Curse

Swingline · Apr 10, 2011, 06:00 AM // 06:00

This is just a friendly warning to get rid of Pando Media Booster. It is pretty much legit malware that secretly installs when downloading a f2p game. Some games will give you the option to install it or not, just say no because it does nothing for you besides speeding up patches for the game a bit faster. Its a black hole that can suck up to 4/5ths of your bandwidth by seeding the files for that game to potentially thousands of other users. It can cause things such as your guildwars game to have connection issues all the way to your ISP charging you extra $$ for the bandwidth it uses. All you have to do is simply uninstall it but be warned if you continue to play the f2p game that future updates and patches can reinstall it. With GW2 still a ways away a lot of us are playing other games on the side to keep us entertained so I believe its important to be aware of what f2p games are doing out there.

EDIT: Here is an article that discusses another program just like the PMB.

http://torrentfreak.com/akamai-gamer...slaves-100915/

Games that contain the Pando Media Booster
League of Legends
Lord of the Rings Online
Any Nexon Game

Stay safe

Abedeus · Apr 10, 2011, 06:40 AM // 06:40

Just to add what OP said - Pando is for example in basic League of Legends install. When I got it, I had 300 ping. After uninstalling, I never go above 210.

Bristlebane · Apr 10, 2011, 07:03 AM // 07:03

Thank you Anet for NOT installing "legit" malware like Pando on our computers ^^

Chocobo1 · Apr 10, 2011, 07:06 AM // 07:06

Will stuff like this be picked up by virus scanners? I don't have this paticular thing on my computer but would like to check for anything similar

Malchior Devenholm · Apr 10, 2011, 07:13 AM // 07:13

Good thing I already removed this after my LoL install when I saw it wasn't doing anything

Swingline · Apr 10, 2011, 07:14 AM // 07:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocobo1

Will stuff like this be picked up by virus scanners? I don't have this paticular thing on my computer but would like to check for anything similar

A virus scanner does not pick this up because it is like I said in the original post, legit malware.

Chocobo1 · Apr 10, 2011, 07:19 AM // 07:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swingline

A virus scanner does not pick this up because it is like I said in the original post, legit malware.

Le sigh.... I uninstalled my Runes of Magic game I don't ever play, dunno if that had anything with it. Havent touched it for over a year though.

Swingline · Apr 10, 2011, 07:32 AM // 07:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocobo1

Le sigh.... I uninstalled my Runes of Magic game I don't ever play, dunno if that had anything with it. Havent touched it for over a year though.

I am not too sure if pando is in that game. Just do a search for it in the start menu or go to the uninstall programs list and if its there uninstall it immediately. I will edit the original post to include the games I know that contain it.

Kojima · Apr 10, 2011, 07:33 AM // 07:33

Oh my. Thanks for the information. Off with the DDO and LOTR for me. I hate pan anyway. Download is so slow it crawls.

Chocobo1 · Apr 10, 2011, 07:39 AM // 07:39

Is there a way to search for any programs similar to this? Like if they are on your computer or what not.

Swingline · Apr 10, 2011, 07:48 AM // 07:48

What f2p games have you installed chocobo?

Del · Apr 10, 2011, 07:49 AM // 07:49

Good tip OP. I had no idea what it was so i ignored it. Uninstalling it solved a bunch of issues i've been having lately.

Chocobo1 · Apr 10, 2011, 07:50 AM // 07:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swingline

What f2p games have you installed chocobo?

Not any personally. More concerned about my sister, she installs a lot of free crap games ontop her laptop

Swingline · Apr 10, 2011, 07:55 AM // 07:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chocobo1

Not any personally. More concerned about my sister, she installs a lot of free crap games ontop her laptop

Well first make sure she doesnt have PMB. The only downside is updates and patches may slow down but when you open your ISP bill and find an extra $50 there you will wish you had removed it. I did some google searching and found Runes of Magic and Allods use their own bit-torrent P2P client for downloading files so it all comes down to researching the games your sister downloaded.

Chocobo1 · Apr 10, 2011, 07:57 AM // 07:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swingline

Well first make sure she doesnt have PMB. The only downside is updates and patches may slow down but when you open your ISP bill and find an extra $50 there you will wish you had removed it. I did some google searching and found Runes of Magic and Allods use their own bit-torrent P2P client for downloading files so it all comes down to researching the games your sister downloaded.

Alright cool. I'll go check it out now. Just argh, I have a 60 gig cap per month and it costs $2 extra per gig I go over, so I really have to be careful about stuff like this.

Olle · Apr 10, 2011, 08:06 AM // 08:06

Solved, found it, silly me.

Swingline · Apr 10, 2011, 08:27 AM // 08:27

I edited the original post to include info about another stealth p2p program

Star_Jewel · Apr 10, 2011, 02:40 PM // 14:40

I got mine from the now-defunct Chronicles of Spellborn (which is supposed to be coming back -- no clue if PMB will be included).

*Darcy* · Apr 10, 2011, 04:35 PM // 16:35

Thanks for the headsup. I knew about Panda, but was not aware of the Akamai program.

FoxBat · Apr 10, 2011, 04:44 PM // 16:44

The DDO installer comes with PMB, but after installing the former I was able to remove the latter with no issues.