How do I know that McAfee installed in my PC is original or pirated one? Can it so happen that McAfee got installed on my computer as a result of clicking a spurious link or while downloading another software? If that is the case, then is it potentially dangerous? How to check whether the McAfee software in my PC is original?
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1Just FYI, anti-malware packages like McAfee are commonly provided by ISPs, like Comcast. They make it easy to install, sometimes without it being obvious.– fixer1234Commented Dec 19, 2018 at 12:01
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2 Answers
It sounds like you didnt personally install the McAfee software and it wasnt there originally. If you are unaware of how any 3rd party software was installed on your machine, it is not unwise to be skeptical.
Yes, it is possible it was bundled with some other software you downloaded and installed. This was not an uncommon tactic of some software companies and websites. However, it is becoming less common as of late.
Regardless, if you are not comfortable it is perfectly acceptable to uninstall McAfee. You may even want to download the software from McAfee or another antivirus package to scan your computer for any threats.
I want to reiterate this it is not definitely a virus or malware, but playing it safe is the smart thing to do.
Lots of computer manufacturers bundle McAfee with a new computer and with a one-year subscription. In such a case McAfee is surely not the only bundled product that you have.
If the subscription year has elapsed and McAfee is demanding to be paid, you may uninstall it without any problem.
There are very reasonable free alternatives, chief among them is Windows Defender, with which you will never have a Windows incompatibility problem, since it will always be updated at the same time as Windows.
