Spyware Backdoor Santas Homepage Hijackers
Other Adware Foistware Trojan Horses
The Great Unknown   Virus or Hoax ?

 

Advertising Spyware

Stealth advertising components that are installed by some "shareware" products (and sometimes, legitimately purchased commercial software) and may collect personal information from your computer. These "adbots" are usually tied to a dodgy shareware program you have installed.

 

Spyware

Stealth components and background processes that may violate your privacy or expose your computer to attack.

"Backdoor Santas"

Non-stealth "freeware" and shareware apps that may transmit personal inormation or expose your computer to attack, under the pretense of providing a useful service.

Homepage Hijackers

Once one of these nasty ad-trojans worms onto your system, it will constantly reset your homepage (and maybe Search, etc.) to where they want you to go. You can't change it back!

Other Adware

Typically not hazardous, just annoying. These programs have bait-and-switched customers into viewing annoying blinky advertisements on the program's main window.

Foistware (Everything-installs-it-can't-get-rid-of-it)

Unwanted application programs that come along, trojan-style, with completely unrelated software. Ususally because some jerk is getting paid to foist it on your system whether you want it or not. Since they tag along with so many different pieces of third-party software, it is not uncommon to get re-infected with these foistware products again and again.

Trojan Horses

Programs for the specific purpose of violating your privacy, stealing data, taking over or trashing your computer.

The Great Unknown

Some generally bad-behaving software whose purpose and motive are not clear...


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