Stop Bad ware

StopBadware.org is a partnership among academic institutions, technology industry leaders, and volunteers, all of whom are committed to protecting Internet and computer users from the threats to privacy and security that are caused by bad software. We are a leading independent authority on trends in badware and its distribution, and a focal point for the development of collaborative, community-minded approaches to stopping badware. We invite you to join our community, to help reduce the impact of badware and to regain control of our computers.

What is Badware?

Badware is software that fundamentally disregards a user’s choice regarding how his or her computer will be used. You may have heard of some types of badware, such as spyware, malware, or deceptive adware. Common examples of badware include free screensavers that surreptitiously generate advertisements, malicious web browser toolbars that take your browser to different pages than the ones you expect, or keylogger programs that can transmit your personal data to malicious parties.

While some types of badware seem more annoying than dangerous, the consequences of badware infections can be quite harsh. Badware can cause computers to become slow, unresponsive, or even unusable. Personal information gathered by spyware can be abused, and financial or other personal data that falls into the wrong hands can lead to identity theft. Some forms of badware steal resources instead of information, perhaps by adding your computer to a network of hijacked machines called a botnet, that can then use your computer to send spam and phishing emails or even to help distribute more badware.

How Can I Avoid Being Infected with Badware ?

There are a number of ways to reduce your risk of becoming infected with badware. It is important to note that none of these precautions are foolproof, and that you can achieve the better protection by taking multiple precautions.

There are several important things you can do to help reduce your risk of infection:
Keep your operating system, browser, and anti-virus software up to date

Only download software from websites you trust
Be cautious when clicking on pop-up advertisements
Be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true
Be wary of clicking links from unknown senders in email and instant messages
Whenever downloading or installing software, read the license agreement and policies carefully
In addition to these measures, you may also want to download and run an anti-spyware program for protection against certain forms of badware that may not be detected by anti-virus software. The links below refer to reviews of anti-spyware applications. As with your anti-virus program, be sure to keep your anti-spyware software up to date.
Please note that we do not endorse these companies or sites and cannot comment on their effectiveness.
AV Comparatives: Independent Comparatives of Anti-Virus Software
Spyware Center at Download.com
MalwareHelp.org
SpywareInfo Forum
Matousec’s firewall tests
PC World security suite rankings

About StopBadware

StopBadware.org is a partnership among academic institutions, technology industry leaders, and volunteers, all of whom are committed to protecting Internet and computer users from the threats to privacy and security that are caused by bad software. We are a leading independent authority on trends in badware and its distribution, and a focal point for the development of collaborative, community-minded approaches to stopping badware. We invite you to join our community, to help reduce the impact of badware and to regain control of our computers.
StopBadware.org is coordinated by Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society, and is supported by several prominent technology companies including AOL, Google, Lenovo, PayPal, Trend Micro and VeriSign. Consumer Reports WebWatch serves as an unpaid special advisor.
StopBadware.org is directed by Harvard Law School professors and Berkman Center for Internet & Society co-directors Jonathan Zittrain and John Palfrey, with the support of a policy-oriented advisory board and a technical working group, which is composed of top experts in the field like Internet pioneers Esther Dyson and Vint Cerf.