4 replies to this topic

[Jetset Quasar]

This is what i have observed so far but the definition of a computer virus is a " self-sustained program"
My evidence of this through what I've noticed is that gameranger never turns off. ever. Yes it kills the splash screen and says its not on but even the creator said that it always remains on.and if your really observant you'll see that gamerager doesn't have a sign-out button either. The creator even stated that the only way to turn it off would be to completely uninstall it. The logic behind this would be that he could show everyone look at how many members i have logged on at all times, so that he could net more people into the program. This is why I refuse to use gameranger for MW4M or any other game, because in all actuality, it's a virus, but a benign one.

Edited by Dawn Treader, 05 May 2012 - 06:38 PM.

[Motionless]

A virus is a specific subset of malware. A virus is a program that replicates itself. So if gameranger spreads and infects computers that previously did not have gameranger on it, then it is a virus.

Often what you're describing, how the creators make it particularly hard to not always run their software once is installed also applies to most modern "anti-virus" software.

[Exilyth]

Dawn Treader, on 05 May 2012 - 06:35 PM, said:

The creator even stated that the only way to turn it off would be to completely uninstall it.

Not really malware, but certainly something I wouldn't want to use. Then again, there are a lot of other programs doing worse, e.g. a certain 'game protection' program that installs itself like a rootkit but doesn't stop hackers at all. Kind of reminds me of all the smartphone apps that access the users addressbook and upload that data to the company that made the app.

Edited by Exilyth, 06 May 2012 - 03:36 PM.

[killakanz]

Sorry to bump an old topic but I have something to say about Gameranger.

I installed it over the weekend so I could chat to friends while playing and get some private matches going, but to my horror it came with a particularly nasty virus.
When I downloaded the installer from the game ranger website, it secretly downloaded another installer and placed it hidden on the desktop. Then it quietly ran as I installed gameranger. The virus was fbdownloader, it's a very agressive browser hijacker that resets your browser's homepage and searchbar to fbdownload.com (do NOT visit the page), and this search engine quiely installed other malware while I was browsing.

Very nasty virus, took me a few days to completely remove it. Game Ranger is either infected or secretly distributing malware. AVOID it.

Edited by killakanz, 26 February 2013 - 11:30 AM.

[MechLife]

The fact that it never stops running doesn't seem especially bad, or at least, it's not specific to that program. lots of programs keep running as long as your computer is on, like selfcontrol and flux. but killakanz's story, on the other hand, is nasty...sounds like it's at least associated with a virus