The Program that monitor user’s online behavior, legally or illegally, are a big business and a big headache for computer users. The other top threats are Ezula’s Top Text reference tool, which installs ads on user’s computer, Game Spy Arcade, which installs adware. Download Accelerator Plus, which is changing browser settings, displaying pop-under ads and transmitting information to a web site without the user’s permission.
Most popular spywares and adwares
The most rapidly spreading pests are Gator/GAIN/Claria and Grokster. Spyware is a $2 billion a year industry, judging from rough estimates of the number of adware installations and the amount of money generated by each installation. It is a real industry based on business relationships that tie legitimate advertisers to online marketing companies, small application vendors, and web site operators.
The peer-to-peer application Kazaa is at the top of the list of the unwanted software “pests”. The unwanted spyware, adware and Trojan are called sometimes pests to distinguish them from viruses. The top threat is the Kazaa peer-to-peer application, the prone to degrading network performance, consuming vast amounts of storage and creating security issues.
If you have Kazaa on your computer, the IT administrator has probably stopped you from downloading its content. The spyware has many faces, and the better way to stop there is to remove Kazaa from your system as soon as possible. This program becomes the most powerful distribution vehicle for adware / spyware bundles.
Public peer-to-peer networks have always associated with adware program distributions.Just check if Kazaa begin it’s installation with a complete and truthful disclosure of proposed usage, and obtains explicit, informed, consent for such use. We know that the answer is no.
After using Kazaa you probably have spyware and adware that you don’t even know about. The symptoms are annoying and malicious: unexplainable pop-ups appearing unexpectedly, unwanted toolbars, home page changes, slow computer and internet. Much spyware and adware uses your system resources and internet connection. Some of it even causes your computer to send spam emails behind the scenes, sucking up your internet connection. If your system performance has recently taken a nose dive may be infected.
Suddenly you are unable to visit your favorite search engine and everything you do seems to take you to a search engine you have never heard of. This is just another sign that you may be infected.
What is happening with a user with minor knowledge in spyware domain if he wants to find and share files, and having been told that Kazaa is the best software around?
On every page there is only general stuff. Somewhere, on help section, he will know that his PC and connection will be used. No sign of that it really doing. The novice will find that it is peer-to-peer software, and roughly what that’s about. It includes advert modules; it will use the user’s computer resource, including CPU and net connection. Kazaa assure the user they are complete and truthful in disclosing their proposed use of the owner connection. Great!
Is hard to believe that anyone reasonably come to believe it’s anything but ordinary peer-to-peer software, with adware included. It requires complete and truthful disclosure obtaining informed consent. The reality is different; on the contrary, it’s a deliberate, concerted and fraudulent plan to plant software intended for one purpose, but disguised as only for another, ‘in tens of millions of computers worldwide’. It is a plague, a real pest – a confidence trick on a massive scale.
Other says that Kazaa is the spyware king; despite the fact the Kazaa home page proudly applauds itself for containing no spyware. Marketing industry is already whining about this classification; they want to differentiate spyware from adware to keep their profit party raging (supporting laws that ban spyware, not adware). Users meanwhile don’t care what it’s called, they want only remove Kazza.