Blacklisted software

Our members have reviewed many different kinds of software, along with submitting both reviews and ratings. We are also accepting member submissions for software that they have reviewed that causes too many potential problems for system usage.

Do not visit these websites or use any of the software listed. Much of the software listed can and will cause problems with your computer.

Title	Date reviewed (YYYY-MM-DD)	Description	Verdict
1-2-3 Spyware Free	2005-10-12	Protecting from spyware and adware can be easy and effective! 1-2-3 Spyware Free is the award winning solution that will comprehensively scan your PC for unwanted components and will suggest their removal.	Avoid the program due to false positives, a poor interface and suspicious items. This program was also listed on the well known SpywareWarrior and delisted on 2006-12-26. As it is a former rogue that is a valid reason not to trust this software.
Spyware Doctor	2006-03-04	Spyware Doctor provides three-way spyware protection for your PC through real-time threat blocking, advanced system scanning and immunization against known browser infections. This is one of the many reasons why the award-winning Spyware Doctor has been chosen by millions of users to protect their PCs against spyware, adware, trojans, keyloggers, spybots and other tracking threats.	Returns numerous false positives, wants you to purchase the product to remove any infected items found.
Foxie	2006-07-13	Now you can surf the web with ease and comfort. Foxie (fox + ie; pronounced /Foxy/) is a collection of free security, privacy and productivity tools developed by the Foxie Team. It was originally designed to bridge the gap between Internet Explorer and Mozilla FireFox (an open source web browser developed by the Mozilla Foundation) but soon grew in scope and size to offer additional unique features not found on any stand alone browser. Foxie empowers you to browse faster, more safely and more efficiently than with any other browser by blending tabbed browsing, ads & pop-up blocking, Malware cleansing and privacy & security protection with our smart search capabilities to enhance your browsing experience. Foxie is not a web browser and fits seamlessly into your IE browser.	Comes with a so-called "Security Firewall" which really is an Internet worm that downloads malware. As the first sign of infection, you will get popups with Firefox and IE browsers. They will display "Advertisment - NSIS Media" by launching from Windows Explorer. The worm is a modified version of W32.Elitper.a@mm.
nLite	2006-09-27	nLite is a tool for permanent Windows components removal and pre-installation Windows setup. After removal there is an option to make bootable image ready for burning on cd or testing in virtual machines. With nLite you will be able to have Windows installation which on install doesn't include, or even contain on cd, unwanted components.	Wreaklessly strips out services and other required files; causing numerous issues with every release. This program will also modify files on your hard drive. It has been reported by numerous users that nLite "modifies every Windows installation file, even if you didn't modify anything related to that file. It will add "nLite" to the bottom of the file." Microsoft is also against the use of nLite.
vLite	2007-02-10	vLite is a tool for customizing the Windows Vista installation before actually installing it. vLite provides you with an easy removal of the unwanted components in order to make Vista run faster and to your liking.	Much like nLite, this program also wreaklessly strips out services and other required files; causing numerous issues with every release. This program will also modify files on your hard drive. Microsoft is also against the use of vLite.
Advanced WindowsCare	2006-09-28	See the entry below. Advanced WindowsCare Personal is a comprehensive PC care utility that takes an one-click approach to help protect, repair and optimize your computer. It provides an all-in-one and super convenient solution for PC maintenance and protection. This fantastic program is available free of charge. Best Choice for Computer Novices, Windows Beginners or Lazy IT Experts!	Disables important services such as Error Reporting and many other required services that should not be disabled. It offers these as speed and performance "tweaks" when it in facts causes performance issues. The Event Viewer will have errors reported in the System log from the needed services being disabled. The registry cleaner can also break a perfectly functional Windows system.
Comodo Software	2009-05-18	Comodo has numerous security products. Anti-virus, firewall, and a package that has both included.	Comodo has been known for numerous shady practices. Some of these practices include issuing SSL certificates to known malware distributors on numerous occasions. With all of these instances it's very hard to trust a company that specializes in security. If they make these mistakes time and time again, it can happen with any of their software which is why we're blacklisting all of their software.
IOBit Software	2009-11	IOBit has numerous products, including the Advanced WindowsCare that has been listed here in the past.	IOBit Software was caught using Malwarebytes database without permission from Malwarebytes. This was brought to Malwarebytes attention when a post was made showing a Malwarebytes keygen detected as Don't.Steal.Our.Software.A was posted, but using IOBits software. Their other software such as Advanced WindowsCare which disables important services, and the registry cleaner would break Windows. Considering all of these factors, their software is deemed untrustworthy and earned a place on this list.
Windows 10 "Privacy" software	2020-10-01	This listing includes software such as O&O ShutUp10, Spybot Anti-Beacon, W10Privacy, AShampoo AntiSpy, and numerous others.	All of these "privacy" softwares disable important things to help keep your computer running smoothly. Disabling things like error reports, services, telemetry, and many more things. By disabling these, it stops the OS from functioning properly and can even cause negative impacts. An example is with error reporting being disabled, if a program keeps crashing then that crash report never gets sent. This can also include if it's a Microsoft program. You cannot fix a problem you do not know about. The problem with error reporting goes as far back as the Windows XP days, where people were misinformed that they shouldn't bother sending the report. Yet if the reports are submitted, you get notified if a fix has been made the next time it crashes. There is also biometrics which can be added layers of security to unlock your computer, without those, it can potentially be easier to access your computer. Some software even offers to let you disable Microsoft Defender which has been the top rated free antivirus since August 2019.