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Orbit Downloader
Download manager and malware application for Windows

Orbit Downloader is a discontinued download manager for Microsoft Windows. Launched in 2006, its developers abandoned it in 2009. In 2013, Orbit Downloader was classified as malware by antivirus software after ESET discovered a botnet in the application.

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Features

One of the main features of the program is its ability to grab and download embedded Flash Video files from online video platforms.7 Orbit Downloader also accelerates downloads by acting as a peer-to-peer client, utilizing bandwidth of other users.

Orbit Downloader supports downloading from HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, Metalink, RTSP, MMS and RTMP protocols. Orbit Downloader supports Internet Explorer, Maxthon, Mozilla Firefox and Opera web browsers.8

Funding and malicious conduct

Although Orbit Downloader is free, it is an advertising-supported product since it offers to change the web browser's homepage upon installation and also offers to install software that are not critical for its operation.9 Also it has begun to display built-in ads inside the program main window and when a dialog of a finished download appears.

On 21 August 2013, the WeLiveSecurity blog, published by the ESET security company, reported that since version 4.1.1.15, Orbit Downloader includes a botnet-like module which performs DDoS attacks without the user's knowledge or permission. Because of this dubious behavior, it is being detected as malware.101112 Following this report, download websites BetaNews, Download.com, DownloadCrew, MajorGeeks, Softpedia and Softonic disabled its download.1314151617 Betanews attempted to contact the developers but discovered that their last blog activity had been in 2009 and the Orbit community forum has since been left to a spammer.18

See also

References

  1. Williams, Mike (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader includes DDoS code, says ESET". Betanews. https://betanews.com/2013/08/23/orbit-downloader-includes-ddos-code-says-eset/ ↩

  2. "Orbital Decay: the dark side of a popular file downloading tool". WeLiveSecurity. ESET. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013. http://www.welivesecurity.com/2013/08/21/orbital-decay-the-dark-side-of-a-popular-file-downloading-tool/ ↩

  3. Constantin, Lucian (22 August 2013). "Popular download management program has hidden DDoS component, researchers say". Computerworld. Retrieved 14 September 2018. https://www.computerworld.com/article/2483990/enterprise-applications/popular-download-management-program-has-hidden-ddos-component--researchers-s.html ↩

  4. "DDoS Weapon Found Hidden in Orbit Downloader". Infosecurity Magazine. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2018. https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ddos-weapon-found-hidden-in-orbit-downloader/ ↩

  5. Williams, Mike (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader includes DDoS code, says ESET". Betanews. https://betanews.com/2013/08/23/orbit-downloader-includes-ddos-code-says-eset/ ↩

  6. Clarke, Tom (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader contains trojan – downloads blocked". Softonic. https://en.softonic.com/articles/orbit-downloader-contains-trojan-downloads-blocked ↩

  7. "Features". OrbitDownloader.com. Innoshock. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110208052602/http://www.orbitdownloader.com/features.htm ↩

  8. "Features". OrbitDownloader.com. Innoshock. Archived from the original on 8 February 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110208052602/http://www.orbitdownloader.com/features.htm ↩

  9. "Orbit Downloader 4.0.0.6". Softpedia. SoftNews SRL. 13 January 2011. Archived from the original on 10 August 2011. Retrieved 4 February 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110810171218/http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Download-Managers/OrbitDownloader.shtml ↩

  10. "Orbital Decay: the dark side of a popular file downloading tool". WeLiveSecurity. ESET. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013. http://www.welivesecurity.com/2013/08/21/orbital-decay-the-dark-side-of-a-popular-file-downloading-tool/ ↩

  11. Constantin, Lucian (22 August 2013). "Popular download management program has hidden DDoS component, researchers say". Computerworld. Retrieved 14 September 2018. https://www.computerworld.com/article/2483990/enterprise-applications/popular-download-management-program-has-hidden-ddos-component--researchers-s.html ↩

  12. "DDoS Weapon Found Hidden in Orbit Downloader". Infosecurity Magazine. 23 August 2013. Retrieved 14 September 2018. https://www.infosecurity-magazine.com/news/ddos-weapon-found-hidden-in-orbit-downloader/ ↩

  13. Williams, Mike (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader includes DDoS code, says ESET". Betanews. https://betanews.com/2013/08/23/orbit-downloader-includes-ddos-code-says-eset/ ↩

  14. "Orbit Downloader". Download.com. CBS Interactive. 14 September 2014. Retrieved 28 December 2017. http://download.cnet.com/Orbit-Downloader/3000-2071_4-10600926.html ↩

  15. Thornton, Bob (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader 4.1.1.18". DownloadCrew. https://www.downloadcrew.com/article/298-orbit_downloader ↩

  16. Kovacs, Eduard (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader Contains DDOS Component, ESET Warns". Softpedia. SoftNews. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Orbit-Downloader-Contains-DDOS-Component-ESET-Warns-377662.shtml ↩

  17. Clarke, Tom (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader contains trojan – downloads blocked". Softonic. https://en.softonic.com/articles/orbit-downloader-contains-trojan-downloads-blocked ↩

  18. Williams, Mike (23 August 2013). "Orbit Downloader includes DDoS code, says ESET". Betanews. https://betanews.com/2013/08/23/orbit-downloader-includes-ddos-code-says-eset/ ↩