Image via ZDNet
Windows users are likely already familiar with the adware that’s usually bundled with Oracle’s Java software, but for Mac users that annoyance has been mostly avoided. Unfortunately, ZDNet reports that today Oracle has updated its Java installer to include the Ask toolbar on OS X.
The installation process automatically changes users’ browser homepage to the nearly useless Ask.com, which is populated by ads and mostly irrelevant results. The software also installs an Ask browser toolbar. Since these changes are made by default during Java installation, those who don’t want these “useful” changes made to their computers will need to manually deselect the option during Java installation.
The changes seem to affect both Safari and Google’s Chrome browser. It may also impact some other third-party browsers. Even if you do install the adware, it should be fairly simple to remove the toolbar through your browser’s extension manager and change your home page back.
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This is a JOKE right!!!
Ask is malware. I spent some time removing it from someone’s MacBook and it is not as simple as the article indicates. The Ask search tool seems to reroute all of your searches and some subsequent traffic through their server and, as the article says, provides useless results that seem to be paying for traffic. I eventually had to remove all the ad-ins in Chrome and then through Advanced settings, reset Chrome. That seemed to be the only way to stop Ask from hijacking new tabs.
To clarify, I have not seen Ask installed with the Java install yet. The Ask I am referring to was installed from other sites. However in one case it was installed from a ‘Wells Fargo’ website where they offered an ‘easier way’ to get around the internet. It seemed insane that a Bank would expose their clients to someone that directs and possibly tracks their online activity???
yet another reason not to install this crap, nor flash
The sad thing is though, is that Flash and Java are almost NEEDED all the time to actually get the internet to work.
There is a special place in hell for the people who run the companies that do this.
I wish I didn’t have to deal with this crap.
Likewise for me! I switched to Mac to escape this bullshit, now it seems because Mac has become so popular, they’ve gone after this platform as well, bunch of criminals! I hope Apple pulls their developer certificate so this cannot be installed!
Screw you Oracle. Seriously.
And then they thought we gonna put MacKeeper in it as well.
I work with a lot of folks in retirement communities and they even have a Mac users group meeting at one RV park here for Snowbirds. MacKeeper is horrible but I think the more dangerous stuff is the garbage they fool these folks into installing with it. Fortunately i’s usually pretty easy to uninstall on a Mac. The Apple Store in Palm Springs has also recommended Adawaremedic for those that seem to be having problems … I can’t speak about Adawaremedic other than the Genius bar in Palm Springs uses it and it doesn’t seem to cause any problems for the folks that installed it.
This is disgusting. What a waste of time and energy to develope such spam. I’ll never touch Java no matter what.
How to uninstall Java:
Click on the Finder icon located in your dock
Click on Applications tab on the sidebar
In the Search box enter JavaAppletPlugin.plugin
This will find the JavaAppletPlugin.plugin file
Right click on JavaAppletPlugin.plugin and select Move to Trash
On Yosemite, you might have to click “This Mac” to see it (I did).
Wait, are you sure this is happening to Mac? Is this from the download version of Java (from Java.com), or when you run update from the Java Control Panel.
When I tried the installer from Java.com, it asks me to install a “helper app.” Not sure if that’s what you are referring to; it could be the JavaUpdater (which I disable).
Come on, learn to write FFS.
My Mac is Java and Adobe free for 4 years now and I never regretted my decision.
Congratulations my friend, wise decision!
Shitty Windows rubbish is following me. Signed up for Apple to get away from this “in your face swine.”
FU 2 Oracle.
WTF! This is horse shit. Why can’t we install something without someone trying to push something on us that we don’t want or need?
Java is provided for free, yet Oracle needs to pay their developers to maintain it. It would make sense for them to try and recover some of those costs. There is a way to avoid the installation of the Ask, but one must be conscious during installation of Java.
It still doesn’t make what Oracle is doing even remotely right, much less ethical. How many Mac users will just click thru the installer because they believe Mac’s don’t have to deal with this shit?! This is going to heavily increase the amount of Mac users coming to my bench complaining of errant behaviour!
I understand the need to cover costs, but Oracle is not suffering financially. My problem is that they sneak the software into the installation process in a way that will trap people into installing it without their consent. Most people just click through installers without paying attention, and Oracle knows that. They’re taking advantage of the users. That being said, they did publish an article on how to disable sponsored downloads. https://www.java.com/en/download/faq/disable_offers.xml
Howie Isaacks (In this thread) provided a link on how to disable ‘Offers’ but apparently that starts with ver 8.40 so it’s not in the advanced panel yet. That’s a nice feature but it should be enabled (checked) by default. Also, I would really like to know how many Oracle employees actually have that Ask toolbar enabled. I would think Oracle’s IT department would consider that toolbar a security threat.
aerobat01, then why don’t you install it and then disable this “feature”. FYI… When I upgraded both of my Macs to the latest version of Java, neither of them ended up with Ask.com installed, so I didn’t have to do anything. I went back and disabled the sponsored download option. Perhaps I and a lot of other people have made too much out of this. I don’t use Chrome, or Firefox, so if they’re the only browsers that get this crap installed, I won’t have to worry about it.
Howie, First, thanks for the link that showed the ‘Opt Out’ box (When it gets here). I don’t personally have a problem with Ask. If I am not mistaken, Adobe used to have a similar bundling package and I made sure I didn’t ‘Opt in’. However as I mentioned elsewhere in the thread, I work with a lot of elderly folks (Volunteer work) and up until now, Apple and Macs were a very safe place for them.
In the last 60 days I have seen them becoming preyed upon just like they were on their old Microsoft products. The Ask ‘hijack’ (That’s what it acts like) is very insidious and to their untrained eyes looks just like the Google Search home page. It is not and if they dare to click on any of the top choices provided by Ask, they are very likely to be drawn into a Scam. “Your Mac is running too slow and may be infected…” is one of the more recent ones.
The Ask suite can be uninstalled but usually not before they send in $39.99 or something like it. But the biggest problem is that it shakes their confidence in computers and that is becoming a major part of how they communicate with their families. At their age, communication is very good ‘mind food’ and therapy. I am angry because Apple used to be a safe place for them and I doubt they will be able to keep up with and avoid the new forms of socially engineered malware.
My examples are anecdotal so I can’t say it is widespread but I have had a couple of Octogenarians put away their MacBooks for good because they were taken advantage of and don’t want to deal with the abuse … If they are foolish enough to give phone numbers, these predators actually call them at home and harass them into sending money.
My experience is with the elderly but there are many non-tech-savvy users of Apple products that use Apple products like appliances (That’s a good thing). I suspect they too are at risk. I’ll do my part to help the ones I see in trouble but it does not have to be this way. Perhaps user backlash can convince Apple they should work harder to not allow predators into their customers landscape. Oracle would stop if Apple put their foot down.
If this is true, then it’s time to complain to Apple to get Oracle’s developer signing certificate pulled.
This behavior won’t go unnoticed nor unpunished and isn’t likely to last very long.
Point me in the right direction of who to complain to at Apple, and I’m there right now!
oracle’s existence is a bad influence in the tech world. if you disagree, you’re probably working at oracle.
OK. You can’t spew bullshit like that without explaining it. Otherwise, your comment comes off as a mindless rant. Exactly how are they a bad influence in the tech world? FYI… I don’t work for Oracle. Although I don’t care for how they try to sneak adware onto people’s computers, I trust them far more than I trust Microsoft of Google.
Now that Larry Ellison has left looks like we know who’s running the company “The Sales Guy”
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/09/18/mark-hurd-safra-catz-oracle/15845493/
I had to keep Java on my Mac in order to operate and maintain some Cisco and HP switches at work, along with a Sony security camera system, all of which are reliant upon (foolishly) Java. But after hearing this fucking trash is being bundled, and maybe in the future secretly getting side-loaded when one updates their existing Java, all I can say is FUCK YOU ORACLE! This horse shit is one of the many reasons the Winblowz world sucks so bad, now you want to bring it to Mac?!
UP YOURS!!! Java, in the trash you go!!!