Lenovo has finally released a tool to remove the pre-installed Superfish Visual Discovery adware from its laptops.
The response, however, comes after both Microsoft and McAfee released similar tools, Microsoft's enabling users to remove the adware through Windows Defender, and McAfee through its antivirus software.
Many suggest the release from Lenovo comes far later than it should have. Lenovo had to rely on help from Microsoft and McAfee to release its own fix for removal of the adware.
"We are working with McAfee and Microsoft to have the Superfish software and certificate quarantined or removed using their industry-leading tools and technologies," said Lenovo in its statement. "This action has already started and will automatically fix the vulnerability even for users who are not currently aware of the problem."
The adware, which was preloaded on Lenovo laptops between December and January, caused an uproar as it essentially bypasses any secure website, causing huge security concerns. While the software was simply supposed to recommend items to buy for customers by analyzing images on the web, the reality is that it is much more dangerous. This preinstalled spyware essentially made computers vulnerable to hackers right out of the box.
While it might seem like Lenovo is cleaning up the mess rather well, by releasing tools and apologizing to customers, the reality is this should not have happened in the first place. Lenovo says it did not know of the security concerns associated with Superfish, suggesting the company did not properly test the software.
Lenovo's delayed response to remove the adware will be a blow to the company's customer trust, especially customers who are more tech-savvy. While the average consumer will likely simply uninstall the adware through future updates and through the likes of Windows Defender and Lenovo's patch, the company will still have to face the fact that many will be much more suspicious of the company from now on.
Ironically enough, the same McAfee software that can remove the Superfish threat was also pre-installed on Lenovo's computers. Users have become accustomed to these types of software being installed, often referring to them as "bloatware." Lenovo essentially installs them as a way to make money. For example, the McAfee software installed on its laptops is only a 30-day trial. If a user then pays for the full program, Lenovo will get a cut of that.
Only time will tell if the snafu will affect the company's sales, but it's safe to assume it will. Lenovo will have to take a serious look at the bloatware that it installs on laptops from now on and make sure this doesn't happen again to regain customer trust.
