Is IObit Security 360 too good to be true? Malwarebytes claims theft of intellectual property.
November 3, 2009 36
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You know when you have big dreams to do something, then you hear you won’t be able to attain what you want and all your hope and dreams come crashing down around you? Well this is how I feel when it comes to security software for my computer. I am on the constant lookout for *the best* free anti-spyware security supplement for my computer. I say supplement because Avira fills the spot for main security work horse for me. For the most part, my favorite had been Malwarebytes for a long time simply because it has one of the best detection rates out there. However, recently I started using IObit’s new IObit Security 360 because it has excellent detection rates, not very heavy on computer resources, and has a much more aesthetically pleasing interface vs Malwarebytes. In fact I took a liking to IObit so much, I thought it was “the one”. Today as I was reading my e-mail, Adrian crushed my hopes and dreams by informing me about possible theft done by IObit. It seems the developer of Malwarebytes is claiming IObit is stealing Malwarebytes’ intellectual property and proprietary database:
Malwarebytes has recently uncovered evidence that a company called IOBit based in China is stealing and incorporating our proprietary database and intellectual property into their software. We know this will sound hard to believe, because it was hard for us to believe at first too. But after an indepth investigation, we became convinced it was true. Here is how we know.
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The final confirmation of IOBit’s theft occurred when we added fake definitions to our database for a fake rogue application we called Rogue.AVCleanSweepPro. This “malware” does not actually exist: we made it up. We even manufactured fake files to match the fake definitions. Within two weeks IOBit was detecting these fake files under almost exactly these fake names.
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During the course of our investigation, we uncovered additional evidence that IOBit may have stolen the proprietary databases of other security vendors as well. We are in the process of contacting these vendors.
Malwarebytes intends to pursue legal action against IOBit. We demand IOBit immediately remove all traces of Malwarebytes’ proprietary research and database from their software. We also demand IOBit be delisted from Download.com due to Terms of Service violations. This is criminal: it is theft, it is fraud, and we will not stand for it.
More detail at: http://malwarebytes.besttechie.net/2009/11/02/iobit-steals-malwarebytes-intellectual-property/
Of course IObit has come out and flat denied this accusation:
We have never used the database of any other companies. And hope Malwarebytes stop spreading malicious rumors for hyping itself. The ridiculousness: who will trust and depend on a security product that can NOT even protect itself?
A legal letter will be released later, which will prove that there is no problem with Intellectual Property Rights.
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Our database is from the online submission form: http://db.iobit.com/deal/sdsubmit/index.php
We also have many various sources of malware samples from warm-hearted users, computer security fans, and major security groups from all over the world. We have admitted that it’s hard to avoid mistakes, like a silly or duplicated name. But there is in no way means we steal Malwarebytes’ or any other’s database. We are investigating and tracking on those items which Malwarebytes declared stolen.
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After carefully tracing and investigating the history of IObit’s database, we find that someone used the submission page which is disabled now (http://db.iobit.com/deal/sdsubmit/index.php) to submit samples with the same names from Malwarebytes. Unfortunately, IObit database analyzer carelessly used the names provided by the submission. This mistake can be understood because it is very normal – Many enthusiastic IObit users find there are samples missed by IObit Security 360 but detected by other anti-malware products, then they would submit these samples to us and provide names defined by other anti-malware vendors.
More detail at: http://blog.iobit.com/archives/95.html
Now I am not going to take sides yet until I find out more about this issue, but as it stands, to me it seems like Malwarebytes has a strong case. Too bad, too… I really like IObit Security 360.
Mike:
Others have addressed some of your more interesting concerns raised in post # 19 so I will focus only on the one that seemed to bother you the most, based on the number of times you brought it up.
1)”a company which is marketing its products as pornography download accelerators
2)* a company actively targeting harvesters of online pornography
3) software which its own creators say is the ideal helper for downloading pornography
You obviously are well versed in internet use and cannot possibly be unaware that a huge percentage of it is for legal pornography (I have seen the estimates but do not immediately recall them and will therefore not quote something that I cannot cite). It would seem likely, therefore, that there would be a significant demand for a product that would make accessibility easier, witness download accelerators.
I am not aware that they can be made to selectively download pornography faster than any other material, so it would appear that it is the way the software is being promoted that is the crux of the problem. This seems to be simple marketing 101 if you will – an attempt at market expansion for a product. Not exactly a new concept.
The fact that pornography may offend your personal sensibilities is not a justification to rail against a company which also makes many other software products which you have found useful; Unless you take a similar moral high ground stand against every company that has a peripheral product or interest or marketing gambit that also offends you. In which case the expected action would be to stop doing business with all of them. And you don’t need me to draw you a picture of results when these are taken to their extreme logical conclusion.
Just thought a little third party perspective was in order. Absolutely no offense was intended and I hope none was taken. And remember that my comment was referable only to the single topic and not to any of your other criticisms of IObit. (Turned out longer than expected, but actually that’s expected – sorry)
I read your posts regularly and usually glean something useful from each one, and did today as well. You research things well before posting, rather than simply spout off personal opinions as unsupported facts – a refreshing break in a sea of cacophony. (Not dotTech; just forums in general)
Iobit did NOT steal!
Malwarebytes admitted that it took two weeks for Iobit Security 360 to detect the fake viruses, therefore proving that someone had to have found the fake virus and submitted it to Iobit. I wish Malwarebytes would just accept that Iobit makes a better security program and would stop trying to kill Iobit’s software.
Right after the recent debate with malwarebytes, there was a new version published which is a significantly smaller in size!
(v.1 is 11.8MB while new vesion 1.2 is 7.3MB !!)
Any ideas why this may have happened?
perhaps they have removed other “stolen” or “Labs reported” stuff?
@jumbi: How could they remove “stolen” stuff when they didn’t steal anything?
#calebstein
thats why “stolen” is in quotes, meaning the supposed stolen stuff.
I am not implying anything.
And how do you explain the big difference in size?
I cant believe that in a couple of days they re-wrote the code :-)
@jumbi: They probably just removed some unnecessary code to reduce the file size. The reason “stolen” is in quotes is because they didn’t steal anything.
#calebstein
It seems to me that you dont want to accept what really the size difference meant.
Nevertheless, its all clear now:
http://dottech.org/tipsntricks/keeping-them-honest/13126
I told you so :-)
I bought the paid version for Advanced SystemCare & Security 360 after I trialed with their FREE version. Couple days into the usage I got a 767 detected threats, which were supposed to be removed but still one left “Misleading.SecurityMaster AV” in the next scan.
Few days later 767 threats (mostly registries) were detected, so I was wondering could this be their tactic in reporting false readings so that I would buy their paid version.
I was also scanning my pc with other programs such as AVAST 5.0 Internet Secuirty, MalwareBytes & SuperAntiSpyware but none of them detected anything.
I asked for refund & requested my bank to make a stop payment. Avangate (reseller for IOBIT) provided the tool free 24/7 but when I called …the number is not available YET!
Avira = Germany
IOBIT = China?? I would not trust any intellectual products “created” by chinese (I am Asian not White). If I have know the origin of the company I would never buy in the first place.
@jumbi: i have heard this debate on so many sites and it is not hard for me to believe there might have been some kind of theft.because everyone is always stealing from one another wether it is pepsi vs coke or mc donalds vs burger king.i do not condone the theft and i think it is despicable.it is ironic however that a pc security company got robbed though.maybe that is the real story here.
kinda like stealing a gun from a police station it isn’t suppose to happen
hmm. All of this drama is quite interseting. I have used Advanced System Care since it was a reccommended tool, daily on GAOTD. I have had nothing but luk with it. I had a slowing of my connection speed and thought it may be Avast web sheild. I went to thier support fourms and after a lot of reading, A few users were convinced that IOBIT’s 360 was conflicting with Avasts webshield. That is when I learned of the allegations from Malwarebytes. I had never used MBAM so I went to their site and read up on their claims of stolen data as it downloaded. I used malwarebytes after it downloaded and updated itself and came back clean. I don’t know if it was just me, or what, but the MBAM window, painted itself v e r y s l o w l y from the time I opened it to the time i closed it. I was not impressed with MWB’s programming, and even more put off by thier support fourms and thier blatant arrgance twoard IO BIT. There is no proof of their allegations. It’s only heresay. And the fact that they advertised setting a trap by writing a dummy.exe file that they claim IOBit’s program picked up as Malware, even though it was begnein, demonstrates that MWB is more focused on being hell bent to yell and scream at IOBIT and stir slander than to focus on it’s product, and it’s users well being. I mean, comon. How much effort have these guys put into thier product vs. the effort they have put twoard IOBIT. If MWB was smart, they would use this whole mess as an oportunity , and partner with IOBIT and make better sofware for both companies, and for the millions who use their products. IOBYTES would be the resulting of the two giants who saw the greater good. This is a golden opportunity for them to come together and be unified and grow for the good of everyone. It’s a pitty, and I think they(and alot of us) are too short sighted to see that.
Oh, and BTW.
No proof could be found that Advanced System Care and Avast were conflicting in a negative way as to impact the users internet connections. There is a lot of speculation, but that is all. I am very Impressed with the People who moderate the Avast communities fourms. They are very helpfull to anyone, an avast customer, or not. And they do not predjudice anyone or anything before knowing all the facts. Even then, they are very open minded.
As a side note: I found that my internet connection speed doubled when my display was set to a higher resolution than 800×600. Off topic, i know, but interesting , none the less.
Downloaded a FREE program from them, and guess what……. they charged me $29.95 on my credit card. I called the bank and had them refused the charge . A inves. is now going on by the fraud Div. Do not trust this co.