{"id":159873,"date":"2022-11-14T09:11:57","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T17:11:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=159873"},"modified":"2022-11-16T11:43:11","modified_gmt":"2022-11-16T19:43:11","slug":"what-is-bloatware-and-how-can-it-impact-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/tips-tricks\/what-is-bloatware-and-how-can-it-impact-security\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Bloatware and How Can It Impact Security?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The joy of purchasing a new device is liberating. Now you can work, learn, and play faster \u2014 along with enjoying ample <\/span>storage space<\/span>. So, the last thing you’d expect is your apparently safe device being exposed to <\/span>vulnerabilities<\/span>, or \u201c<\/span>bloat<\/span>.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Exposure to <\/span>unwanted software<\/span> can derail its performance and hog its storage within a few months of usage. In technical terms, such <\/span>pieces of software<\/span> are referred to as <\/span>bloatware<\/span>. <\/span>Bloatware<\/span> has the potential to attack PCs with <\/span>Microsoft systems <\/span>and <\/span>Android devices<\/span>. It can also attack <\/span>Apple<\/span> iPhones<\/span> and <\/span>Macs<\/span> although their systems tend to be built with a bit more protection.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This article defines <\/span>bloatware<\/span>, offers common examples, explains how to identify it, and discusses its impact on your computer’s security.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Bloatware<\/span>, also called Junkware or Potentially Unwanted Programs (<\/span>PUP<\/span>), are third-party programs that slow down the performance of your device and lay it bare to <\/span>cybersecurity<\/span> risks.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Manufacturers initially introduced <\/span>bloatware<\/span> to provide users with more utility, but the programs led to device issues. Software programs that identify as <\/span>bloatware<\/span> run in the background, and locating them is not child’s play.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bloatware<\/span> finds its way into your device in two ways: it comes pre-installed or through programs downloaded from the internet. <\/span>Lenovo<\/span>‘s Superfish <\/span>bloatware<\/span><\/a> scandal<\/span><\/a> from 2015 explains how <\/span>bloatware<\/span> can harm your devices.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are examples of <\/span><\/b>bloatware<\/span><\/b>?<\/span><\/b><\/h3>\n

Common examples of <\/span>bloatware apps<\/span> include: <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n