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  1. User picture
    • Starya on Tue 14 Aug 2012
    • 07:57:06 AM UTC

    Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Why this site has such a good rep on here beats me. I have seen people mention how their program mysteriously appears on their computers and hijacks their browsers redirecting them to a site they want them to go to. at least 2 or more people in my house have been victims of this program or whatever it is. What it does is it redirects them to yahoo.genieo.com when they search something, or try to use yahoo or other search sites for some other people i've seen. The people that own, or work for genieo tell people to use the uninstall feature, but I have seen a lot of people having problems with the uninstaller freezing, and no matter what they do they can not get rid of them at all. This is obviously not trustworthy. More people need to look into this and get more info on this. So many people are confused by what this program, or virus, or whatever it is does. I have not been infected, but it has effected other computers including 2 of the ones in my house. No one knows how genieo invaded our computers at all.

    They masquerade as an innocent news sharing site, but I don't believe it for a second.

    "We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of the dreams."

Comments:

  1. User picture
    • Genieo on Tue 14 Aug 2012
    • 05:07:04 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Hello Starya,
    Genieo is a legitimate and well acclaimed application. we never force anyone to download or install Genieo nor to change his homepage or search provider. however, we are being distributed in many channels and partners from all around the world. So yeah, it might happen that someone approved the Genieo installation and allowed it to become the default search provider and homepage while he was on the process of installing another application. We are very straightforward and clear in the offering screens and conservative in regarding with our partners complaints, regulations and installation process.
    As for the un-install process: we almost have no failures in the removal of Genieo and its components. however, we cannot change the search and the user's homepage after the removal is done. The user can always go to his browsers setting and change it to whatever he wishes it to be.
    We also try to be responsive to our user's requests and complaints, so we would like to thank you for posting your concerns with our product and we hope that you'll find our reply fulfilling .
    Best,
    The Genieo Team

  2. User picture
    • PuddinTame on Tue 14 Aug 2012
    • 05:52:15 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Looks like the jury is still out on this one. I would say about 50% of the organic results I'm seeing for Genieo are 'how to remove genieo', 'genieo has hijacked my searches', etc. This includes Google auto suggest(!). However they've gotten funded at least once, provide contact information, and have all the trappings of a legitimate company otherwise. I'll be curious to see how this discussion evolves; have not voted yet.

  3. User picture
    • Starya on Fri 17 Aug 2012
    • 04:20:56 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Sorry for my unbelief in your reply but I have seen and heard so many things that are bad about you guys. What I have seen and heard far outweighed your response. This isn't the first time I have seen a response like this from you guys. I have seen replies everywhere at other websites and lots of angry and confused people that complain of the lack of help. Either someone has made a similar product, or you are lying through your teeth. I'll keep pushing this however until I get more info. I

    "We are the music makers, we are the dreamers of the dreams."

  4. User picture
    • urwho on Wed 22 Aug 2012
    • 05:01:04 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: Genieo
    Hello Starya,
    Genieo is a legitimate and well acclaimed application. we never force anyone to download or install Genieo nor to change his homepage or search provider. however, we are being distributed in many channels and partners from all around the world. So yeah, it might happen that someone approved the Genieo installation and allowed it to become the default search provider and homepage while he was on the process of installing another application. We are very straightforward and clear in the offering screens and conservative in regarding with our partners complaints, regulations and installation process.
    As for the un-install process: we almost have no failures in the removal of Genieo and its components. however, we cannot change the search and the user's homepage after the removal is done. The user can always go to his browsers setting and change it to whatever he wishes it to be.
    We also try to be responsive to our user's requests and complaints, so we would like to thank you for posting your concerns with our product and we hope that you'll find our reply fulfilling .
    Best,
    The Genieo Team

    Hey Starva,

    My suggestion is anytime someone uses adware to datamine your systems and sites is not there for your benefit but rather their own and at your expense.

    I find their products are useless and basically function as a data mining trojan which is what most toolbars and adware addons do. The news feeds it creates for you are useless - you want news go to reddit and build your own - no need to allow anyone to put spyware on your computer and call it and news paper styled homepage. Do you really think they do this for no reason? Just because they like people? lol.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genieo

  5. User picture
    • Genieo on Mon 27 Aug 2012
    • 08:57:35 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    On the other hand, there is also our references and reviews at the Washington Post, NY times, cnet, readwriteweb and more.
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic...
    http://www.nytimes.com/external/venturebeat/2010/0...
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20000828-250.htm...
    http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/genieo_a_reco...

  6. User picture
    • Myxt on Tue 28 Aug 2012
    • 03:36:59 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    @Starya - So far, I get that you have seen and heard "many things" which motivated you to start this topic. Thinking back to those many things, and not whatever you can conveniently grab at the moment, can you provide more detailed narrative or, better, sources we can verify? Thanks in advance.

    @Genieo - How does it happen that you discovered Starya's topic here on the same day it was posted?

    @urwho - You suddenly appear here, apparently with a single purpose. Is there some history we should know about?

  7. User picture
    • Genieo on Sun 25 Nov 2012
    • 03:18:50 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    It's called "google alerts" :)
    Sometimes its on the same day, sometimes its a week later, try it yourself...

    We try to monitor the web so that we can replay and provide solution to people that are having difficulties uninstall Genieo or claiming Genieo is a virus/malewere.

  8. User picture
    • HDTV Cam on Tue 11 Dec 2012
    • 10:33:02 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: Genieo

    #Genio Malware, #Genioe Spyware, #Genieo Virus

    1) As for the un-install process: we almost have no failures in the removal of Genieo and its components. however, we cannot change the search and the user's homepage after the removal is done.
    2) The user can always go to his browsers setting and change it to whatever he wishes it to be.
    3) We also try to be responsive to our user's requests and complaints, so we would like to thank you for posting your concerns with our product and we hope that you'll find our reply fulfilling .
    Best,
    The Genieo Team

    1 Absolutely false, there are hundreds of complaints that can be found with a simple web search. I have spent over 15 hours trying to remove your software with no success.

    2 Absolutely false, it does not matter which web browser is selected. The Genieo redirect remains as the default even though it is not selected.

    3 Absolutely false, patronizing advice with basic responses on how to remove the #Genieo malware are worthless. No legitimate software company would embed itself into your system and require an advanced computer user to remove it. Why would anyone trust a site that put a viral program on their computer to install a program that they claim would remove it? To be fair, I gave them a chance. I downloaded their remover even though my virus protection objected. After the software was downloaded, It was immediately automatically discarded by my virus protection when scanned. It was flagged as a harmful malicious program.

  9. User picture
    • Genieo on Sun 16 Dec 2012
    • 08:06:10 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    1. Thew few complaints that you found are the few failure we had over the years.
    2. Once Genieo is removed it is very easy to change browser settings.
    You can find lots of web instructors for this like:
    http://www.searchenginejournal.com/change-your-def...
    http://eula.mindspark.com/reset-homepage-default-search-settings/...
    and many more....
    3. What is your AV provider? (we are tested weekly by most AV vendors and are found clear) I'll pass it on to them to be reclassifieds.

    Thanks you for your feedback

  10. User picture
    • cesium62 on Thu 03 Jan 2013
    • 05:29:50 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    It's not a "few" complaints.

    The Genieo removal process should restore the previous browser settings early in the removal process.

    If you cared about your customers, you would address the problems by running usabilities studies instead of spreading false propaganda.

    Genieo is evil; do not trust it.

  11. User picture
    • cesium62 on Thu 03 Jan 2013
    • 05:50:19 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: Genieo
    On the other hand, there is also our references and reviews at the Washington Post, NY times, cnet, readwriteweb and more.
    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic...
    http://www.nytimes.com/external/venturebeat/2010/0...
    http://news.cnet.com/8301-19882_3-20000828-250.htm...
    http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/genieo_a_reco...

    Those are bullshit references. So you wrote up a couple of misleading puff pieces and paid someone to publish them for you. Big whoop. Those references do not mention search redirection, nor difficulties in removing geneio from a system and hence are not credible references, nor how the browser is slowed down by genio. Hence those references are not credible. Please provide a credible, balanced, third party review that you didn't write.

    Please respond in detail to each of the following:
    http://forums.anvisoft.com/viewtopic-45-1165-0.html
    http://www.2-spyware.com/remove-search-genieo-com-...
    http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/w...

    "Search.genieo.com virus is a browser hijacker that redirects users and makes other unwanted activities that can be stopped only after removing this virus from your computer. Browser's redirections is the most annoying thing caused by this cyber threat. They start appearing as soon as this virus gets inside the PC and hacks every browser it finds on the compromised machine. It is capable to take all popular browsers, like Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer, and may also change the homepage to Search.genieo.com or other domain. Search.genieo.com page hasn't been found to give its visitors malware or other kinds of viruses. However, it can't be normally used for searching for the information because most of the results are misleading. That's why we don't recommend leaving Search.genieo.com virus on your computer and ignoring its constant redirections."

    The genieo official uninstall instructions cannot be trusted. It is more likely that Genieo leaves software installed in a more hidden fashion to maintain access to your computer. The fact that Genieo unethically hijacks browser search, and the fact that genieo cannot provide reasonably well working uninstall software strongly suggests that Genieo is both evil and incompetent.

  12. User picture
    • c۞g on Thu 03 Jan 2013
    • 08:42:04 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    genieo.com - whois hidden
    aka: strtpoint.com

    downloaded: http://download.genieo.com/partner/genieo/release/live/InstallGenieo.exe

    Poor install
    the accept / install page with EULA has 2 options preselected to set browser (FF / IE / Chrome) default search and homepage, as well as set browser start to genieo

    It downloads (installs) quite a bit, I stopped the install at 52MB (over 700 files in 112 directories); it was taking too long.
    All you see is the tray icon (WinXP) "in motion"

    Left-click the tray icon pulls up the URL search.genieo.com/?=genieo
    Just another Google wanna-be that records browser history/usage

    VT URL scan
    VT results
    Neither have any data; I've submitted samples to: Avira and Microsoft
    (though this is a downloader / installer)

    Avira reported:
    File ID: 27341809
    File name: InstallGenieo.exe
    Size (byte): 845.02 KB
    Result: UNDER ANALYSIS
    (If Avira had a previous sample and there were nothing malicious the result would say CLEAN)

    Microsoft reported:
    File: A67F2F428FE5C6B371147D435E7CB57B0DBF7B8E
    Detection Status:
    Alert Level:

    Clearly the VT results are non-conclusive
    AV vendors require samples to become aware of potential threats..

    ∞ Opto, ergo sum _https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_You_and_I

  13. User picture
    • mpowered on Tue 08 Jan 2013
    • 06:13:10 PM UTC

    Geneio is a Virus Plain And Simple and Getting Rid of It?

    Yesterday I received an email from my girl friends son as I opened it it did something surprising and at 8:24AM it started. First it Hijacked my Browser. Then it started to take over. By 9:30 it was in my root folder what started out to be a small problem was growing and the more I worked to contain it the faster it spred. B 3:00 PM it had spread to every drive on my system and was now in over 350 different files including backup files which predated Genieo's original installation time and date.

    I think I made it mad because it started to attack the Mac OX and bog everything down. I tried everything and nothing worked.
    If this isn't a virus why was Genieo attempting to gain access to to my contacts.My girlfriends son called and said he was sorry but something had hacked his email and sent out emails to everyone in his contact list. If it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck and looks like a duck... MUST BE A DUCK!
    IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH evidence then why is MY MUSIC PLAYER asking "DECIBEL, WOULD LIKE TO ACCESS YOUR CONTACTS"
    I think there is a lot of misinformation going on by the company it reminded me of MacKeeper---ONCE YOU HAVE IT YOU CAN'T GET RID OF IT"
    I finally contained it by archiving it and then secure deleting it. It continually will keep you from deleting or editing it saying you do have the correct permission to do anything to it....change, edit or delete the file.
    If there is a will, all day and a desire you can get rid of anything.
    Genieo is just another Virus it may look harmless but its code is lethal

  14. User picture
    • PuddinTame on Wed 09 Jan 2013
    • 02:25:52 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Yeah that's enough proof for me. Rated

  15. User picture
    • Nihilum on Fri 08 Feb 2013
    • 11:04:47 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Genieo has caused issues for a long time. It has and always will hijack your browser and act like a data miner. I had read all the reviews I could find, and decided to put it to the test...in a controlled environment.

    I installed Genieo after enabling Deep Freeze...not only did it set off McAfee...but it actually tried to disable it. Then once the install was complete, I decided to try going to websites...sure enough...it took 4 minutes to load Google.com. My comp normally loads it instantly, along with just about any other website. It turned my 32Mb/s connection into a 52Kb/s connection.

    By the way, I'd like to know why Genieo needs access to my Battlefield 3 files, my contacts, my email program, and my hardware drivers if it's not data mining.

  16. User picture
    • pitpoodles on Mon 18 Feb 2013
    • 05:24:12 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    I discovered genieo on my' 'puter, had a serious case of the slows, so i googled how to uninstall it, which it appeared to do easily enough. Then I rebooted, and got cascading corrupt messages. The end result was no emails, no stored email files, but it left my address book, and except for System Restore, which now doesn't work, I don't think it screwed anything else over, at least I hope not.
    It is, according to Norton, malware, except norton didn't catch it. I haven't tried to print anything yet, this has me so upset, the better choice is just to spend tomorrow trying to undo the genieo carnage.

    What's wrong with people that the feel the need to do things like this?

  17. User picture
    • evilfantasy on Sun 03 Mar 2013
    • 07:17:25 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Nice sales pitch.

    http://www.linkedin.com/pub/brett-chatz/47/746/78a
    Content management, Search Engine Optimization, and Search Engine Marketing.

    Obviously working for Genio?

  18. User picture
    • evilfantasy on Sun 03 Mar 2013
    • 08:04:41 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    You guys must think we are stupid.

    http://www.linkedin.com/pub/abigail-ofrasio/56/a92...
    Ghostwriting, SEO, BMR, Reviews and the like.

  19. User picture
    • Pac-Man on Wed 03 Apr 2013
    • 04:24:41 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    @Genieo I am backing off from my previous comment - to some degree.

    I find the way you install your service in systems to be unethical. The best thing I can say is you remind me to back up more frequently.

  20. User picture
    • adamth0 (not verified) on Fri 05 Apr 2013
    • 12:56:54 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    I think Genieo would do well to take a long, hard look at their method of distribution. I don't know if their affiliates get paid per install, or paid per machine hour their software is running - but if so, they might want to look at misaligned incentives this might be giving their partners. I'm not really up on web affiliate marketingspeak, and am reluctant to visit the actual site itself, but it appears that the payout is USD 0.55 per clickthrough conversion. Even if the Genieo software itself is supposed to be easy to remove, this might incentivize unscupulous types to re-package an MSI with a deliberately broken uninstall script.

    They might also want to think about policing the way in which their software is installed, and checking up on it to make sure nobody is reaping cash by putting the installer in a drive-by-download. They might even go so far as to do some background checks and due dliligence on their affiliates, to make sure they're dealing only with reputable legal entities.
    Allowing unscrupulous people to put Genieo software on unsuspecting end user computers, via browser exploits and other such subterfuge, is not going to do their reputation any good.

    I am almost hoping to stumble upon a Genieo installer "in the wild", so I can check my proxy and audit logs to see where it came from.

  21. User picture
    • adamth0 (not verified) on Fri 05 Apr 2013
    • 01:41:33 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    OK - so I didn't just sit around, waiting to get infected.
    I look at the comments on the scorecard, and saw that one lucky WOT user managed to pick this up while attempting to download a PDF document from lp.saveasapp.com. So, I did a quick search for URLs on this server, and found one. There's tons of them to choose from.
    So, I've fired up WGET, spoofed the User Agent and Referer headers, and downloaded one of these pages. The HTML includes a Javscript "Click Here if your download hasn't started..." link, which points at a URI under hxxp://ncapponline.info/.
    And what do I get when I attempt to WGET the page? I get a Windows x86 portable executable file. Although the file is called index.html.1.exe at this point, the headers tell me it has an original file name of TSULoader.exe. It purports to be some software called "Softsafe".
    So I try another URL, back at lp.saveasapp.com. I get another javascript download link, pointing to a different URI on that same hxxp://ncapponline.info/ host as before. I get exactly the same 284 KB PE file as before, again with the original filename of TSULoader.exe, and again claiming to be SoftSafe.
    So, I've google SoftSafe and come up with nothing much. A google for TSULoader returns many, many hits, either for pages asking how to remove it, or decrying it as a virus, or some red-rated sites offering it for download.

    Here's a sample of the ASCII strings contained in the file:

    <$ InstallerID="3298199355" DownloadID="9999999999" ExternalID="0" Publi
    sherID="480" SourceID="0" PageID="0" SingleInstanceID="" RunOnceID="" PayloadOff
    set="289672" PayloadSize="0" ExtractPayload="0" CountryCode="GB" Language="EN" A
    ffiliateID="" ServerName="BOX1" ServerUrl="hxxp://i1.installbox1.info" ServerUrl
    1="hxxp://i2.monitorbox1.info" ServerCfgUrl="hxxp://c1.installbox1.info" ServerC
    fgUrl1="hxxp://c2.monitorbox1.info" ServerReportUrl="http://r1.reportbox1.info"
    ServerReportUrl1="hxxp://r2.monitorbox1.info" BrowserID="1" BrowserVersionID="16
    17337544" DomainID="1193985454" RefererDomainID="2315774837" InstallerDate="2013
    /04/05" InstallerTime="1:19:31" ShowInTaskbar="1" InstallerMode="" QueryString="
    " ConfigQuery="installer_id=3298199355&publisher_id=480&source_id=0&page_id=0&co
    untry_code=GB&locale=EN&browser_id=1&download_id=2020681908&external_id=0" UserA
    gentID="3345765633" QueryStringID="0" $>
    hxxp://www.usertrust.com1
    3hxxp://crl.usertrust.com/AddTrustExternalCARoot.crl05
    hxxp://ocsp.usertrust.com0
    hxxp://www.usertrust.com1
    1hxxp://crl.usertrust.com/UTN-USERFirst-Object.crl0t
    1hxxp://crt.usertrust.com/UTNAddTrustObject_CA.crt0%
    hxxp://ocsp.usertrust.com0
    hxxps://secure.comodo.net/CPS0A
    0hxxp://crl.comodoca.com/COMODOCodeSigningCA2.crl0r
    0hxxp://crt.comodoca.com/COMODOCodeSigningCA2.crt0$
    hxxp://ocsp.comodoca.com0"
    admin@fileredirect.info0
    AddTrust AB1&0$
    AddTrust External TTP Network1"0
    AddTrust External CA Root0
    Error %u while loading TSU.DLL %ls
    Error %u while extracting TSU.DLL to %ls
    Tsu%08lX.dll
    D:\Dev\Tin7\InstallDir\vc80-win32u\Loader.pdb
    name="Tarma.InstallMate7.Loader"

    I've munged the download ID.

    This does look like the same package that's been used to surreptitiously distribute other toolbars in the past. I'm not running the damned thing on my lappy, so I can't say if this file will install Genieo or not. I suppose I could run it under a debugger, but can I hit a breakpoint before it hoses my machine? I'm not sure I've got the balls for it.

  22. User picture
    • adamth0 (not verified) on Fri 05 Apr 2013
    • 02:02:17 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Update: I have submitted a sample to MSFT.
    I was going to submit one to Malwarebytes, but I'm not sure which category it belongs on.
    I tried to create an account, but I didn't want to enter a password in plain vanilla HTTP, and upon trying httpS, I got:
    forums.malwarebytes.org uses an invalid security certificate.
    The certificate expired on 20/07/2012 00:59. The current time is 05/04/2013 03:00.
    (Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate)
    So, er... no.

  23. User picture
    • MysteryFCM on Fri 05 Apr 2013
    • 05:25:36 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: adamth0
    Update: I have submitted a sample to MSFT.
    I was going to submit one to Malwarebytes, but I'm not sure which category it belongs on.
    I tried to create an account, but I didn't want to enter a password in plain vanilla HTTP, and upon trying httpS, I got:
    forums.malwarebytes.org uses an invalid security certificate.
    The certificate expired on 20/07/2012 00:59. The current time is 05/04/2013 03:00.
    (Error code: sec_error_expired_certificate)
    So, er... no.

    I'll ensure that gets fixed, thanks for letting me know.

    Regards Steven Burn I.T. Mate / hpHosts it-mate.co.uk / hosts-file.net

  24. User picture
    • Bailo on Mon 08 Apr 2013
    • 11:02:23 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Kind of glad I was on my tablet when it force downloaded itself...

  25. User picture
    • dot 55 on Mon 23 Sep 2013
    • 12:28:10 AM UTC

    I DO NOT DOUBT YOUR EFFORTS HOWEVER I WANT IT OFF MY COMPTER -

    I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DOWNLOAD RUMMIKIB FOR OVER SIX MONTHS = AND I HAVE ABOUT 15 INQUIRIES BY WOT ABOUT THIS COMPANY - I DO NOT HAVE ROOM FOR HOLLOW INFORMATION - NO MATTER HOW GOOD YOUR INTENTIONS ARE RUMMIKUB SOMEHOW BELIEVES THAT IT IS DOWLOADING ON MY IMAC NO MATTER WHAT .

  26. User picture
    • dougherty_thom on Fri 11 Jul 2014
    • 07:40:21 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: urwho
    Hey Starva,

    My suggestion is anytime someone uses adware to datamine your systems and sites is not there for your benefit but rather their own and at your expense.

    I find their products are useless and basically function as a data mining trojan which is what most toolbars and adware addons do. The news feeds it creates for you are useless - you want news go to reddit and build your own - no need to allow anyone to put spyware on your computer and call it and news paper styled homepage. Do you really think they do this for no reason? Just because they like people? lol.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genieo

    Starla is ABSOLUTELYCORRECT. Listen to her.

  27. User picture
    • SHKHRP on Tue 22 Jul 2014
    • 01:17:27 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: Genieo
    Hello Starya,
    Genieo is a legitimate and well acclaimed application. we never force anyone to download or install Genieo nor to change his homepage or search provider. however, we are being distributed in many channels and partners from all around the world. So yeah, it might happen that someone approved the Genieo installation and allowed it to become the default search provider and homepage while he was on the process of installing another application. We are very straightforward and clear in the offering screens and conservative in regarding with our partners complaints, regulations and installation process.
    As for the un-install process: we almost have no failures in the removal of Genieo and its components. however, we cannot change the search and the user's homepage after the removal is done. The user can always go to his browsers setting and change it to whatever he wishes it to be.
    We also try to be responsive to our user's requests and complaints, so we would like to thank you for posting your concerns with our product and we hope that you'll find our reply fulfilling .
    Best,
    The Genieo Team

    Dear Genieo Team,
    You must be kidding when you say that your uninstaller "works". Guess what? It doesn't. It only a matter of installing your evil brainchild and then trying to uninstall with the bundled "uninstaller". Your evil spawn does not relinquish the death grip on my browser. It is stuck on "Bing" )Microsoft should have buried it with the "Zune", unfortunately it still survives). Can you honestly say that the Genieo Uninstaller ever let go of the browser? Thanks to good samaritans on the web, I was finally able to get rid of it (it was a multi step process, involving backing up of my mac, and a hard restart). Oh and by the way....your totally unethical CEO dreams of the world to be a "freeware"! No wonder your spawn is being trashed in every forum. Cease & Desist!

  28. User picture
    • verdun2003 on Fri 25 Jul 2014
    • 01:40:31 PM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    It's a huge scam, plain and simple, reputation should go to 0:

    In May 2013, a malicious installer, distributed by Genieo partner Softonic,[7] was found by security software company Intego. The installer masquerades as a necessary update to Adobe Flash Player and attempts to install Genieo.app without user interaction. Dynamic libraries are added to the Safari browser, which intercept searches intended for Bing and Google.[8]

    Other versions of Genieo for Mac have also been offered as 'codecs' required for video playback.[9] Testing carried out on Genieo for Mac in June 2013 found that it left active software behind, after using the supplied uninstaller, which required detailed manual removal.[9][10][11]

    In November 2013, another fake application installer was reported to include Genieo adware. [12]

    In January 2014, Sophos added Genieo for Mac to their threat list; in the category Viruses and Spyware : Trojan : Adware .[13]

    As of April 2014, Genieo for Mac is flagged by Intego (mentioned above)[8][10] and, according to an analysis at VirusTotal, by 20 (out of 50 surveyed) anti-malware solutions, including Ad-Aware, Avast!, Bitdefender, Comodo, Dr. Web, ESET, Fortinet, F-Secure, Kaspersky, Trend Micro Housecall, and Sophos.[14]

  29. User picture
    • uszoninyc on Tue 21 Oct 2014
    • 12:53:36 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: Genieo
    1. Thew few complaints that you found are the few failure we had over the years.
    2. Once Genieo is removed it is very easy to change browser settings.
    You can find lots of web instructors for this like:
    http://www.searchenginejournal.com/change-your-def...
    http://eula.mindspark.com/reset-homepage-default-search-settings/...
    and many more....
    3. What is your AV provider? (we are tested weekly by most AV vendors and are found clear) I'll pass it on to them to be reclassifieds.

    Thanks you for your feedback

    Don't you think it a little...ODD that, there's not ONE - ZERO 'positive' comments here?

    EVERY single person - aside from you (a paid shill) has nothing but negative things to say, and almost EVERY single one has COPIOUS amounts of information to back them up?

    Don't get me wrong - you're obviously a paid flack, & that's your job, and - if you said otherwise, you'd be out of work (in fact, I'd bet that these replies are not coming from just one person - I don't know what employee turnover is at this 'company...').

    It's like an annoying childhood game; no matter what amount, how unimpeachable the source of information, 'you' - Geenio, will do nothing but just sound like a demented cheerleader.
    '
    There are some facts you can't give positive information 'bout, for example; how many people WILLINGLY download YOUR software...SPECIFICALLY?

    By that, I mean - if I get an application from, oh, Apple, I got it becauseI WANT it, and I kno when I install it, EXACTLY what I'll get.

    How MANY people can you (with PROOF, please) say download YOUR - GEENIO - software (per week, let's say) ON PURPOSE.

    You can NOT count ANY time they were downloading ANYTHING OTHER THAN GEENIO.

    You repeatedly say how you give the 'option' of installing, which ISN'T true.

    You repeatedly say how your uninstall is 'easy,' which ALSO isn't true.

    So, let's hear it - how many people - per week - are willfully downloading GEENIO (ONLY) because they WANT it?

    Then, how many (DISTINCT individuals) of those people actually KEEP GEENIO for more than ONE DAY? ONE week? One Month? ONE year?

    And so it goes...

  30. User picture
    • uszoninyc on Tue 21 Oct 2014
    • 01:12:39 AM UTC

    RE: Genieo.com : Browser hijacker

    Originally posted by: Genieo
    1. Thew few complaints that you found are the few failure we had over the years.
    2. Once Genieo is removed it is very easy to change browser settings.
    You can find lots of web instructors for this like:
    http://www.searchenginejournal.com/change-your-def...
    http://eula.mindspark.com/reset-homepage-default-search-settings/...
    and many more....
    3. What is your AV provider? (we are tested weekly by most AV vendors and are found clear) I'll pass it on to them to be reclassifieds.

    Thanks you for your feedback

    LEt me ask you:

    This is from YOUR - 'InstallMac' ('install' WHAT on 'Mac, is the question) home page;

    '...Need Help?
    We are happy to answer any questions you may have, we will get back to you as soon as possible.
    Question and answer

    What is InstallMac?
    InstallMac is the first and leading global software distribution and monetization network specializing in the full monetization of the download process.
    Who can use the InstallMac product?
    InstallMac was built for Mac developers interested in generating additional revenue from their applications and for advertisers looking to distribute their Mac application.
    Is InstallMac a virus, Malware, Spyware or in any way harmful to my computer?
    Absolutely not!

    InstallMac is a software distribution platform, and as such we make every effort possible to ensure that no such programs are being installed on your computer. More so, we strongly encourage our users to report any such attempts to misuse InstallMac.

    InstallMac does not violate any of your privacy information, as stated in our policy here.

    InstallMac provides clear removal instructions as well as a removal application, specifically created for users who have a problem removing InstallMac using the written instructions.

    InstallMac is 100% compliant with Yahoo, Microsoft and Google policies.

    Is InstallMac Adware? Well, Adware is unfortunately is a largely misconceived as a bad thing. But Adware is not a dirty word. It is a term related mostly with free software and basically means that advertisers are the ones paying for the software, making it free for you. Almost every "free" app you use on your smart phone is Adware for that matter. So the answer, more specifically, is that InstallMac is partly Adware.

    Another irrelevant label you may come across in reference to InstallMac is PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program). InstallMac is used by millions of satisfied users, so the attempt to label it as "Potentially Unwanted" because of several hundreds of complaints from "unwanting" users is ridiculous....'

    Yeah - it's a PAGE-length attempt to try & justify WHAT 'InstallMac,' Geenio et al. is, are.

    How come Google doesn't need, nor have any - ANY - justification like this - ANYWHERE - &, it's pretty fair to say they have a LOT more 'fingers' in a LOT more 'pies' than poor little Geenio.

    I tried not to laugh at the last 2 paragraphs where - whatever high school kid wrote this really needs to finish learning how to write - he tries to explain that InstallMac (Geenio) ISN'T adware, ISN'T malicious, etc,. because, well, if you look at the big picture, almost everything on 'YOUR PHONE' (HE said it!) 'is adware...'

    Uh ...NO - it isn't.

    A lot of the stuff on my phone may be free, but, it DOESN'T change ANYTHING, DOESN'T PRETEND to be something else, DOESN'T do ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT IT'S INTENDED to.

    'Millions of satisfied users.'

    I asked in another space for some documentation ''bout the actual numbers of Geenio/InsallMac users who NOT only INSTALLED this on PURPOSE (and DIDN'T just 'happen' to allow it to stay after it installed itself under the guise of something else), but, HOW MANY of those people KEPT it, & USED it DAILY? WEEKLY? MONTHY? YEARLY?

    Sigh - I Could waste more time, but, I DO have a life,and the fun thing is this poor Geenio slob's LIVELIHOOD is being 'cheerleader.'

    As the saying goes, I may be boring, but, tomorrow, I can do something EXCITING - 'Geenio' cheerleader - they'll be STUCK cheerleading AGAIN, 2moro, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day, and the next day, .......

    And so it goes...