Applies to: Everyone.
What on earth is a PUP?
A PUP (Potentially Unwanted Software) is a program which is installed either manually by you or is installed along with another (wanted) program.
One of the more common types of PUP’s around are ones which promise to give you Driver Updates for free but then asks for money to complete the process.
How do I know if a program is a PUP
Quite often a PUP will pop up ‘offers’ or say something is free and then try to charge for it. Or offer X number of things for free then suddenly ask for money.
If you are unsure if a program or popup is genuine or not just pop onto The Clubroom and let us know the name of the program and we can check for you.
I know I have a PUP, what should I do next
Our advice is that if you are sure you have a PUP is to uninstall it and don’t pay them any money.
But what about the promised [thing the PUP is offering e.g. Driver Updates] ?
Most often (and especially driver updates) Windows will manage these for you and you should not worry. Quite often a PUP says they are out of date or recommend a fix, this is a common tactic to get people to pay for updates which are not needed.
More than Driver Updates
I have talked a lot about Driver Updates here, but PUPs can do all sorts of other things, from displaying their own adverts over websites to changing browser home pages. Some more nasty ones even decrease the security of your computer to allow hackers in (these are often picked up by antivirus programs though).
Other thoughts
You should make sure you have an anti-virus program installed and that it is running.
There are too many PUPs to name here. But hopefully, we’ve given you enough of the warning signs to watch out for.
Any thoughts, comments or questions, just pop a note in the space below, or on The Clubroom.
Stay Safe
Mike 🙂
November 1, 2016 at 12:05 pm
How do I remove an unwanted ap icon please
November 2, 2016 at 9:42 am
Hi Peter
You should be able to tap and hold on the icon, then they start shaking, then in the top right of the icon there should be a X which lets you remove the App.
Sometimes this hides it and sometimes it removes the App from your device. It will tell you what it is going to do once you click the X.
Let me know if this sorts the problem or not
Mike
October 27, 2016 at 3:50 pm
Thanks Mike. I did not take any action regards Slimware Utilities just in case it was a scam.
October 25, 2016 at 5:07 pm
Hi Mike. I keep getting a message that I have 6 drivers that need updating – from Slimware Utilities – but when clicking on to their Site it involves me having to cough up dosh! I have declined, but what worries me is how do I know if my Drivers need updating?
October 26, 2016 at 10:02 am
Hi James
I would say that the Slimware Utilities program is a PUP and the Driver Updates it is offering are not needed.
Windows 10 is very good at keeping drivers up to date and unless the program which came with my device (for example my graphics card program) is telling me I need an update then I just let Windows deal with it.
Quite often these types of programs say they have X number of updates needed, but then when you pay for it, they only do 1 or none.
If I were you I would uninstall the program and just let Windows deal with it through Windows Updates.
Mike
October 25, 2016 at 5:04 pm
Dear Mike,
Interesting, some months ago I got a phone call from “Windows Technical Dept” Being forewarned I went along with them by :-
1) going upstairs to switch on My old PC (used as word processor) with Windows ME (? whats that ??) 2) Being ancient (like me) this took me 10 mins or so to get up the stairs and switch it on.
3) once on followed the instructions to the letter (but not being connected to the internet woffled on about this and that not working)
4) after keeping them on the phone for 30-40mins I said I had to go (as ambulance had arrived)
so hung up. They have not been back to me since.
Regards, keep up the good works,
David C.,
October 26, 2016 at 10:00 am
Hi David
Glad you kept them busy! Saves them talking to anyone else, good on you for spotting they were not Microsoft.
Microsoft would not phone individuals for something like this.
Also, nice work not having a Windows ME machine connected to the internet End of support for ME was in 2006.
Mike 🙂