Adware, often called advertising-supported software by its developers, is software that generates revenue for its developer by automatically generating online advertisements in the user interface of the software or on a screen presented to the user during the installation process. The software may generate two types of revenue: one is for the display of the advertisement and another on a “pay-per-click” basis, if the user clicks on the advertisement. Some advertisements also act as spyware, collecting and reporting data about the user, to be sold or used for targeted advertising or user profiling.
David Balaban for Apple World Today:
Mac adware is also a notorious driving force for tech support scams. By displaying fake warnings within a web browser, these nuisance programs attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting user into dialing a telephone number to reach a “certified technician” who will supposedly help sort things out.
These bogus messages often impersonate Apple to feign legitimacy. The impostor will recommend installing a remote access tool for quick troubleshooting. If the user gets on the hook, crooks can easily harvest sensitive information and install more malware onto the Mac.
Malicious code in general – and adware in particular – are always embodied as a specific dodgy app or a browser add-on you shouldn’t have installed. That said, you need to pinpoint and eradicate the culprit along with the files it has sprinkled around your system. Here is how you can do it.
MacDailyNews Take: Much more about how to remove adware from your Mac in the easy-to-follow full article – recommended – here.
