McAfee Security Scan installed on my computer

[GTGeek88]

I do not use McAfee products, but suddenly "McAfee Security Scan" has installed itself on my computer (EXEs and DLLs in the folder include MCUICNT.EXE, SecurityScanner.DLL, SecurityScanner_LD.DLL, and SSScheduler.EXE). I'm wondering what this product is and where it came from. I did not authorize it to be on my computer, however some other product may have installed it without my permission. Is there any way to tell. Is this a legit product? How might it have gotten on my computer otherwise? This may not be the best place to post this question, but I couldn't find a forum that seemed quite right, so here we are. Thanks for any help provided.

[exbrit]

Unless you've done an online scan at some stage using McAfee's online scan or used Virustotal online scan it's not possible for McAfee to install itself, unless your ISP is trying to push some kind of protection of course.

As I don't recognize that process I suggest you download, update and run the free versions of these two tools:

http://www.superantispyware.com/superantispywarefreevspro.html

http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php

[GTGeek88]

No, I have not done an online scan. I do not like McAfee products and will not use them. As I mentioned, I suspect some other software did this without my permission. I can just uninstall it, but I wanted to wait before I did that in case anything there would give me a clue as to what installed it.

What are those sites? I've never heard of them. They sound like some of the sites that purport to scan your computer, but really infect it. Thanks, but without further info, I won't be going there.

[exbrit]

They happen to be very reputable anti-spyware applications and are recommended by all the leading malware removal forums.

We wouldn't recommend them if they weren't and we aren't McAfee employees here by the way, just volunteers users.

[GTGeek88]

Well, it just looks a little odd when you are referring people from a McAfee site to some other antispyware/malware products. But thanks, I'll do some research on those . . .

Anyway, it turns out it was the update to Adobe Flash I did yesterday. I was a little too quick to click the Agree and Install and did not notice that they have this McAfee product in their installation. I hate these companies that do that and you have to turn it off. Apple is bad about defaulting you to installing other software when you update QuickTime and iTunes (though I think the last time if defaulted to not install the extra software, so maybe they are seeing the light). If I'd taken a bit more time with what I was doing and paid more attention, I'd have definitely unchecked the checkbox for the McAfee software. Personally, I hate the McAfee product and some of their obnoxious policies and do not use or recommend their software. So now I will remove it and say "good riddance!"

Thank you for your replies.

[exbrit]

Oops, you are right and I had forgotten about that possibility. Yes it pays to read everything before clicking.

Regarding recommending other software. It's considered a necessary courtesy as no anti-virus application on Earth can deal with everything out there these days, so it is wise to carry some anti-spyware tools as well.

As we are obviously finished here I'll lock this thread.

Good luck.

[john_allman]

I have just acquired McAfee Security Scan Plus apparently free of charge, packaged in with Adobe Reader free download.  But I already had BT Net Protect Plus, which is McAfee product rebranded.

Apparently, I presently have both products running at the same time.  Is there any added value in this?  Any contention risk?  Any performance cost?  Should I uninstall Security Scan Plus?

(I am assuming that I will receive an email notification if and when somebody replies to this post.  If not, could anybody who does reply please email me manually, at <email address removed for reasons of online safety - Hayton>, letting me kinow that there is a reply waiting, and including a link to this page?  Thanks.)

Message was edited by: john_allman on 29/10/13 18:10:36 CDT

Message was edited by: Hayton on 30/10/13 01:45:25 GMT

[exbrit]

No it's merely a sales gimmick.  It should be listed as a programme in your Control Panel > Programs so you can uninstall it from there.

[john_allman]

Thanks.  I have removed Security Scan Plus.

[exbrit]

Good.  All the best 😉

As this thread is rather old I'm locking it.   Anyone with similar questions or issues please start a new discussion, thank you.