Adware

Often the most annoying form of malware, Adware is simply ‘advertising software’ which gets onto your computer without your knowledge. It will keep displaying adverts on your computer screen with the hope that you will click on some of them and buy some product or service.

Although it is the most noticeable form of malware, its effects do not extend much beyond system instability, a slowing down of the computer and a lack of productivity.

Adware is often bundled with free software downloaded from the web, the idea being that the author of this free software earns money from the installation from every one of their unsuspecting users. Since the terms and conditions of the host application will have the inclusion of this malware hidden away in the small print, removal of the adware without removing the host application is considered a breach of contract.

Due to this legal loophole, many security firms have been taken to court for providing software which removes this threat from victims computers. Anti-virus software will rarely look for it, and even the best anti-adware package will not detect every instance of adware out there. The best removal policy is to use two regularly updated leading anti-adware packages.

However, it is fairly simple to avoid this type of threat, since it is usually only found bundled with free software or on unscrupulous websites. Simply staying clear of these websites, never open unexpected or unwanted emails, and never installing any free software unless you are confident it is from a trustworthy source should help minimise your exposure to it.