By: Joel Walsh
Promoters of adware, software that shows advertising on a user's
computer, use some cunning tricks to get you to install their
software on your machine.
Here's what to look out for.
Adware is, by definition, something reasonable people don't
want on their computers. That's why malware can't just come out
and ask people to install it.
Often, the computer owner is completely unaware of it being
installed. But not always.
When adware doesn't want to sneak in through an open window, it
will try to trick you into letting it in through the front door.
Don't think you could be
tricked? Don't be so sure until you've checked out these most
common ways people have been tricked into allowing malware to be
installed on their machines.
Adware Installation Trick 1: Piggybacking
* How it works: malware may come bundled with a legitimate piece
of software the user actually wants, such as a game or emoticon.
The malware is
merely labeled "companion software," without any indication of
what it will do. * How to fight it: be very suspicious of any
software that comes bundled with other software. Don't installed
software that comes bundled with other
software unless you know everything that the bundled software
does. After all, if the bundled program has anything to do with
the program you actually want,
why couldn't the software developer just get both programs'
functionalities into a single piece of software? Software
developers are now very sensitive to
malware concerns and will provide a lengthy explanation of just
why the bundled software is necessary, in the cases when they
actually do need to use bundled
software.
Adware Installation Trick 2: Bait and Switch
* How it works: since people are getting more and more
suspicious of bundled software, the malware's developers may
simply label it as valuable
software, for instance, a browser plugin that supposedly
accelerates web browsing (but in reality only shows ads). * How
to fight it: again, a suspicious mind is useful in avoiding
malware. Ask yourself some questions: o What will this software
actually do? Malware often comes with very fuzzy claims
attached. Sure, it says it will improve your browsing
experience,
but how? Often, this improved browsing experience just means a
browsing experience with more advertising. o If the software is
so great, why is it being given away free? Most commonly,
software is only given out free in two cases: if it's OpenSource
(designed by a community of developers and not
proprietary--OpenSource software is always clearly labeled as
such); or simply a come-on for a fuller-featured
version of the software. If neither case is true, there's a real
chance the software is financed by adware.
Adware Installation Trick 3: Outright Lying
* How it works: malware may even be labeled as something else
entirely, such as a well-known piece of software or a crucial
component of the computer
operating system. * How to fight it: this is the trickiest
malware of all, and requires extreme caution. You don't want to
start deleting any of your program files,
much less your system registry entries, unless you're absolutely
sure it's malware. Plenty of overzealous parasite hunters have
shot their own machines to
bits this way. This is one case where you want to be using an
anti-spyware program, and preferably a second anti-spyware
program to provide a second
opinion.
Getting Rid of Adware
Adware is so tricky that trying to uninstall it by yourself
could be like a trip into the Matrix. Luckily, there are good
anti-spyware programs that tackle
adware as well--after all many adware programs are also spyware
since they monitor your internet usage. True, it may feel like
adding insult to injury to have to install more software to get
rid of software you never meant to install in the first place.
But
sometimes you just have to fight fire with fire.
About the author:
About the author: Joel Walsh has written a companion article on
stealth tactics used by adware:
http://www.spyware-refuge.com?%20virus%20protection
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