Windows 10 torrent app removed from app store due to adware scare

2 min. read

Published on May 11, 2016

published on May 11, 2016

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Microsoft has pulled the torrent app, Torrenty, from the Windows Store after it was found to prompt the download of apps infected with adware.

ZNET’s Ed Bott was one of the first to discover the suspicious app after opening the current version on his PC and noticing a rather strange button that prompted him to update. “That “1 Update(s) Pending” message doesn’t look like an ad; it appears to be part of the user interface,” he describes. “Clicking that button opened a web page that immediately tried to download a program called Setup.exe. With Microsoft Edge set as the default browser, the software downloaded in a matter of seconds, with a Run button appearing at the bottom of the browser window.”

The app’s endgame was apparently to install a browser add-on that enables a variety of unwanted popups and ads on top of a user’s internet browser.

In addition to pulling the app from the Windows Store, Microsoft also responded with the following statement: “Microsoft has a thorough review process for app submissions, based on a strict set of certification requirements. No approach is perfect, so we encourage people to report any issues they may encounter with Windows Store. For most issues, customers can use the “report concern to Microsoft” link in the Store. For infringements concerns, people can use our online tools or email [email protected] directly.”

In addition to being one dodgy Windows 10 app, Torrenty’s main purpose was to download and upload files via the popular BitTorrent file sharing method. While there are some legitimately legal files that can be shared via BitTorrent, the method is mostly known for being notoriously popular for spreading illegal copies of TV shows and movies. Part of the reason for its popularity is due to the fact that with BitTorrent, there is no one download location, parts of the shared file are hosted by other users who have already downloaded the file themselves.

Have you downloaded any untrustworthy apps from the Windows Store? Share your experiences with the community in the comments below.

Radu Tyrsina

Radu Tyrsina has been a Windows fan ever since he got his first PC, a Pentium III (a monster at that time). For most of the kids of his age, the Internet was an amazing way to play and communicate with others, but he was deeply impressed by the flow of information and how easily you can find anything on the web. Prior to founding Windows Report, this particular curiosity about digital content enabled him to grow a number of sites that helped hundreds of millions reach faster the answer they're looking for.