What is badware?

Badware is software that behaves in malicious and/or deceptive ways and is commonly referred to as spyware, malware, and deceptive adware. If you download badware to your computer you may experience numerous pop-up ads; software installed without your permission or software difficult to uninstall; software that includes Trojan horses, stealth dialers, keyloggers, and viruses; slowed computer processing or even crashing; and in some cases, your privacy may be violated and abused when personal information is collected without your permission. For more information about the risks badware poses to you and your computer, see StopBadware's Guidelines and About Badware pages.