Microsoft has told BleepingComputer that this detection is only targeting the free version as it includes bundled 'offers' for other software. Make misleading or inaccurate claims about files, registry entries, or other items on your device.ĭisplay claims in an alarming manner about your device's health and require payment or certain actions in exchange for fixing the purported issues. In addition to the previous list, software that exhibits lack of choice might:ĭisplay exaggerated claims about your device's health. This is considered behavior that limits your choices. Software must not mislead or coerce you into making decisions about your device. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved without a reinstallation of the Operating System as the extent of the changes made by registry cleaning utilities varies from application to application,' Microsoft states in a support bulletin from 2018.įurthermore, Microsoft's evaluation criteria state that displaying 'misleading' or 'inaccurate' claims about files and registry entries would cause a program to fall under the classification of a potentially unwanted program. These issues might require users to reinstall the operating system due to instability. However, serious issues can occur when you modify the registry incorrectly using these types of utilities. 'Some products such as registry cleaning utilities suggest that the registry needs regular maintenance or cleaning.

This page does not provide any information as to why Microsoft is now classifying CCleaner as a PUP/PUA, but Microsoft has stated that they do not support Registry cleaners and that they should not be used.

In a new threat entry added today to the Microsoft Security Intelligence site, Microsoft is now classifying CCleaner as a PUA:Win32/CCleaner threat. This ban was due to Microsoft's general stance that Registry cleaners and system optimizers can do more harm than good on Windows systems.

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