Comodo have been doing this for over 6 months with their own "safesurf" tool bar before this. So, this is nothing new.

However, just because Comodo like bundling toolbars with their products, doesn't make the products bad enough for me to stop recommending them. Their firewall is a powerful peice of software, and the fact that it's free makes it even better. Toolbar or no toolbar.

Even then, if I can remove malware such as Vundo, what's stopping me from removing a simple toolbar if I installed it by accident?

You totally missed the entire point here. It's not a matter of the software being good or bad, it's a matter of principals, priorities, and ethics.

The fact that it's ticked by default is unethical, especially, since this company claims to be a security company which is supposed to protect its users from malware, viruses, trojans, and installers installing 3rd party software like this on users computers.

Not to mention, there is no sign that they won't be adding more 3rd party software (even more potentially annoying/harmful software) in the future. The fact you can untick is irrelevant because it is ticked by default, and most people aren't you or me, so they will click right through and install it out of plain ignorance or just because they are in a hurry.

My main concern is what besttechie has said: People who are not advanced users. The victim are the non-advanced users. They think it is OK, it is needed or it is required, and/or it is safe because they trust the security vendors will not install third party componets or services. How many times we've seen users posts in forums that they have no idea which software has changed their homepage, search page or have added a toolbar? This method use by security vendors bundling and pushing their product is same method of what we generally call as adware and PUPs.

The 2nd concern is: There is no HopSurf and Ask.com EULA. Where is the EULA of HopSurf and EULA for Ask.com in the above screenshot? There is third party service involved in the installer. There should be 3 EULA. There should be clear disclosure by Comodo on what type of service does HopSurf will provide. There should be an option for people to see, read, agree or disagree with the EULA of HopSurf because HopSurf is entirely different software from CIS. The EULA of CIS does not apply to HopSurf and Ask.com

Why 3 EULA you might ask...
1. EULA for CIS - displaying to the people a license agreement in using the firewall and AV and update services/server in using Comodo.
2. EULA for HopSurf - because Comodo's CEO claim that HopSurf is their software but since it's another application that is unrelated to CIS, there should EULA of HopSurf. On what the service is for and what people should know in using HopSurf.
3. EULA for Ask.com service - because there is privacy concern in using Ask.com search when people use the said search via toolbar that is not Ask Toolbar. And because Ask.com is not Comodo, there should be EULA in the above installer for using Ask.com

When they released CIS with HopSurf, there is 2 EULA online. None of EULA is linked in the above installer. They claim that one of the EULA is a mistake or both. Melih said there is another correct EULA which is in PDF format. Now.. this makes you wonder already whether this company is serious in providing privacy and security to its end-users. There is a concern here.

The 4th concern: Why Comodo is not telling the truth that this HopSurf was created because of their partnership with IAC/Ask.com. At least, Symantec was professional enough to make a press release and admit that because of their partnership with IAC/Ask.com, they will integrate Ask.com on their Norton Safe Web Toolbar. Comodo is denying that HopSurf was created because of the partnership they have with IAC/Ask.com.

The last but not the least concern on Comodo as company: Why Comodo have to create too many domains and services that try to show to people how good they are in trying to make the internet safe and sound if they themselves cannot control or monitor the issuance of their certificates. Imagine, fraudsters is able to get the trust by some people in buying their fake AV because they are carrying some Comodo issued certificate. Their defense is that they are not alone in doing this. That's true but are they doing the best practice in preventing the said security/privacy incident? If so, how? Why after so many months (since Winfixer days), there is still reports by trusted researchers/analysts like MVP Mike Burgess and MVP Steven Burn that their cert continues to be use by malware domains and frausters? There is little action from them. If this type of incident occured in Mozilla, Google and Microsoft, people goes mad. These 3 vendors will act soon and make advisory with acknowledgement/credits and solution so it will not happen again while Comodo is not doing this. They get angry. They questioned the ethics of people who reports. They accused me of witch hunting. They cannot even identify where is my blog and who is blogging LOL
Corrine's blog, Mike's blog and my blog is not the same but Melih said it's Donna's. He don't know how blogging works and yet they offer HopSurf that will rate a blog site.

This is very short-sighted. Comodo developed HopSurf toolbar and replaced Ask toolbar. See this link: http://forums.comodo.com/feedbackcommentsannoun...

Being a malware researcher for Comodo, I do not like such comments. I specifically tested HopSurf and have not found any threats.

Why should the toolbar be installed by default though? Why not make it opt-in?

The screen shot you posted along with your rant shows very clearlt that there are easy-to-use check boxes you can un-check if you do not want HopSurf. What's the problem? Too lazy or hurried to just un-tick them?

Please comment on it (HopSurf) here: http://www.helpmyos.com/dragonmaster-jay-f47/ho...

Perhaps the better all-around solution for Comodo and for any software that installs toolbars without the end-user realizing what they are actually doing is to not use a check box but rather tell the user in the wizard if they would like to install the toolbar, and have a yes or no box, with neither choice checked on by default, where they have to actually make a choice, and show them what they are really installing. Maybe even link to a flash or slideshow tour of HopSurf on their website.