Common names: ActiveSearch Technical names: Alias: not-a-virus:AdWare.Win32.,Adware-Softoma...     Type: ADWARE Size: 1024 Bytes     DETECTIONS Number of sightings: Date first seen: August 13, 2010 at 10:39 AM Country first seen in: Country last seen in:

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Adware refers to programs that display advertising using any means: pop-ups, banners, changes to the browser home page or search page, etc. The advertisements could be associated with the products or services offered by the creator of the program or by third-parties.

Adware can be installed in a number of ways, on some occasions without users' consent, and either with or without users' knowledge of its function.

It affects productivity, preventing tasks from being carried out:

• In the affected computer: it displays pop-up windows.

ActiveSearch uses the following propagation or distribution methods:

• Exploiting vulnerabilities with the intervention of the user: exploiting vulnerabilities in file formats or applications. To exploit them successfully it needs the intervention of the user: opening files, viewing malicious web pages, reading emails, etc.
• It is dropped or downloaded to the computer by other malware specimens, for example: Multidrop.RAY, , , Multidropper.RBB, Multidropper.RBC, Multidropper.RBD, Multidropper.RBE, Mytoolbar, Downloader.LIV.

ActiveSearch carries out the following actions:

• ActiveSearch displays advertising on the screen. The advertisements could be associated to the products or services offered by the creator of the program or third-parties.

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