Is InstallShield pop-up a virus?

[george]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (More info?)

I'm using a WinXP-pro PC, and Office 2003 and wondered if someone knows
about the "Install Shield Update Manager?

A pop-up in the bottom right (same place where incoming emails pop up by
fading-in-fading-out) just appeared that said "Install Shield needs to check
for updates", then it faded back down into the task bar as an icon (navy
blue swirl) next to the icons like Outlook, McAfee, volume control, etc. If
you drag over the icon, it's name is "InstallShield Update Manager".

Is this a virus? How did it get into the task bar? There's no
corresponding email in the inbox, so it's not from an email, right? Does it
belong to Sonic--the only other software maker I know that has an "Update
Manager." Do I really need an update? If not, how do I get rid of it
forever?

Thanks,
G

 

[Elmo]

As of January, 2009, this nasty little Instarllshield intruder is still around. It doesn't appear in Control Panel Add/Remove programs, but the files are in \Program Files\Common Files\InstallShield\
To delete completely you hae to use Windows Task Manager to stop its scheduler program from running. Compare the file names in \InstallShield| with the Image names under Processes in Windows Task Manager and you'll see which Process to stop.

It is joined by "fontsmanager" or something similar
and by "ebay" which drops a shortcut on your desktop

There was a small "fonts" in Control Panel Add/Remove programs. I deleted that, and also searched my hard drive for likely files and removed them.

At some point in this, a window opened in my browser saying "Thanks for trying our software" and showing a page of icons for "our free software downloads or something like that. (I didn't bite.)

I found that every time I started my computer, Windows Installer was attempting to run (I always immediately cancelled it). After I searched my harddrive for suspicious files having ebay in the name and deleted all the suspicious ones (only My Favorites entries and a couple txt files I made were kept) the Windows Installer no longer appeared. I assume it was the ebay virus trying to install some more garbage.

When Installshield first made its appearance in Jan 2009, I googled it and found instructions on uninstalling it.

I haven't done a thorough search on these things, and don't know if they cause damage.

I am irritated thay my AVG anti-virus didn't catch them.

 

[bhowell]

Not to help bump old posts, but I saw this show up on several PCs here at work. What I discovered was it belonged to the Sonic software that was installed. You can remove it from Add/Remove programs. I think the entry is called Sonic Update Manager. Uninstall that and that pop up goes away. The Sonic software still works.

 

[Merovius]

I just had it pop up for me as well and I dont have any sonic software installed. I just cancelled it.

 

[jredn]

Does anyone have any suggestions for this. The installshield update manager has somehow installed itself on my Windows 7 64-bit system. There's no record of it in the control panel and no option to uninstall. I can't believe there is no current info on the web about this. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[jqp10]

Does anyone have any suggestions for this. The installshield update manager has somehow installed itself on my Windows 7 64-bit system. There's no record of it in the control panel and no option to uninstall. I can't believe there is no current info on the web about this. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Just saw this today on my 1-week old system Win 7 64-bit

I have a Gigabyte P55A-ud4p. I installed a few of the Gigabyte utilities from the CD that came with the mobo.

It so happens that 3 programs are listed in the InstallShield Update Manager's Update Settings in the "Check for updates to these programs" box:

Smart 6 B9.1211.1
DMIViewe B8.0717.01
InstallShiels Update Manager

So this may have gotten installed in the process of intalling these Gigabyte apps - or it picked them up as part of its "attack vector"

researching

 

[jqp10]

"The Update Service is a tool that InstallShield sells to software vendors that is designed to help you keep your software up-to-date. Keeping your software updated has many benefits, but InstallShield recommends that software vendors build in an option to disable automatic update checking. If you are using an application that uses the Update Service, your application may have a configuration option to disable update checking. Please check your application’s menu options.

If your application does not have this option, InstallShield has created a tool called the Update Manager that can disable automatic update checking. For instructions on how to download and use the Update Manager utility, see
How Do I Disable the Update Service for an Application?

http://consumer.installshield.com/utilities.asp"

 

[jqp10]

"Acresso FLEXnet Connect was formerly known as Macrovision FLEXnet Connect, and before that it was known as InstallShield Update Service.
"

Unfortunately this is part of a US Cert alert

"Vulnerability Note VU#837092
InstallShield / Macrovision / Acresso FLEXnet Connect insecurely retrieves and executes scripts"

http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/837092

I am assumiong this is the same tool so I am uninstalling it immediately

How to remove

http://www.ehow.com/how_5150908_remove-isuspm_exe.html

 

[aford10]

This topic has been closed by Aford10