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Adware: What is it?

Adware is software that is intended to show advertisements on a user's device, usually in the form of banners or pop-up windows, frequently without the user's permission. Adware's main objective, in contrast to more malevolent types of malware, is to make money for its creators by displaying relevant adverts. Users may find these advertisements annoying and irritating, and their online experience may be jeopardized. Users may unintentionally install adware alongside trustworthy products since it frequently comes packaged with free software or downloads. Adware can reduce system performance and jeopardize user privacy by monitoring online activity, even though it is not intrinsically dangerous. To avoid and get rid of adware from their devices, consumers must be watchful and apply strong cybersecurity measures.

How Does Adware Work?

Adware comes from ‘advertising supported software’. This is a type of software that’s specifically designed to enable advertisements to appear on a user’s screen, most commonly when the person is on a web browser. This is an unwanted piece of software users don’t intentionally download or install on their PCs. The way it manages to work is either by disguising itself as a legit program or by piggybacking on another program in order to trick users into installing it. Adware can be installed on any type of device that uses the internet – PC, tablet, or mobile.  Therefore, most antiviruses that provide Ad-blocking features allow you to use a single subscription for multiple devices and are compatible with different systems (Windows, Android, Mac, iOS).

Adware is not only responsible for pop-ups or other types of ads that suddenly appear on your screen while you’re browsing on a website. This software can also redirect you to a new website, change your home page, or open new tabs in your browser. In short, adware is responsible for the advertisements you see while visiting a website that do not come from the specific website you’re on.

However, adware’s functions can go well beyond unsolicited ads that interrupt your browsing experience. These programs can analyze the websites you visit and then feature ads that are pertinent to your interests, in other words, to the products or services you’ve recently browsed for. This makes adware resemble spyware as your activity is basically monitored without your consent. Afterward, you get targeted by advertisements that match your needs or preferences, which increases the chance you purchase the products or services you’re being shown.

Nonetheless, the real dangers of adware are not related to unwanted, well-targeted advertising, but to malware attacks. Cybercriminals can take advantage of adware to display malvertisements, which are ads that contain malware such as viruses, trojans, spyware, etc. Malvertisement becomes possible when cybercriminals spot a vulnerability in the delivery of ads or in the users’ browsers. If you click on ads that contain such threats, you risk getting your device infected with viruses or programs that can access your files to steal your sensitive data.

How Do You Know If Your Device Is Affected by Adware?

Here are just a few signs which indicate that you might be dealing with adware:

• Frequent advertisements that appear in all places
• You’re being redirected to websites you didn’t want to access
• Your web browser becomes increasingly slow Your web browser crashes 
• New plugins or extensions start appearing on your browser
• Your browser’s homepage unexpectedly changes

How to Protect Your Device Against Adware?

If you want to keep adware at bay, the most efficient solution you can rely on is using an ad blocker. This type of program will prevent unwanted and potentially dangerous advertisements from being displayed on your browser. This way, you don’t risk clicking on a malicious link that can contain viruses. Using a reliable antivirus can also ensure protection against adware, depending on the provider you choose as not all antiviruses contain adware blockers. If you’re aware that your device was affected by adware, to eliminate the unwanted program, you should immediately use adware removal software.

However, not adware protection solutions are equal. Software providers often focus on specific features. To make sure you choose the solution that works best for your PC, tablet, or phone, you should do a bit of prior research. Since this is a time-consuming task, to help you out, our experts have already reviewed some of the top-ranking antivirus solutions with adware protection