Adware, how did I get this?

One of my most frequent removals is adware. My clients always ask me how they got this and my reply is there are two main ways in which Adware can get onto your computer:

 Via freeware or Shareware

Adware can be included within some freeware or shareware programs – as a legitimate way of generating advertising revenues that help to fund the development and distribution of the freeware or shareware program.

Infected Websites

A visit to an infected website can result in unauthorized installation of Adware on your machine.  Hacker technologies are often used.  For instance, your computer can be penetrated via a browser vulnerability, and Trojans that are designed for stealthy installation can be used.  Adware programs that work in this way are often called Browser Hijackers.

Ad-injecting malware is one of the most reliable scams on the web. Once a computer’s infected, the virus will drop new ads into any site it visits, sending ad revenue back to the scammers who control it. Users may even know the name of the program, but they’re powerless to remove it. Adware typically travels by bundling with free software. If you clicked on a sponsored ad for a free Firefox download in 2014, odds are it would direct you to a bundle: one free copy of Firefox with a dozen different adware programs like Crawler that would help the advertiser make back their money.

Often, Adware programs do not have any uninstall procedures and they can use technologies that are similar to those used by viruses to penetrate your computer and run unnoticed. However, because there may be legitimate reasons why Adware is present on your computer, antivirus solutions may not be able to determine whether a specific Adware program poses a threat to you. So my suggestion is to get that unit into Hunt Technology, and have it scanned for malware.

Thanks for reading, and keep your PC secure and your family safer.  Remember at Hunt Technology, you always get Quality Service & Individual Attention you deserve.