{"id":151780,"date":"2021-04-21T16:23:30","date_gmt":"2021-04-21T23:23:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=151780"},"modified":"2024-02-22T20:46:41","modified_gmt":"2024-02-23T04:46:41","slug":"what-is-adware-a-definitive-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/what-is-adware-a-definitive-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Adware? A Definitive Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

We live in a digital world and a lot of our daily activities are online, including banking, grocery shopping, and <\/span>social media<\/span>. In fact, the average user spends <\/span>two hours and 24 minutes per day<\/span><\/a> on <\/span>social media<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re mostly online for work or you like scrolling through <\/span>social media<\/span> (or both), you probably don\u2019t like ads popping up whenever you open a website or an <\/span>app<\/span>. These <\/span>pop-ups<\/span> are caused by advertising-supported software, also known as <\/span>adware<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This article discusses what <\/span>adware<\/span> is and how it might get onto your devices. We provide some tips on how you can protect your data and devices against <\/span>adware<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is <\/span><\/b>adware<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

Adware<\/span> is short for advertising-supported software. It\u2019s software that lives in your <\/span>operating system<\/span> and displays ads from the inside. It takes over your browser to show you unwanted ads.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Essentially, <\/span>adware<\/span> is what happens when you\u2019re going about your business on the web and start getting a lot of ads that interrupt your browsing or redirect you to another site.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s what <\/span>adware<\/span> does: It exists to collect information about you to display personalized ads. But showing you annoying ads and making your devices slower are only mild effects; <\/span>adware<\/span> can cause real harm. At its worst, <\/span>adware<\/span> can obtain your personal information by tracking the websites you visit or recording your keystrokes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Types of adware<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n

There are two <\/span>types of adware<\/span>: legitimate and malicious. Find out more about each below.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Harmless <\/span><\/b>adware<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Harmless <\/span>adware<\/span> is legitimate <\/span>adware<\/span> created by reputable developers. It\u2019s a legal and valid way to advertise, and you\u2019ve probably come across it. Legitimate <\/span>adware<\/span> asks for your consent to send ads and software promos.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The income from the ads helps pay for the cost of creating the software and makes the product more affordable to users. In some cases, the revenue lets the <\/span>software developer<\/span> provide the product for free. Internet users typically get enticed to download this <\/span>type of adware<\/span> on their computer or mobile phone to get something in return.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Be aware that you\u2019re most likely agreeing to <\/span>adware<\/span> when you click \u201cyes\u201d on <\/span>apps<\/span> to collect your marketing details. Software and applications that offer \u201cfree with ads\u201d versions are examples of <\/span>apps<\/span> that come with <\/span>adware<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Harmful <\/span><\/b>adware<\/span><\/b> or potentially <\/span><\/b>unwanted applications<\/span><\/b> (PUAs)<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Potentially <\/span>unwanted applications<\/span> (PUAs) refer to any program you didn\u2019t knowingly download onto your device. They typically come bundled in legitimate <\/span>free software<\/span> programs. Also called potentially <\/span>unwanted programs<\/span> (<\/span>PUPs<\/span>), this <\/span>type of adware<\/span> can cause your device to run slowly, display unexpected ads, or install other <\/span>unwanted software<\/span>. Not all PUAs are destructive, as the term is also used for <\/span>apps<\/span> that have poor reputations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is where PUA <\/span>adware<\/span> can fall into a gray area; whether it\u2019s malicious or illegal depends on the goals of those who distribute it. Some are only designed to bombard you with ads. It\u2019s legal if it doesn\u2019t come with <\/span>malware<\/span> (even if the ads are for things like diet pills).\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

More often than not, the term \u201c<\/span>adware<\/span>\u201d refers to the <\/span>apps<\/span> and programs that abuse ads and open the door for <\/span>malware<\/span>. This is the illegal <\/span>adware<\/span> that spreads <\/span>malicious software<\/span> like <\/span>spyware<\/span>, viruses, or other <\/span>malware<\/span> onto devices. This kind of <\/span>adware<\/span> can make <\/span>malware<\/span> infections harder to discover, so it costs more time and money to get rid of them.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Aside from <\/span>adware<\/span>, other <\/span>types of malware<\/span> you should be aware of include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n