This MINI PC ships with SPYWARE! 🦠 ⚠️ Acemagic AD08, AD15, S1

I love bringing you great new tech every week and sharing my love of savings and deals where I can. This is the video I didn’t want to make. This mini PC was one of the nicest value Mini PCs I’ve come across, though the review took a turn for the worse when Windows Defender found Redline Stealer and Bladabind in the C:\Windows\OsVer folder. I’ll go through the story of how I got here and let you decide if I did the right thing by calling the brand out. By my count, this is their 3rd "spyware/malware" event.

Timecodes:
00:00 Welcome/Intro
00:23 How it Started / Specs
01:00 How did I get here?
02:00 The Virus Alert
03:47 Is this an isolated incident?
04:39 What does Redline Malware do?
06:12 So what do I do now?
08:12 Are they still selling infected PCs?
09:49 So what happens next?
10:35 Tips for Safe Computing
12:35 Final Thoughts / Closing

Helpful URLs:
What is spyware/malware? (FTC)

Setting up Isolated Guest Wifi (HelpCloud)

Redline Stealer Detailed Analysis (SecurityScorecard)

Debloating Windows 11 (Craft Computing)

Reinstalling Windows Clean - while retaining drivers! (Carey Holzman)

DNS blocking to prevent Malware/Spyware (Lawrence Systems)

Credits:
Editing: me

If you want to try NordPass or NordVPN, the two products I'm using now, here are my affiliate links:

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#acemagic #ad08 #spyware #malware #redline

Note: To Acemagic - I’m happy to return this PC to you with a prepaid return label. Maybe this is a wake up call, maybe it isn’t. Hopefully you are reviewing your software practices and engineering department controls so this doesn’t happen again in the future. Maybe someday we can work together again - but don’t send me viruses and expect anything but an honest review.

[raylawley]

Bought a new Dream Quest Pro from Amazon and didn't see your video before I purchased it. But, fortunately, I saw this video while the new PC was in transit to my home. So, I was getting prepared to check it for any malware first. And, guess what? I found the same thing on mine. Microsoft Defender caught it deleted and blocked it. After that I downloaded (from Microsoft) the latest version of Windows 11 and did a complete install from usb drive. Thank you Net Guy for your informative video!! I am also warning everyone about this serious (84% of pc's tested last year by Microsoft were found to contain this Malware) risk to consumers.

[ejtaylor]

The company saying "The problem has been fixed, " is absolutely meaningless without answering the bigger question of "Why was it there in the first place?"

[HardwareHaven]

This was fantastic. Thanks for doing all that digging. I was offered this exact PC multiple times, and I'm really glad I passed on it.

[CMDR_CLASSIFIED]

Just found you from Steve, over at Gamers Nexus. Always good to see folks looking out for consumers. Subbed, and I will be going through you previous vids.
Have a great day, Sir! o7

[lander]

There is a similar issue with cheap TV Streaming boxes and routers.. They have also been found to have malicious back door software from the oem. Anything with a Microcontroller is capable of running malicious code.. It's at this point you should be asking WHY does your Fridge/Kettle/Washer/Dryer even need an MC and Internet connection in the first place?

[nou]

Though i'm a linux user i am not going to preach for you to switch to linux just yet, but there is a use for linux in this case. Booting up from a live usb to check out the system data to see what is on your pc, like actually on it. Going through the "super hidden files" on windows but also the hidden recovery partitions and and other potential surprises. Then when you find something suspicious you just wipe everything. Going full Richard Stallman here for a second, but closed source software (even operating systems) are not the way forward if you value security. At times, usability and security are on the opposite ends of a spectrum of system configuration.

[JSLEnterprises]

Rule #1, always wipe a system you get from any SI, and install windows fresh (not online). If you do anything but what i just said, you do not practise "safe computing". Also, bypassing the windows 11 'online' installation, is a registry setting within the wim. The fact that there's malware on the system, the company is 100% aware of it and is also the reason the cost is so cheap (because they want unsuspecting tech-inept people to buy it)

[Muximori]

Thank you so much for posting this. I literally had this computer delivered and in a box in my house.If you hadn't made this vid it would be on my network right now! I've returned it unopened.

[GregM]

Sorry but the in my opinion the problem with Amazon is that the almighty buck comes before the customer. Louis Rosssmann did a video about a month ago regarding a brand of automative blad fuses that took 10 Amp before the 2A fuse blew. He also showed wire butt splicers that came apart when the wires were lightly pulled apart. Even after contacting Amazon customer service with this video proof the products continued to be sold on Amazon. The same goes for fake USB flash drives. Even when Amazon is made aware of the item being suspect they allow the item to be sold.

[pauls-audiolabor]

I got a new "OUVIS GK3 Plus" mini pc yesterday and Redline spyware was also preinstalled in the C:\Windows\OSVer and C:\Recovery\OEM\OsVer\ folders.

[dono]

1) Always delete preinstalled partitions and re-install the OS. Other than malware, most people do not need pre-installed trial and useless bloat software.
2) Port 17044? Install a hardware firewall for your network, and only allow specific ports such as 53, 80, 443 etc that you recognize. pfSense CE is free and very capable.

[PCTechHustle]

Definitely makes me much more cautious about mini PCs going forward for sure!

[ctjk]

this is why when it comes to pre-built computers like this. i do a full wipe of the SSD for a fresh copy of windows. this way i'm not getting all the bloatware or other possible build in crap. never use the copy of windows that comes with the build in.

[underfasten]

8:41 What if the drive you scanned has malware that is encrypted and only unencrypted once the installed OS is running? That would require an airgapped system.

[PiratePaulie]

This seems to be a recurring theme for Acemagic. I saw video last year where a reviewer had received one of their mini PCs with viruses on it from the factory.

[OlettaLiano]

Another YouTuber, Britec09, reviewed this same product and found all the same malware and virus's you found. I'm so happy you guys are here to put the word out. Thanks.

[DaiAtlus]

isnt this a brand that ETA Prime shilled for on the regular? i had to stop watching and subbing to his stuff, all he seems to do now is shill for these makers now and make money with affiliate codes.

[brianvannostrand]

I had another model of acemagic mini pc arrive Monday and I'm glad to have found this video. Mine has the same weird osver folder and executables. I'll be installing linux on it and checking before I buy something like this again.

[Dj-Mccullough]

Best password manager: The piece of paper taped to the underside of my mousepad.

[BillyBobDingledorf]

At work, we only buy PCs from US manufacturers. Hard, I know. HP will assemble business class machines in the US, but the internals are often China. The first thing we do is wipe them and perform a clean install with MS certified drivers.
My personal machines are either used workstation class machines from US companies or I build them myself (assembled in the US). The same wipe occurs, but I can be more selective with drivers.