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The user has to choose to install it, Asus have just pushed an update that changes the skin for the season, but the same 'bar' was there before if the user chose to install that utility, it just had a plain undecorated switch icon.

The 'Armory Crate' software has long been unrecommended by most, because it's just not that useful. It being malware because Asus themed it for christmas is a stretch.

Largely overblown outrage

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You missed the point: "When you turn on your PC and notice that there’s a huge Christmas banner on your desktop, do not panic – your device is not compromised.

The Christmas banner can also pop up when you’re playing games. In some cases, the banner crashes apps."

This thingy lunches randomly when you use your PC, and can crash your app. This would be fine if they added it as extra entry in programs menu but this thingy lunches itself when it "thinks" it is good idea. This works like clasical crypto malware. I am not supprised people are terified seen this happen.

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