Adware is a very common type of malicious software that all computer systems should be protected against. This particular type of malware may not be as destructive as say a computer virus or trojan, but this doesn’t mean that ad ware isn’t a very real threat to your computer system’s safety and your personal security.
Not all adware is actually malware. It is a malicious program if it is installed without a computer user’s knowledge or consent. It is also malicious if it comes with another type of malware such as a keylogger, which many types of adware unfortunately do.
What is Adware?
Ad ware technically is advertising-supported software, or any program that automatically displays or downloads advertisements onto a computer system. Usually this is in the form of popups. The purpose of ad ware is to make money for whoever is distributing these programs.
Usually adware functions to do more than present computer users with ads; these programs usual monitor web sites that are visited in an attempt to tailor the advertisements displayed so that the users are more likely to click on them. Developers with innocent, benign intentions see adware as a way to recuperate some of the money it cost them to create the software and maybe even to make a bit of profit. This is why programs loaded with adware are often free or at a vastly reduced price.
As these ads often pop up, ad ware is seen by most computer users as terribly annoying, even if it isn’t harmful. While most is harmless on its own, adware can be powerful malware. Some adware is integrated with malware like spyware, keyloggers or other malicious programs capable of stealing information from computer users.
Types of Adware
There are several varieties of advertising supported software out there. Some examples that a wide variety of computer users may be familiar with are the Ask.com Toolbar, HotBar and Zwinky. These adware programs have legitimate uses but could be malicious.
Protection and Elimination
While not all adware can be malicious, it is still an excellent idea to protect your computer system from the potential threat that can come along with this software. Fortunately most of the effective and common software with malware protection can detect adware.
To protect yourself from any malware infection, it is a good idea to have a product like PCKeeper, MacKeeper, or Malwarebytes on your computer system. These are capable of detecting malware, quarantining any infections and then removing them. While not all adware is necessarily bad, these programs will still detect these programs and can alert you when they are downloaded and installed.
Again, while these are not necessarily malicious, they very well could be. To optimize your system’s security and ensure the safety of your personal information, you should eliminate any adware as soon as you can, and you should do what you can to avoid it in the first place.
