uTorrent Quietly Installs Cryptocurrency Miner, Users Complain

[AK26]

 

When I updated uTorrent to version 3.4.2 build 28913 (32-bit) this morning it silently installed a piece of software called EpicScale. There was no information about this during installation and I did opt out of your other bundled software.

 

EpicScale is a bitcoin miner that also purports to use your "unused processing power to change the world". It's easily noticeable by the increased CPU load when the computer is idle.

 

The file date/time on the EpicScale files matches the time of the uTorrent update, which confirms uTorrent as the source.

 

Several other users are reporting the same thing here:

 

http://www.freefixer...ale.exe-153377/

 

 

(It is possible to uninstall EpicScale through the control panel, but that does not properly remove the files from ProgramData\EpicScale.)

http://forum.utorrent.com/topic/95041-warning-epicscale-riskware-silently-installed-with-latest-utorrent/

[amazinghorse]

I'm always recommend to use open-source clients like qBittorrent or  Deluge or Transmission...

But people can't switch to something new because of their bad habits.

One time again for those who listen: this is closed commercial project!

And I'm not wonder if someday huge DB that contain all of your activity will be traded to [company name].

I'm not wonder if ut guys screw you already.

[TRACKERFANCLUB]

Many users of the popular BitTorrent client uTorrent are complaining about it silently installing a cryptocurrency miner with a recent update. The Epic Scale tool, which slows down host computers, is reportedly being installed without consent and for some is particularly hard to remove.

 

With well over 150 million active users a month uTorrent is by far the most used BitTorrent client around.

 

The application brings in revenue through in-app advertising and also presents users with “offers†to try out third-party software when installed or updated.

 

These offers are usually not placed on users’ machines without consent, but this week many users began complaining about a “rogue†offer being silently installed.

 

The complaints mention the Epic Scale tool, a piece of software that generates revenue through cryptocurrency mining. To do so, it uses the host computer’s CPU cycles.

 

Epic Scale is flagged by many anti-virus vendors. However, it has been included with uTorrent for several weeks already, without any significant complaints. However, starting this week many users reported that the software was installed without any notification.

 

“This is pure bloatware, just updated my uTorrent. There was no notification about the software it just installed,†Aiziag complains.

 

“Got this installed quietly when upgraded U-Torrent. When I arrived home this evening my PC was running at full tilt and practically blowing steam. I felt like it was going to catch fire,†Daniel adds.

 

The issue was also brought up at the uTorrent forums, but the initial thread was deleted by a moderator. Meanwhile, many more complaints started pouring in, mostly on the freefixer website.

 

“Just updated uTorrent and it didn’t tell me anything about that total f*cked up ‘Epic Scale’ trash, which constantly keeps popping up with ‘Could not connect to server’,†Simon writes.

 

“Noticed the laptop was ‘laggy’ and then I saw the mysterious E in the taskbar. Blamed the kids again but then I saw the Utorrent update comments and bingo, me too,†Ian notes.

 

The sudden increase in complaints over the past two days suggests that something went wrong with the install and update process. Several users specifically say that they were vigilant, but instead of a popup asking for permission the Epic Scale offer was added silently.

 

“When I updated uTorrent today, an offer to install Baidu Av just popped up. I declined. I wasn’t told nothing about Epic Scale! I was alert, this software was simply installed quietly, without even a single checkbox. I wasn’t given a chance to decline,†Marcos writes.

 

The Epic Scale team says that it’s investigating the issue. Despite being grilled by an angry mob, they’re offering assistance and a $20 Amazon gift card to affected users who provide additional details.

 

“I recognize many of you are reporting a silent install. We are going to address this with all our distribution partners and determine what’s going on,†Epic Scale’s Alexander writes.

 

TF reached out to uTorrent’s parent company BitTorrent for further details but they have yet to reply. However, in a new forum post a customer support manager denies that there are any issues.

 

“We design our software to ensure that partner software downloads don’t occur without approval by the user. But given your report, we’ve also double-checked this particular offer, and have determined that it cannot be installed without user

 

Given the unusual surge of reports about silent installs, however, it might be that something went wrong, at least for some.

 

http://torrentfreak.com/utorrent-quietly-installs-riskware-bitcoin-miner-users-report-150306/