What is badware?
There are several commonly recognized terms for specific kinds of badware - spyware, malware, and deceptive adware. Badware is malicious software that tracks your moves online and feeds that information back to shady marketing groups so that they can ambush you with targeted ads.

What's particularly tricky about badware is that you may not know that you downloaded it. Some badware manufacturers bundle it with other programs without disclosing that it's part of the package. Others put their programs on your PC when you visit certain websites or play online games.


Why do badware providers make the effort?
Because it is big business, amounting to a $2 billion-a-year industry. It's the Wild West of aggressive marketing and an industry supported by shadowy online marketers, small application vendors, and website operators.


Fortunately, there are a number of Web sites dedicated to stopping intrusive and dangerous software. One such site is StopBadware.org.
StopBadware.org is a "Neighborhood Watch" campaign that relies on user-submitted data to build monthly reports of suspicious sites.

Click Our Reports to see the list of in-depth reports on programs tagged as badware.

Or, if you want to see if a particular site could be dangerous, use the search box. Be aware that many of these sites are adult content sites, although this site does not link to them.

If you are concerned that you may have downloaded badware, read about how to get rid of it. The best and most important thing is for you to learn how to clean badware off your computer and to share your knowledge with those you know.

We can fight back!