Thread: uTorrent silently installing bundled Bitcoin mining software

uTorrent silently installing bundled Bitcoin mining software - News - Trusted Reviews

The last safe version was 2.2.1. Its the only version allowed on most private trackers. The new versions all have adware and other nasties.

No, it's not.

Did you read the article?

Epic Scale and uTorrent: Bitcoin mining 'riskware' investigated - Opinion - Trusted Reviews

litecoin is not bitcoin

and if you decline the install

n March 2015, it was alleged that µTorrent had automatically installed a program known as Epic Scale—a program classified as "riskware" by some security programs, which mines the cryptocurrency Litecoin in the background for charity (a cut of which is given to BitTorrent, Inc.), utilizing CPU and GPU power. A µTorrent developer disputed the claim that it was automatically installed, and noted that as with all other "partner" programs bundled with the software, users could decline the installation.[

?Torrent - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So what is better than U torrent?

Originally Posted by Necron99

No, it's not. Did you read the article?

Think as you wish however 2.2.1 is totally ad free and is really as good as a bittorrent app gets. A commenter from the article;

"This is why I use Utorrent 2.2.1 without ever updating, It works great as it is without a bunch of crap added."

He is right and if you think that by installing a newer version you torrents will d/l any faster you are just kidding yourself.

From the article

The issue specifically relates to uTorrent version 3.4.2 build 28913 (32-bit), which is the company’s most recent update.

This automatic install has been found, and the issue raised, by the uTorrent community forum

Originally Posted by bsnub

Originally Posted by Necron99

No, it's not. Did you read the article?

Think as you wish however 2.2.1 is totally ad free and is really as good as a bittorrent app gets. A commenter from the article;

"This is why I use Utorrent 2.2.1 without ever updating, It works great as it is without a bunch of crap added."

He is right and if you think that by installing a newer version you torrents will d/l any faster you are just kidding yourself.

it only installs for muppets who can't read, and ads can be turned off.


Storm in a cup of muppet tea.

"If you do not see an Uninstaller in the standard Windows Add/Remove Programs, then you encountered an installation bug. For this case, we created a simple uninstall utility that will fully remove Epic Scale from your computer. Download our uninstall utility here, unzip it and double click on remove-epic-scale.exe. A window will pop up that says “Uninstalling.” After this window closes Epic Scale will be completely removed from your computer."

I downloaded a programme last week (nothing to do with torrents). When I started to install it, it asked permission to use my CPU to mine Bitcoins! I declined and decided not to install the programme, only to find out that 3 other programmes had been installed without my permission and a couple of other .exe files had been downloaded at the same time, one of which made it difficult for me to delete. I managed to get rid of it all eventually but I thought it was a cheeky thing to do.

Originally Posted by Necron99

it only installs for muppets who can't read, and ads can be turned off.


Storm in a cup of muppet tea.

Yes...most adware and virus are on computers because the computer owner has invited them in or not heeded warnings from the anti virus when downloading programs.
Here is a simple way to take adds of Bittorrent/utorrent How to Remove Sponsored Ads from uTorrent: 9 Steps

Originally Posted by Necron99

it only installs for muppets who can't read, and ads can be turned off.

Well to me the muppets are the ones who are still bothering to upgrade Utorrent at all. 2.2.1 is as good as it gets.

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

"If you do not see an Uninstaller in the standard Windows Add/Remove Programs, then you encountered an installation bug. For this case, we created a simple uninstall utility that will fully remove Epic Scale from your computer. Download our uninstall utility here, unzip it and double click on remove-epic-scale.exe. A window will pop up that says “Uninstalling.” After this window closes Epic Scale will be completely removed from your computer."

What is the source of that quote? Have you done it yourself?

Originally Posted by wjblaney

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

"If you do not see an Uninstaller in the standard Windows Add/Remove Programs, then you encountered an installation bug. For this case, we created a simple uninstall utility that will fully remove Epic Scale from your computer. Download our uninstall utility here, unzip it and double click on remove-epic-scale.exe. A window will pop up that says “Uninstalling.” After this window closes Epic Scale will be completely removed from your computer."

What is the source of that quote? Have you done it yourself?

The EpicScale website in the link I provided and yes. Windows Defender and MalwareBytes did not report anything so I think ESET is a false positive.

Originally Posted by VocalNeal

So what is better than U torrent?

I got rid of uTorrent and am now using QBitTorrent. Seems to be similar to uTorrent but without all the addon crapware.

Originally Posted by boloa

but if harry has recommended it... its you to up

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

The EpicScale website in the link I provided and yes. Windows Defender and MalwareBytes did not report anything so I think ESET is a false positive.

I have Emsisoft (not free) and Microsoft Security Essentials and I feel pretty safe with this anti-malware and antivirus protection. after I read here that uTorrent versions 2.2.1 and above were unsafe or full of adware, I checked my version and discovered it was the version all the hoopla was about: 3.4.2. Strangely enough, just then I discovered a nearly 7 GB discography (rammstein) that I felt obligated to download via torrent. Since I have been safely using uTorrent (online magnet downloads only) for quite awhile, this thread wasn't enough to scare me away. I started the torrent download 3 hours ago and it is 57% complete at this moment. Not bad as my LAN download speed is currently 3.3 Mbps. BTW, I just took another look at the progress of my uTorrent download of 6.97 GB and is has finished. I didn't see a damn thing. What's the fuss? Could it be the users simply don't use a safe download link such as a magnet?

Originally Posted by Looper

I got rid of uTorrent and am now using QBitTorrent. Seems to be similar to uTorrent but without all the addon crapware.

What addon crapware? Not a sarcastic remark. Believe me, I don't want anything on my computer that's crap.

Originally Posted by tamadah

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

Originally Posted by wjblaney

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

"If you do not see an Uninstaller in the standard Windows Add/Remove Programs, then you encountered an installation bug. For this case, we created a simple uninstall utility that will fully remove Epic Scale from your computer. Download our uninstall utility here, unzip it and double click on remove-epic-scale.exe. A window will pop up that says “Uninstalling.” After this window closes Epic Scale will be completely removed from your computer."

What is the source of that quote? Have you done it yourself?

The EpicScale website in the link I provided and yes. Windows Defender and MalwareBytes did not report anything so I think ESET is a false positive.

ESET's engine flags it as a potentially unwanted application, not a virus.

It is unwanted, that's why they have backpedalled and supplied an add-on uninstaller because users have complained.

It's also why this thread is active.

You missed the point. ESET flagged the Uninstaller itself - it's a False Positive.

And this thread would be dead if you hadn't bumped it.

I use Tixati for my bit torrents. Small and fast.

The Chinese have a saying

"Mai me free you ne lope"

Nothing free in the world.

You download shit - you give up control of your computer.

Fair trade off?

Depends which computer you're using if you catch my drift.

I noticed that uTorrent was hogging the CPU non stop even when just running 1 torrent.

I uninstalled and installed qBittorent and it is running 10 torrents and using <3% of the cpu

When you installed microtorrent did you read all the prompts ?

I am going to install microtorrent on a new install in aday or 2 and I will monitor its calls and draw my conclusions from the results

I always avoid all options when doing installs for the minimum footprint.

This was 3.4.2 which has the alleged bitmining.

I found and old 2.2.1 installer but then I read about qbittorent which seems quite lean and mean.

Originally Posted by Dapper

The Chinese have a saying

"Mai me free you ne lope"

Nothing free in the world.

The farang have a saying too.."No such thing as a free lunch"

amazing...