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Every PC must have some apps installed. Maybe a store employee tipped you off a year ago, or maybe you spent hours searching for an app before you found it. Some PC programs are installed on millions, sometimes even billions of computers even though they shouldn’t be.
Some programs have been rendered obsolete by the capabilities found in Windows over the years, while others have been acquired and used by large businesses for dubious reasons. Some can potentially put your computer at risk. These four PC software, with many decent options, even if you probably don’t use them.
These are PC programs you still use, but you really should stop.
Cleaner
CCleaner is a program I see almost exclusively on PC. The program claims to clean up more than 35 million gigabytes of disk space per month and 5 million installations per week. Currently, however, there are more risks associated with installing CCleaner on your computer than benefits.
Not once, not twice, but three significant data breaches have affected the utility in the past five years; The most recent occurred in October 2023. These security flaws allowed hackers to release hacked copies of CCleaner installed on users’ machines, exposing the data of millions of users. After antivirus software Avast purchased CCleaner in 2017, the program began collecting user data even when tracking was disabled. While this was the case, there was a violation.
Software installed on billions of PCs frequently experience data breaches. The problem is CCleaner’s lack of functionality. You don’t need to delete your registry; You can manage your own browser data within your browser itself. Meanwhile fact, Microsoft has been warning against registry cleaners like CCleaner for close to a decade. As some security experts put it: “Registry cleaners don’t fix problems. They invent them.”
On contemporary PCs, CCleaner is largely useless. Although removing junk files from your browser is as simple as cleaning your registry, doing so can cause problems. It is preferable to leave CCleaner uninstalled as it has been turbulent for a few years.
Avast/Norton/AVG
As a result of their recent merger, I’ve rounded up the top three antivirus companies here. You don’t have to take my word for it—spyware was really what the supposed antivirus program was. The Federal Trade Commission fined Avast $16.5 million in February of this year for collecting and selling user data under the guise of security products.
The story begins with Google removing Avast and AVG browser extensions in 2019. These browser extensions will monitor not only the websites you visit, but also some of the actions you take. According to the maker of the well-known Adblock Plus addon, Avast is able to create an almost exact replica of your surfing habits by monitoring tab and window identifiers along with your actions.
A combined Motherboard and PCMag investigation a year later found that the antivirus software itself was also collecting this type of data. Jumpshot, the business to which Avast sold the data, said it had data on 100 million devices. Your online searches, GPS locations, browsing history and more were included in this data. Although the information is anonymous, the FTC’s findings indicate that Avast’s customers were not aware that background data was being collected.
After the publication of the study, Avast terminated its partnership with Jumpshot. The business was found to be collecting customer data through its software, was fined and continued to operate, albeit in a related manner. On my computer, I don’t want to install software from corporations that engage in such unethical business practices.
Don’t worry that if you don’t have one of these tools, your computer will be vulnerable to malware and viruses. One of the better antivirus programs you can use is Windows Defender, which comes pre-installed on your computer. Defender alone won’t keep your PC safe; Common sense will practice surfing.
LastPass
It’s understandable that LastPass is one of the best password managers available. It’s free, and not just the weird stuff you get in most apps. Without spending a single dollar, you can exchange passwords with others, save countless passwords, and use autofill. However, you may want to invest a little money in an alternative password manager.
LastPass disclosed that the company experienced a data breach in August 2022. Although they are not ideal, these things happen. How a business handles a data breach is important, and LastPass has struggled in this area. LastPass said at the time that there was “no access to customer data or encrypted password vaults” as a result of the incident story that slowly unraveled in the months that followed.
A few months later, another breach occurred using the same stolen data. This time, the stolen material contained “elements of our customers’ information.” A month later it became clear that LastPass was not completely honest. Customer information including email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, billing details and encryption keys were obtained during the hack.
Rival 1Password has a leg up on LastPass, claiming hackers can crack master passwords for $100 and little effort. One security expert called LastPass’s claims on the matter “filled with omissions, half-truths and outright lies.” The problem got worse when it was discovered that LastPass was purposely blocking search engines from viewing its help sites related to the hack.
WinRAR
I promise not to discuss the evil deeds our beloved WinRAR has been doing right under your nose for the past few decades. WinRAR has avoided data breaches, questionable business practices, or involvement in FTC litigation, unlike previous applications. It’s very easy to see why you don’t need WinRAR: in 2024, it’s simply unnecessary.
Common file compression formats, such as .zip, .rar, and .7z file extensions, are now supported byWindows 11 now supports. These folders can be compressed and decompressed in Windows 11 without using external programs. The only exception is password-protected archives; You’ll still need a tool like WinRAR to access those archives.
Additionally, downloading it may expose you to some vulnerabilities as WinRAR is a popular target for hackers. Hackers sometimes release fake versions of these applications through search results in an attempt to trick the wrong users into downloading them, and they frequently take advantage of newly discovered vulnerabilities. Quick updates always fix these issues, but since Windows already has the capability, there’s no need to play whack-a-mole with security flaws.
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