Adware
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Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. Some types of adware are also spyware[citation needed] and can be classified as privacy-invasive software.
Application
Advertising functions are integrated into or bundled with the software, which is often designed to note what Internet sites the user visits and to present advertising pertinent to the types of goods or services featured there. Adware is usually seen by the developer as a way to recover development costs, and in some cases it may allow the software to be provided to the user free of charge or at a reduced price. The income derived from presenting advertisements to the user may allow or motivate the developer to continue to develop, maintain and upgrade the software product. Conversely, the advertisements may be seen by the user as interruptions or annoyances, or as distractions from the task at hand.
Some adware is also shareware, and so the word may be used as term of distinction to differentiate between types of shareware software. What differentiates adware from other shareware is that it is primarily advertising-supported. Users may also be given the option to pay for a "registered" or "licensed" copy to do away with the advertisements.
Malware
Some adware can also be classified as spyware, a type of malware (malicious software) which steals information. For example BonziBUDDY, an application marketed as an "Intelligent software agent", corrupted many of the user's system files, forcing the display of many obscene advertisements (composed mostly of infected Flash coding); these and the main application logged browsing details and sent them to various third parties. Adware applications can also be classed as other forms of malware: for example as an adware Trojan horse (which disguises itself as a trusted application—e.g. Microsoft Word—and displays infected advertisements such as "download XP service pack 4, great bargains, latest update")
Well-known adware programs/programs distributed with adware
- 123 Messenger
- 180SearchAssistant
- 888bar
- Adssite Toolbar
- AOL Instant Messenger
- Ask.com Toolbar (Toolbar is automatically installed with many different programs, even after you uncheck Ask.com during the installation process.)
- Bearshare
- BitZipper - (Software comes bundled with other products but can be unchecked during installation)
- Bonzi Buddy
- BlockChecker
- Burn4Free
- ClipGenie
- Comet Cursor
- Crazy Girls
- Cydoor
- Daemon Tools - (Software comes bundled with the "Daemon Tools WhenUSave Toolbar" but can be unchecked during installation)
- DivX
- DollarRevenue
- eBike Insurance
- eCar Insurance
- eVan Insurance
- Ebates MoneyMaker
- ErrorSafe
- ErrorSweeper
- Evernote
- Ezula
- FaceGame.exe
- FormatFactory
- Foxit PDF Reader
- FlashGet
- Gamevance
- Gator
- Gool.exe
- IWNet
- Kazaa
- Kiwee Toolbar
- Messenger Plus! Live - (Software comes bundled with adware, but can be unchecked during installation)
- MessengerSkinner
- Mirar Toolbar
- MyWay Search Assistant
- MyWay Searchbar
- MyWay Speedbar
- MyWeb Searchbar (Temporarily, is not adware anymore)
- MyWebSearch (Temporarily, is not adware anymore)
- Oemji Toolbar
- PornDigger!
- Smiley Central
- Quake Live
- Spotify - (A subscription can be paid to remove ads.)
- TagASaurus
- TopMoxie
- Tribal Fusion
- Videothang
- Viewpoint Media Player
- VirusProtectPro
- Vuze
- WeatherBug
- WhenU
- WinAce (now with MeMedia AdVantage)
- Winzix
- Warirc
- XXX Shop online
- XXX Toy
- Yahoo! Messenger
- Zango
- Zango Toolbar
- Zwinky
The Eudora e-mail client is an example of an adware "mode" in a program. After a trial period during which all program features are available, the user is offered a choice: free of charge with limited functionality, a mode with full functionality which displays advertisements for Eudora, or a paid mode that enables all features and turns off the ads.
Prevention and detection
Programs have been developed to detect, quarantine, and remove spyware. As there are many examples of adware software that are also spyware or malware, many of these detection programs have been developed to detect, quarantine, and remove adware as well. Among the more prominent of these applications are Ad-Aware, Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware and Spybot - Search & Destroy.
Almost all commercial antivirus software currently detect adware and spyware, or offer a separate spyware detection package. The reluctance to add adware and spyware detection to commercial antivirus products was fueled by a fear of lawsuits. Kaspersky, for example, was sued by Zango for blocking the installation of their products. Zango software and components are almost universally detected as adware nowadays.[citation needed]