LG kills McAfee pop-up after Windows boss steps in

PERSONAL TECH

Advert gets the chop, but the silent app installation mechanism remains untouched

LG has agreed to stop its Monitor App Installer pestering users with a McAfee pop-up after Microsoft's Windows boss intervened.

Pavan Davuluri wrote on social media: "We've connected with the team at LG and as an immediate next step, they have agreed to disable the McAfee pop-up from their app.

"We appreciate LG working with us toward a shared goal of a better experience for our mutual customers. We will keep improving here with our ecosystem partners."

Davuluri was responding to a comment from Epic Games boss Tim Sweeney, highlighting the issue.

At the time of writing, references to McAfee have been removed from the LG Monitor App Installer listing in the Microsoft Store.

The problem was thrust into the spotlight this week by LG's decision to include advertising for McAfee in a pop-up from its LG Monitor App Installer, which can be installed automatically when certain LG devices – in this case, an LG UltraGear – are connected to a Windows device for the first time.

Windows features a mechanism during external device installation that permits a hardware maker to add software to a user's device silently. This software could take the form of a control and configuration tool, but it could also be used to flash adverts at users, or a combination of the two.

LG isn't exploiting a vulnerability to get its software onto users' systems. Automatic installation is a documented process, with the only punishment for companies that annoy customers being the potential for a bad app rating.

Microsoft's intervention might have dampened the flames somewhat, but has done little to address whether, and how, its review procedures need to be tightened to prevent a recurrence.

It may also leave customers pondering the prevalence of adverts across Windows as a whole. ®