San Francisco, USA – July 25, 2024 – In a bombshell revelation, The Clean Software Alliance (CSA), has unveiled shocking unethical practices and conflicts of interest at the heart of AppEsteem Corporation, a major player in the certification industry. This explosive report threatens to upend the credibility of the entire anti-malware market credibility.

The CSA’s 18-month rigorous investigation, driven by escalating concerns from its members, uncovered severe conflicts of interest, ethical breaches, and a disturbing lack of transparency within AppEsteem. These findings could shake the very foundations of trust in the anti-malware software industry.

CSA Findings:

• Conflict of Interest: Dennis Batchelder, Co-Founder and President of AppEsteem, simultaneously serves as the President/CEO of the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization (AMTSO). This dual role creates a glaring conflict of interest, potentially coercing anti-malware companies to comply with AppEsteem’s lists, thus compromising the integrity of the software testing process.
• Lack of Industry Input: AppEsteem's certification standards are set without sufficient consultation from the software industry. This raises significant concerns about fairness and transparency. AppEsteem's claimed industry participation through "Clean Apps" (not associated with the Clean Software Alliance) reveals financial and corporate ties that further question the legitimacy of their standards.
• Non-Consensus Requirements: AppEsteem imposes certification requirements that deviate from established industry norms and lack broad consensus among anti-malware companies.
• Inconsistent Application of Criteria: AppEsteem's inconsistent application of certification criteria has led to certified apps violating their own standards.  Reports of increased re-certification fees following delisting amplify concerns over impartiality.

The report scrutinizes AppEsteem's certification process, particularly its treatment of paying software applications versus other software. The introduction of the 'deceptor' program in 2017 and AppEsteem's role within AMTSO are examined critically. The report also questions the lack of industry input and the emergence of non-consensus-based requirements.

Since its inception in 2016, AppEsteem has become a pivotal player in the software certifications and classification domain, working with hundreds of companies worldwide. Its standards potentially impact many software products and, by extension, thousands of users globally. AppEsteem's vast influence makes any alleged unethical practices a significant issue, not just for the immediate parties involved, but for the entire software ecosystem.

“The integrity of anti-malware testing standards is non-negotiable; it forms the bedrock of trust and credibility in our industry," said Eddy Willems, COO of CSA Software. “Any compromise here threatens not just the process, but the very foundation of our industry's commitment to ethical standards.

The report chronicles AppEsteem's initial promise to clean up the software monetization industry through certification services. However, CSA’s findings paint a starkly different picture.

“Ironically, Clean Apps is funded by the fees paid to AppEsteem, illustrating the effort invested by AppEsteem in creating a facade of legitimacy," said Itay Milrad, former CTO of IronSource and a CSA member.

“Protecting users from malicious software is an important role not to be taken lightly. Consistent and transparent standards are needed to maintain the integrity of the system”, said Michael Levit, Founder and   CEO of Tempest and a CSA member. “Any hint of pay-to-play or pay not to be a 'deceptor', regardless of the actual integrity of their products, would compromise the system and the trust of users that are theoretically being protected. There's an urgent need for more transparency and openness in the evaluation processes to ensure users are receiving the most reliable and secure software options.” 

  The CSA urgently calls for:

• Addressing conflicts of interest arising from Dennis Batchelder's dual roles.
• Revising certification criteria.
• Clearly distinguishing violation severities.
• Fostering open communication with stakeholders.
• Implementing third-party oversight to restore integrity to the software certification process.

The CSA’s findings demand immediate action to safeguard the anti-malware industry’s credibility and protect users worldwide from compromised software standards.

The press release, the report supported by evidence like screenshots, along with other very useful materials can be found here.