Windows Defender is Flagging Ccleaner as a Potentially Unwanted Application

Windows Defender is Flagging Ccleaner as a Potentially Unwanted Application


Why it matters: Are you using the loose model of ccleaner? in that case, you may likely word that Windows Defender is now flagging the junk file remover as a Potentially Unwanted Application (PUA) after microsoft lately up to date its antivirus program.

Ccleaner optimizes a gadget by putting off unused and transient files, thereby making it faster and freeing up Storage area. it additionally functions a registry scanner for invalid references.
Lower back in 2017, Piriform, the united kingdom-primarily based company in the back of Ccleaner, become received via Avast for $1.3 billion, which has brought about other packages being bundled in with the app, along with Avast Free Antivirus, AVG Antivirus Free, Google Chrome and Google Toolbar.

it appears Microsoft has taken exception to the bundling of those applications. in a brand new threat entry, the Redmond Firm has categorized Ccleaner as a PUA. "While the bundled applications themselves are legitimate, bundling of software, especially products from other providers, can result in unexpected software activity that can negatively impact user experiences" states the notice.


"whilst the Ccleaner installers do provide an choice to opt out, a few users can effortlessly inadvertently deploy those bundled packages."

Microsoft previously said that it does no longer help registry cleaners, advising that such programs must no longer be used.

in Microsoft's entry on how it identifies malware and doubtlessly unwanted programs, it notes that PUAs are not malware however software program have to not make misleading claims approximately a tool's fitness, documents, or registry entries.

simplest the Free version of ccleaner is being diagnosed as a PUA as it incorporates the bundled software. Piriform instructed bleepingcomputer that it's far in talks with Microsoft to stop its program being flagged through Defender, which is also flagging different Piriform software program along with Recuva.