see ads if you're premium. If you a representative a company speaking on your own support forum I would think one would check answers were correct, and if its not correct then why not make it so.

Not to mention opting out of unsolicited promotions is so basic a feature I doubt it is anything but intentional. Law in most countries prevents them from sending it to my inbox with any frequency unsolicited, this is just a more intrusive workaround.

 

To staff:

Are these ads served from a location I can pihole and thereby solve this issue myself? 

Thanks

[Porthos]

4 minutes ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

So you think it has to do with how many times the interface is opened?

No, Until the marketing campaign is over it will be there each time the GUI is opened.

7 minutes ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

And we are getting away from the point, it was the said not months ago by staff you shouldn't see ads if you're premium.

This is not an AD as Malwarebytes sees it. It is an in-product notifications (only seen when you open the MB GUI). You should see the actual AD's from the free version. Those pop up in the bottom right even if the GUI is not open.

11 minutes ago, WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit said:

Are these ads served from a location I can pihole and thereby solve this issue myself? 

No, They are delivered with database and product updates.

Until an opt out of in-product notifications is added/coded into Malwarebytes, we are stuck with them.

[WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit]

22 minutes ago, Porthos said:

No, Until the marketing campaign is over it will be there each time the GUI is opened.

Opened GUI. No Ad.

Closed MBAM services. Restarted MBAM. No ad.

Wrong.

22 minutes ago, Porthos said:

This is not an AD as Malwarebytes sees it. It is an in-product notifications (only seen when you open the MB GUI). You should see the actual AD's from the free version. Those pop up in the bottom right even if the GUI is not open.

Wikipedia:

• Advertising is a marketing communication that employs an openly sponsored, non-personal message to promote or sell a product, service or idea.
• Sponsors of advertising are typically businesses wishing to promote their products or services.

Looks like we can write this response off too.

22 minutes ago, Porthos said:

No, They are delivered with database and product updates.

Until an opt out of in-product notifications is added/coded into Malwarebytes, we are stuck with them.

This the most funny part. Have you done traffic analysis to confirm this? Given the falsehoods above, I'd bet...no.

I'm guessing you work as in IT or as a programmer as I do, and do you really think they're sending out ads out the same pipe as their database updates and product updates. I could guess it may look that way if its all done behind single IP/host or group thereof, but behind the firewall I doubt they're shipping out information identifying every exploit kit update with a side of grandmas VPN.

 

I'm done with this thread till staff responds if there is a way to pihole this.

 

 

 

P.S. Its been fun and I apologize if I came off harsh!

[exile360]

The only public info I'm aware of regarding Malwarebytes' communications/updates etc. can be found in this support article, though it only references updates and licensing; I do not know how items for the marketing module are pushed out, however I do know that there are multiple database files that get pulled down with updates along with any config file updates so it is likely that any changes to the marketing module come down with them, but all of that data is encrypted within the databases and configuration files as far as I know.

[AdvancedSetup]

The only way to stop all Ads would be to block one or more of our servers which would also block all alerts. As said, we are working on a method for paid customers to manage this experience but for now, I'm sorry, it's not in place.

 

[AdvancedSetup]

Hello @WOWanotherVPNserviceBUYit

I have sent you a private message. When you have time can you please check and post a status update to that message.

 

 

[cesperian]

On 12/4/2020 at 2:09 AM, AdvancedSetup said:

I have sent you a private message. When you have time can you please check and post a status update to that message.

Why is the solution to this issue not part of the thread? Almost 2 years later and this damnable vpn prompt is STILL showing for those of us with a paid subscription! MalwareBytes has become the adware! For the love of god, please post how to disable this execrable f*****ing ad! 

[Porthos]

@cesperian Where exactly do you see this? Do you have a screenshot?

[SPDIF]

I here have really NEVER seen a popup for VPN, strange even clients nothing. VPN is also some sort of new hype, if you don't have it you are not normal anymore.

Stay away from it, and just use common sense! Everything lies in the hands of the user. They even hacked a big VPN, all kind of private things from users on the street. And it is incredible slow, a big program on your computer that is using resources... Not not for me, i am on internet for more then 20 year, and now it's like without VPN you can't go online anymore. They make you paranoid everywhere, so you feel you have to buy this service, and they get your money.