SafeUM
Home Blog Services Download Help About Recharge

Axarhöfði 14, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland - 2015
SafeUM
Blog
Services
Download
Help
About
Recharge
Menu
Archive
TOP Security!
3 Jun 2016

Lenovo begs users to uninstall Accelerator app in the name of security

Lenovo has urged users to uninstall bloatware bundled on Windows 10 devices by the company after critical security holes were discovered.

This week, the Chinese PC maker said in a security advisory a vulnerability within the company's Lenovo Accelerator Application software is a "high severity" problem which could give attackers the avenue to launch man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks against users.

MITM attacks occur when a vulnerable machine has been infected with malware which contains surveillance capabilities or a vulnerable web browser is communicating with an insecure server. This type of attack, unlike adware, may not show visible signs that your communication or activities are being monitored -- but everything from financial details to user credentials can be intercepted and stolen, leading to remote code execution or device hijacking.

In the case of Lenovo's Accelerator software -- which is meant to speed up the launch of some Lenovo applications -- the vulnerability lies within the "update mechanism where a Lenovo server is queried to identify if application updates are available." Some may call the software value-added, but it is often known as bloatware or crapware and is not required to run a system properly and so can safely be removed.

Dubbed CVE-2016-3944, DuoLabs first discovered the vulnerability in original equipment manufacturers (OEM) updaters also developed by Asus, Acer, Dell and Hewlett-Packard. The Lenovo security flaw is present in a number of notebook and desktop systems preloaded with Microsoft's Windows 10 operating system.

The full list of impacted devices is vast but include the Lenovo Notebook 305, Edge 15, Flex 2 Pro and Yoga product lines. In addition, Lenovo's IdeaCenter and Yoga Home 500 are amongst the 39 desktop models impacted by the security flaw. Lenovo ThinkPad and ThinkStation devices are not affected by this security issue.

The Chinese PC maker recommends that users immediately uninstall the software. You can do so by going to the 'Apps and Features' application in Windows 10, selecting the Lenovo Accelerator Application and clicking on "Uninstall." It should be mentioned that Lenovo was accused of installing adware, called Superfish, on new PCs.

Tags:
Accelerator information leaks Lenovo
Source:
ZDNet
2346
Other NEWS
3 Jul 2020 safeum news imgage An encrypted messaging service has been infiltrated by police
4 May 2020 safeum news imgage Two-Factor Authentication ​What Is It and Why You Should Use It
12 Dec 2019 safeum news imgage Encryption is under threat - this is how it affects you
4 Nov 2019 safeum news imgage Should Big Decisions Be Based on Data or Your Intuition?
7 Jun 2018 safeum news imgage VPNFilter malware infecting 500,000 devices is worse than we thought
4 Jun 2018 safeum news imgage Hackers target Booking.com in criminal bid to steal hundreds of thousands from customers
1 Jun 2018 safeum news imgage Operator of World's Top Internet Hub Sues German Spy Agency
30 May 2018 safeum news imgage US says North Korea behind malware attacks
29 May 2018 safeum news imgage Facebook and Google targeted as first GDPR complaints filed
25 May 2018 safeum news imgage A new reason to not buy these cheap Android devices
24 May 2018 safeum news imgage Flaws in smart pet devices, apps could come back to bite owners
23 May 2018 safeum news imgage Google sued for 'clandestine tracking' of 4.4m UK iPhone users' browsing data
21 May 2018 safeum news imgage LocationSmart reportedly leaked phone location data onto the web
18 May 2018 safeum news imgage The SEC created its own scammy ICO to teach investors a lesson
17 May 2018 safeum news imgage Thieves suck millions out of Mexican banks in transfer heist
All news
SafeUM
Confidential Terms of Use Our technologies Company
Follow us
Download
SafeUM © Safe Universal Messenger

Axarhöfði 14,
110 Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland - 2015