Malwarebytes authoritarian policies going too far, how to opt-out?

[Steign]

??? Where is the complaints or I'm not happy with recent changes to Malwarebytes forum then??? Failing that I will just post here. MWB have gone too far and there is need to speak out.

Grumble: I spent a fair sum getting lifetime keys for 3 separate computers before the days that Malwarebytes started interfering in user's web browsing. Originally this could be disabled, but not for some time. I now find MWB is increasingly interfering in websites I've had no issue with in the past. I never opted in to MWB interfering in my web browing, and now you refuse to allow me to opt-out AND DISABLE THIS UNWANTED FEATURE. This was never part of the deal when you took my money.

Wrose still, suddenly you are redirecting my browser to the malwarebytes website presumably so you can harvest information, which is a further degredation of my privacy - but I OPTED OUT OF "PROVIDING USEAGE AND THREAT STATISTICS" but this is exactly what you are FORCING my browser to do WITHOUT MY CONSENT. Why is this suddenly needed?, and why could a page not be generated locally?

https://block.malwarebytes.com/?lic=Licensed&cat=Malware&lang=en&prod=MBAM-C&ver=4.5.24.248&cpv=1.0.1944&upv=1.0.66962&ldr=perpetual <<< IS THIS NOT SENDING STATISTICS ???

I've actually added "block.malwarebytes.com" to my hosts file, so you can't parasite off me in this way, but shouldn't need to.

However I do not want MWB to interfere in my web browsing AT ALL - I have more preferable arrangements for that, I did not install your browserguard. Should that not act as a clear message? Why not have a simple 'disable website monitoring in browser' option???

It wouldn't be so bad if there was a  "continue anyway" button on the warning that just allowed the site through, but you want to put me to major hassle in the settings and force me to create a permenant white list against my will.

As a last resort I even excluded MWB from the firefox.exe application, but even this is not respected and the authoritarian interference in my web browsing continues.

The final straw was MWB blocking me from accessing a website I've used for years that MWB has never blocked before and has not been updated in years, it's just old software and drivers for Oscilloscopes but suddenly it's !RISKWARE!. Seems all it takes now is for someone at MWB to find software they don't understand or is a bit dated for their liking and that is enough to block my browsing freedom.

KEY POINT: WHY HAS MWB BECOME SO AUTHORITARIAN, it is my PC, give me the option to decide for myself to permanently disable this BS.

As each year passes Malwarebytes is become more like SPYWARE in it's own right, but with access limited to the MWB Spy Agency, who are continually looking for new excuses to snoop deeper and deeper, and become more and more authoritarian.

I doubt anyone will read all of this, just putting views of a pi**ed off MWB user from the V1 days who needed a good rant, interesting to know if anyone from MWB gives a stuff!

---

PS: I now see a feature "VPN MONITOR" has been added? more snooping into my privacy? what business is my VPN of Malwarebytes? Can anyone explain this feature and why it is suddenly necessary?

 

[Malwarebytes]

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[Porthos]

You can disable web protection

You can stop notifications of it being turned off here.

17 minutes ago, Steign said:

PS: I now see a feature "VPN MONITOR" has been added?

That is a feature of the BETA version 5. It has not been finalized or set in stone yet.

19 minutes ago, Steign said:

Grumble: I spent a fair sum getting lifetime keys for 3 separate computers

$25 per computer for a license that never expires. There are users who would pay a whole lot more each if were still available.

23 minutes ago, Steign said:

The final straw was MWB blocking me from accessing a website I've used for years that MWB has never blocked before and has not been updated in years, it's just old software and drivers for Oscilloscopes but suddenly it's !RISKWARE!.

We have a section to report sites mistakenly blocked. It is usually addressed within 24 hours during the week. https://forums.malwarebytes.com/forum/123-website-blocking/

 

[ChuckOp]

18 hours ago, Steign said:

Grumble: I spent a fair sum getting lifetime keys for 3 separate computers

Sincerely, thank you for your business!

Quote

18 hours ago, Steign said:

https://block.malwarebytes.com/?lic=Licensed&cat=Malware&lang=en&prod=MBAM-C&ver=4.5.24.248&cpv=1.0.1944&upv=1.0.66962&ldr=perpetual <<< IS THIS NOT SENDING STATISTICS ???

Let's break this down.  When Web Protection is turned on, it will look for network connections from the PC to internet sites.  When a connection is made to a web site that matches an entry in our protection databases, Malwarebytes substitutes the suspected bad address with the above address to our block page.  That's what the link above is.  We pass along some parameters to help customize the page to your product and license type.  None of those parameters are personally identifying, and none are used for tracking purposes, and are only used to provide the service for which you are paying for.

If you do not want this protection layer, turning off Web Protection is the way to go.

20 hours ago, Steign said:

As a last resort I even excluded MWB from the firefox.exe application, but even this is not respected and the authoritarian interference in my web browsing continues.

Allow/Deny lists do not apply here, as the Web Protection feature works at a lower level and is not interacting with the browser at all.  Web Protection just replaces a suspected bad connection with a address that provides more information.  

20 hours ago, Steign said:

It wouldn't be so bad if there was a  "continue anyway" button on the warning that just allowed the site through, but you want to put me to major hassle in the settings and force me to create a permenant white list against my will.

I agree.  It is a hassle.  Allowing continue to the site is a feature of Browser Guard, but I suspect that you aren't interested in that.

20 hours ago, Steign said:

The final straw was MWB blocking me from accessing a website I've used for years that MWB has never blocked before and has not been updated in years, it's just old software and drivers for Oscilloscopes but suddenly it's !RISKWARE!. Seems all it takes now is for someone at MWB to find software they don't understand or is a bit dated for their liking and that is enough to block my browsing freedom.

A major cyber security problem is the bad guys finding vulnerabilities in old web sites and exploiting them - using the hijacked site to spawn malware and host command and control software for botnets.  It might not affect the particular web pages you are viewing, but other users of the server farm may have been infected and that's what landed the server in our protection databases.

Can you tell me what web site your were trying to reach?  I have an old Tek 422 portable scope that I haven't used in years.  

One thing I noticed is that our Support page for Web Protection does not show how to tell Malwarebytes about a web site that might be incorrectly blocked.  We should link our Support page to the Support Forum to report False Positives.  

20 hours ago, Steign said:

I doubt anyone will read all of this, just putting views of a pi**ed off MWB user from the V1 days who needed a good rant, interesting to know if anyone from MWB gives a stuff!

I read it, and I give a stuff! 😄 I feel bad that you are pissed off, but I am grateful that you are taking the time to tell us your concerns.  Feel free to keep letting us know and keeping us accountable.

-Charles Oppermann, Director of Windows Engineering, Consumer Group

[David H. Lipman]

7 hours ago, ChuckOp said:

A major cyber security problem is the bad guys finding vulnerabilities in old web sites and exploiting them - using the hijacked site to spawn malware and host command and control software for botnets.  It might not affect the particular web pages you are viewing, but other users of the server farm may have been infected and that's what landed the server in our protection databases.

Thank you for pointing this out.  It gets lost on people that legitimate web sites get compromised without exhibiting obvious indicators thus hiding back-end malicious activity.