|
|
StopGuard Adware Information
| Name: |
StopGuard |
| Category: |
Adware |
| Alias: |
- Alias: ads234, ads234.com, AdView, and origin.midaddle.com |
| Advice: |
Remove |
| Risk: |
Elevated Risk
Elevated threats are usually threats that fall into the range of adware in which data about a user's habits are tracked and sent back to a server for analysis without your consent or knowledge. |
| Description:
|
Installs itself as a spyware cleaner but instead displays popup ads.
Reasons why StopGuard has been considered a spyware/adware threat:
1. StopGuard has a number of dubious corporate associations.
2. When installing and running the free scan, StopGuard produces a number of false positives used as way to force people into purchasing the software.
3. When StopGuard detects what it says is spyware or adware it does not tell you what it found, only offers to remove it. On a completely clean Windows XP computer it detected adware but did not state what it found.
4. StopGuard does not display or offers a privacy policy or EULA on the web site(s) or during or after installation.
5. Lastly, there is no uninstaller included and no means to remove the program.
The website, http://www.stopguard.com, offers a free scan and claims the product removes viruses, blocks pop ups (yet it seems to be advertised by pop ups), provides firewall protection, encrypts data, deletes and stops spyware. I would not trust a product marketed though pop ups and hijacking to protect me from those very things.
Other domains associated with StopGuard are genericscanner.com and vantagesoftware.com.
|
| Signatures:
|
process: realscannerinstall.exe: MD5 Hash: b7456f9d094bdf7a8d5...
process: realscannerinstall.exe: MD5 Hash: .. |
| Type: |
Adware - Adware is generally software that displays advertisements. Some advertisers may covertly install adware on your system and generate a stream of unsolicited advertisements that can clutter your desktop and affect your productivity. The advertisements may also contain pornographic or other material that you might find inappropriate. The extra processing required to track you or to display advertisements can tax your computer and hurt your system performance. |
Top Adware Visited Pages:
Adw.WinSoftware.WinAntiSpyware - 539 visits
ClickSpring.PuritySCAN.Downloader - 397 visits
DMCast - Alias: Desktop Media Cast - 168 visits
RBot.schvost - Alias: WORM_RBOT.CAU - 101 visits
WhenU.SaveNow - Alias: SAVE!, SaveNow, WhenU.SaveNow, WhenUSaveNow - 78 visits
Adw.FreePcScan.SpywareSlayer - 66 visits
Seekmo Search Assistant - 64 visits
ABetterInternet.Transponder.Ceres - Alias: Ceres - 64 visits
HelpExpress - Alias: Adware.HelpExpress - 60 visits
TopRebates.RebateNation - Alias: Adware:WebRebates.D - 54 visits
Random Adware Pages:
Spyware.BHO.TempDat
BonziBUDDY
AV-Gold
Zipclix Toolbar - Alias: System Soap
SearchMaid
WindUpdates.Information Update - Alias: InformationUpdate
WebBullion
DMCast - Alias: Desktop Media Cast
MultiClicker
MidAddle - Alias: ads234, ads234.com, AdView, and origin.midaddle.com
|
|
