OpenCandy
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Software |
| Founder | Darrius Thompson |
| Fate | Project terminated in August 2016 |
Area served | Microsoft Windows users |
Key people | Chester Ng (Chief Business Officer), Mark Chweh (Chief Technology Officer), Darrius Thompson (CEO) |
| Products | OpenCandy |
OpenCandy was an adware component and potentially unwanted program that many antivirus programs identified as malware due to its intrusive behavior. Created by SweetLabs, it functioned as a Microsoft Windows library integrated within a Windows Installer. During installation of software packages containing OpenCandy, users encountered pre-selected prompts recommending additional applications tailored by system analysis and geographic location, which would proceed with installation unless the user actively opted out.
The adverse effects attributed to OpenCandy included modifying users' homepage, changing desktop wallpapers, altering search engine settings, and installing unwanted browser toolbars, extensions, and plug-ins. It also gathered and transmitted users' browsing data without their permission. Due to extensive criticism, the project was terminated in August 2016.
Development
OpenCandy originated as part of the DivX setup process under CEO Darrius Thompson. During DivX installation, an optional prompt offered the installation of the Yahoo! Toolbar. Following over 250 million downloads, DivX secured $15.7 million in funding during the first nine months of 2007 from Yahoo and other investors.
Chester Ng, previously DivX’s business development director, holds the position of chief business officer at SweetLabs, while Mark Chweh, formerly DivX’s engineering director, acts as chief technology officer.
Windows components
Although specific components varied across versions, typical elements included:
Files installed
- OCComSDK.dll
- OCSetupHlp.dll
- Fusion.dll
Running processes
- spidentifier.exe
- rundll32.exe
DNS and HTTP requests
- tracking.opencandy.com.s3.amazonaws.com
- media.opencandy.com (currently offline)
- cdn.opencandy.com
- cdn.putono5.com
- tracking.opencandy.com
- api.opencandy.com
- www.arcadefrontier.com
Software known to have included OpenCandy
- AC3Filter
- Auslogics Disk Defrag
- CamStudio (starting with version 2.7 r316)
- CDBurnerXP (varies by release; alternative versions without adware available)
- FileZilla (in 2013)
- Format Factory
- Foxit Reader (versions 6.1.4 through 6.2.1)
- FreeFileSync (removed April 2018)
- FrostWire
- GOM Player
- ImgBurn (from version 2.5.8.0 on official installer; mirror sites provide adware-free versions)
- mIRC
- MP3 Rocket
- Orbit Downloader (confirmed in 2015)
- PDFCreator
- PhotoScape
- PrimoPDF
- Sigil (excluded after version 0.5.0)
- Trillian (removed in May 2011)
- μTorrent
- WinSCP (up to August 2012)
- FL Studio Installer (noted in FL Studio 12.1.2)
Workarounds
Certain installers supported bypassing OpenCandy by including a /NOCANDY command-line argument; however, availability of this option differed among installers.