Is MacUpdate.com/ a legitimate site?

this answer should be revisited .. the latest update to the Macupdate Desktop is a bug ridden disaster. I used the previous version of the Desktop app for 4 years. It was flaky, crashed often, would only reliably handle 2 simultaneous installs at once (supposed to handle 5+) and would fail to install many things. It handled paid updates well .. by warning the user BEFORE downloading .. and install thread could stall for unknown reasons. But it failed safe .. it did not damage an existing app if it failed, and left the downloaded packages available for retrying the install manually.

Now that is not the case. Desktop 6 destroys the installed app in 1 out of four installs:

1. only partly installing files, or corrupting some, so that the app cannot run
2. install only the .app bundle but no files behind it so it is a zero size item in Applications

My impression is there are now more apps that it cannot update than before .. i deleted Macupdate Desktop from my machine after it screwed up 20 installs over three different sessions .. I tried a total of 30 .. only 5 actually completed successfully, the rest I had to complete by hand.

All that said .. the site is still a great resource on the current version of Mac OS apps .. I just have to do all of my updates manually now

MacUpdate and MacKeeper - same spammy crappy virus adware they use themselves. ADWAREMEDIC is your ticket

Sorry I know it's a "no-no" but I've not read everyone's replies. Im' actually here because I was looking, again, for a solution to get out of Safari without ruining all my current connections. right now I've got a stupid pop up I can't get to go away that says a Virus found! POPPY ****! It continues to claim - the last website I visited has infected my Mac with a virus. POPPY **** - POPPY ****! Then says, "press ok to begin the repair process" BHAH

There's even one of these things that tells you to call "Support for Apple" and gives an 800 number. They way it's worded - makes you think you're calling Apple, and then they want your computer info, IP address, etc, etc. so they can hack your computer.

Anyone who thinks that MacUpdate is good and a legit company hasn't personally experienced their deplorable spam tactics. MacUpdate - a company that practices and employs adwarre /malware. They use the same tactics of another unscrupulous (heh em) "business" called MacKeeper. Same sort of stuff.

They use adware, which I consider a virus. We had one of our Macs in the office get taken over because of their adware /malware. Infected the browsers, and we had to do some major work on it to get rid of all of it. ANY company that employs deceptive tactics to trick you into thinking you potentially have a virus, or employ tactics to disable functionality of your computer - is a corrupt business. I can't even say they're a business. AND YES... forcing my Safari browser so I can't do anything with it until l I hit their "ok" button is disabling my computer.

Look up AdwareMedic !! It will save your bacon from having to do a bunch of manual steps of digging through your library to get rid of spammy codes that have taken over.

(edit) OH, and by the way... if anyone was wondering. Safari is still hung up, so I had to use Firefox to research and post this.

Here's some of that Adware I'm talking about with the similar message I got. Looks legit, but Apple doesn't have anything in Safari that's going to pop up and say it's found a virus. This article talks about how pop-up's take over your browser and the types of messages they give you.

!https://sites.google.com/site/appleclubfhs/support/advice-and-articles/browser-p opup-hijack-safari

Actually, you are wrong when you say it tried to convince people to download it. It is a Trojan, and a virus by all definitions. It automatically downloads, you don't have to click anything or be tricked. It comes down all by itself all the time. Spreading itself is the very definition of a virus.

1) The virus definition is that is spreads itself. It automatically downloads to the computer.

2) The Trojan definition, is that after it has been downloaded, then the user has to actually be tricked or curious and install it.

Once those 2 steps have taken place, then you are infected, and have a very hard time trying to get rid of it. At least that is what I understand from those that have installed it. I have always deleted it, but it is very irritating that it spreads all the time, and I have to delete it so much.

Apple should take it more seriously and help combat it. They need to add it to their internal black-list in Mac OS X.

It downloads automatically all the time on me, and I have to delete it, so I can see where a user that is unsuspecting and doesn't know any better would install it.

Berry with an "A" wrote:

Here's some of that Adware I'm talking about with the similar message I got.

Just to clarify a bit, be aware that those messages are definitely NOT adware. Adware is software that is installed on your system that displays pop-up ads and the like. The messages shown in your screenshots are not caused by anything installed on your system, they're just generated by a scam website. This may sound like nit-picking, but it's an important distinction to make when it comes to understanding how to solve the problem. In the case of adware, you must take steps to eradicate all components of the software from your system. In the case of these tech support scam pop-ups, however, you just need to make the message go away, and then nothing more is needed (beyond avoiding the site that caused the message to pop up in the first place).

Fred_Leonard wrote:

Actually, you are wrong when you say it tried to convince people to download it. It is a Trojan, and a virus by all definitions. It automatically downloads, you don't have to click anything or be tricked. It comes down all by itself all the time. Spreading itself is the very definition of a virus.

This is absolutely wrong. MacKeeper is definitely junk software, and a borderline scam (certainly from a practical standpoint, and perhaps from a legal one as well, as the recent class-action lawsuit against the makers of MacKeeper would suggest), but it absolutely is not a virus. As with my last post on this topic, this may sound like nit-picking, but it is an important distinction to make.

A virus relies on being able to spread itself and install behind the scenes, with the user none the wiser. MacKeeper does not do this. Yes, it does come packaged in many different junk installers, that also include other junk software as well as adware. However, in every single case, the user must manually open such an installer. In almost all cases, the user will be informed that MacKeeper will be installed during the installation process; most people miss this, however, because they're not paying close attention.

Also, whether I have convinced you on this matter or not, a word of warning: if you have a blog or any other publication that can be traced to you, do not call MacKeeper a virus, trojan or malware on that medium. ZeoBIT/Kromtech are very litigious, and their lawyers are always ready to go after anyone who does this. I know of at least four people who have been sued, or threatened with a lawsuit, merely for calling MacKeeper malware.

I know this is closed but I'm surprised there's no response to this well thought out inquiry...

JML Designs Inc wrote:

I know this is closed but I'm surprised there's no response to this well thought out inquiry...

It's been a very long time since this topic was started, and since that time MacUpdate has begun packaging adware with some downloads. Whether you believe it used to be a trustworthy site or not, it isn't one any longer.

The only thing I dislike about Apple forums is the seemingly incessant need to be "right"... rather than to simply ... "help." Back in March I posted images of what I referred to as Adware, when I should have stated they're an indication of... a PART of the process of adware being placed on your system.

The whole point of those crummy pop-up's are two fold;

(1) They do and can initiate the implementation of adware by first locking you out of being able to use your browser, requiring you only one option (to the layman) and that's to click one of their buttons. And at the very least, you get stuck with crummy tracking cookies and more.

(2) The second aspect and purpose of the images I posted are to trick people into calling the bogus 800 number, where upon the person you speak with takes you through a couple of steps to remove any firewall protection, gain your MAC info (machine address) and more - there by gaining access to your computer. I personally know because I called the idiots just to see what they were trying to do to people.

I especially despise the misleading statement... that if you're already panicking after reading your computer may have serious issues - when you read, "please call support for Apple"... one might first think they're contacting Apple Support. It just deviously rolls off the tongue so easily - "Support for Apple."

I've personally had MacKeeper misleadingly (basically) auto install (without permission) on my computer when I thought I was downloading an extension for a browser. I didn't even know it was installing, and by the time I realize it - I couldn't stop it. And to top it off - they have an immediate ability to take control of your computer, or at the very least, be able to see everything. I also consider and call these types of actions, virus, malware, adware, trojans, and consider all their tactics and ethics no better than that of hackers.

I question any validity or claim of knowing ANYONE that's actually been sued by Zeobit / MacKeeper. I might believe someone may have been threatened, but even a threat doesn't necessarily carry any weight. I question this because I know they have a class action lawsuit currently pending that we're participating.

I had deleted my account informations and logout from this site. Not trustable anymore....

Yes, basically if you try to download anything when not a paid subscriber it downloads an installer file renamed to the file you wanted... but full of mac adware/malware instead.

A real shame, used to be great site, now it's worse than cnet.

The trick is to research on macupdate and then use to the link provided to go to the Developer's site for downloading.

I registered and login. Click download button and mostly got the original installer or software. Tried for few months and still work until now.

PS: Never click the install button, click download button instead.