<s>
A	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
program	I-Application
(	O
PUP	O
)	O
or	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
application	I-Application
(	O
PUA	O
)	O
is	O
software	O
that	O
a	O
user	O
may	O
perceive	O
as	O
unwanted	O
or	O
unnecessary	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Antivirus	B-Application
companies	I-Application
define	O
the	O
software	O
bundled	O
as	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
programs	I-Application
which	O
can	O
include	O
software	O
that	O
displays	O
intrusive	O
advertising	O
(	O
adware	O
)	O
,	O
or	O
tracks	O
the	O
user	O
's	O
Internet	O
usage	O
to	O
sell	O
information	O
to	O
advertisers	O
(	O
spyware	O
)	O
,	O
injects	O
its	O
own	O
advertising	O
into	O
web	O
pages	O
that	O
a	O
user	O
looks	O
at	O
,	O
or	O
uses	O
premium	O
SMS	O
services	O
to	O
rack	O
up	O
charges	O
for	O
the	O
user	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
growing	O
number	O
of	O
open-source	B-Application
software	I-Application
projects	O
have	O
expressed	O
dismay	O
at	O
third-party	O
websites	O
wrapping	O
their	O
downloads	O
with	O
unwanted	O
bundles	O
,	O
without	O
the	O
project	O
's	O
knowledge	O
or	O
consent	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Nearly	O
every	O
third-party	O
free	O
download	O
site	O
bundles	O
their	O
downloads	O
with	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
software	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
unwanted	B-Application
software	I-Application
bundles	O
install	O
a	O
root	B-Protocol
certificate	I-Protocol
on	O
a	O
user	O
's	O
device	O
,	O
which	O
allows	O
hackers	O
to	O
intercept	O
private	O
data	O
such	O
as	O
banking	O
details	O
,	O
without	O
a	O
browser	O
giving	O
security	O
warnings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
United	O
States	O
Department	O
of	O
Homeland	O
Security	O
has	O
advised	O
removing	O
an	O
insecure	O
root	B-Protocol
certificate	I-Protocol
,	O
because	O
they	O
make	O
computers	O
vulnerable	O
to	O
serious	O
cyberattacks	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Software	O
developers	O
and	O
security	O
experts	O
recommend	O
that	O
people	O
always	O
download	O
the	O
latest	O
version	O
from	O
the	O
official	O
project	O
website	O
,	O
or	O
a	O
trusted	O
package	B-Application
manager	I-Application
or	O
app	B-Application
store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Historically	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
big	O
companies	O
working	O
with	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
programs	I-Application
for	O
creating	O
revenue	O
came	O
up	O
in	O
the	O
US	O
in	O
the	O
mid-2000s	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Zango	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
major	O
industry	O
,	O
dedicated	O
to	O
creating	O
revenue	O
by	O
foisting	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
programs	I-Application
,	O
has	O
grown	O
among	O
the	O
Israeli	O
software	O
industry	O
and	O
is	O
frequently	O
referred	O
to	O
as	O
Download	O
Valley	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
malware	O
includes	O
adware	O
according	O
to	O
Google	B-Application
.	I-Application
</s>
<s>
Five	O
percent	O
of	O
computer	O
browser	O
visits	O
to	O
Google-owned	O
websites	O
are	O
altered	O
by	O
computer	O
programs	O
that	O
inject	O
their	O
own	O
ads	O
into	O
pages	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Researchers	O
have	O
identified	O
50,870	O
Google	B-Application
Chrome	O
extensions	O
and	O
34,407	O
programs	O
that	O
inject	O
ads	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
Google	B-Application
Chrome	O
extension	O
developers	O
have	O
sold	O
extensions	O
they	O
made	O
to	O
third-party	O
companies	O
who	O
silently	O
push	O
unwanted	O
updates	O
that	O
incorporate	O
previously	O
non-existent	O
adware	O
into	O
the	O
extensions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Spyware	O
programs	O
install	O
a	O
proxy	B-Application
server	I-Application
on	O
a	O
person	O
's	O
computer	O
that	O
monitors	O
all	O
web	O
traffic	O
passing	O
through	O
it	O
,	O
tracking	O
user	O
interests	O
to	O
build	O
up	O
a	O
profile	O
and	O
sell	O
that	O
profile	O
to	O
advertisers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Superfish	O
is	O
an	O
advertising	O
injector	O
that	O
creates	O
its	O
own	O
root	B-Protocol
certificate	I-Protocol
in	O
a	O
computer	B-General_Concept
operating	I-General_Concept
system	I-General_Concept
,	O
allowing	O
the	O
tool	O
to	O
inject	O
advertising	O
into	O
encrypted	O
Google	B-Application
search	O
pages	O
and	O
track	O
the	O
history	O
of	O
a	O
user	O
's	O
search	O
queries	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2015	O
,	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
Department	O
of	O
Homeland	O
Security	O
advised	O
uninstalling	O
Superfish	O
and	O
its	O
associated	O
root	B-Protocol
certificate	I-Protocol
from	O
Lenovo	O
computers	O
,	O
because	O
they	O
make	O
computers	O
vulnerable	O
to	O
serious	O
cyberattacks	O
,	O
including	O
interception	O
of	O
passwords	O
and	O
sensitive	O
data	O
being	O
transmitted	O
through	O
browsers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Heise	O
Security	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
Superfish	O
certificate	O
is	O
included	O
in	O
bundled	O
downloads	O
with	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
applications	O
from	O
companies	O
including	O
SAY	O
Media	O
and	O
Lavasoft	O
's	O
Ad-Aware	B-Application
Web	I-Application
Companion	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
companies	O
use	O
browser	O
hijacking	B-Protocol
to	O
modify	O
a	O
user	O
's	O
home	O
page	O
and	O
search	O
page	O
,	O
to	O
force	O
Internet	O
hits	O
to	O
a	O
particular	O
website	O
and	O
make	O
money	O
from	O
advertisers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
companies	O
steal	O
the	O
cookies	O
in	O
a	O
user	O
's	O
browser	O
,	O
hijacking	B-Protocol
their	O
connections	O
to	O
websites	O
they	O
are	O
logged	O
into	O
,	O
and	O
performing	O
actions	O
using	O
their	O
account	O
,	O
without	O
the	O
user	O
's	O
knowledge	O
or	O
consent	O
(	O
like	O
installing	O
Android	B-Application
apps	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Users	O
with	O
dial-up	O
Internet	O
access	O
use	O
modems	O
in	O
their	O
computer	O
to	O
connect	O
to	O
the	O
Internet	O
,	O
and	O
these	O
have	O
been	O
targeted	O
by	O
fraudulent	O
applications	O
that	O
used	O
security	O
holes	O
in	O
the	O
operating	B-General_Concept
system	I-General_Concept
to	O
dial	O
premium	O
numbers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
Android	B-Application
devices	O
are	O
targeted	O
by	O
malware	O
that	O
use	O
premium	O
SMS	O
services	O
to	O
rack	O
up	O
charges	O
for	O
users	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
the	O
Enterprise	O
controlling	O
the	O
computer	O
or	O
the	O
antivirus	B-Application
vendor	O
may	O
consider	O
the	O
program	O
unwanted	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
activities	O
they	O
allow	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2021	O
,	O
Windows	O
Defender	O
started	O
removing	O
uTorrent	B-Application
and	O
qBittorrent	B-Application
,	O
causing	O
widespread	O
user	O
confusion	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2015	O
,	O
research	O
by	O
Emsisoft	O
suggested	O
that	O
all	O
free	O
download	O
providers	O
bundled	O
their	O
downloads	O
with	O
potentially	B-Application
unwanted	I-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
and	O
that	O
Download.com	B-Application
was	O
the	O
worst	O
offender	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lowell	O
Heddings	O
expressed	O
dismay	O
that	O
"	O
Sadly	O
,	O
even	O
on	O
Google	B-Application
all	O
the	O
top	O
results	O
for	O
most	O
open	O
source	O
and	O
freeware	O
are	O
just	O
ads	O
for	O
really	O
terrible	O
sites	O
that	O
are	O
bundling	O
crapware	B-Application
,	O
adware	O
,	O
and	O
malware	O
on	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
installer.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
December	O
2011	O
Gordon	O
Lyon	O
published	O
his	O
strong	O
dislike	O
of	O
the	O
way	O
Download.com	B-Application
had	O
started	O
bundling	O
grayware	O
with	O
their	O
installation	O
managers	O
and	O
concerns	O
over	O
the	O
bundled	O
software	O
,	O
causing	O
many	O
people	O
to	O
spread	O
the	O
post	O
on	O
social	O
networks	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
few	O
dozen	O
media	O
reports	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
problem	O
is	O
the	O
confusion	O
between	O
Download.com-offered	O
content	O
and	O
software	O
offered	O
by	O
original	O
authors	O
;	O
the	O
accusations	O
included	O
deception	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
copyright	O
and	O
trademark	O
violation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2014	O
,	O
The	O
Register	O
and	O
US-CERT	O
warned	O
that	O
via	O
com	O
's	O
"	O
foistware	O
"	O
,	O
an	O
"	O
attacker	O
may	O
be	O
able	O
to	O
download	O
and	O
execute	O
arbitrary	O
code	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Many	O
open-source	B-Application
software	I-Application
developers	O
have	O
expressed	O
frustration	O
and	O
dismay	O
that	O
their	O
work	O
is	O
being	O
packaged	O
by	O
companies	O
that	O
profit	O
from	O
their	O
work	O
by	O
using	O
search	O
advertising	O
to	O
occupy	O
the	O
first	O
result	O
on	O
a	O
search	O
page	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Increasingly	O
,	O
these	O
pages	O
are	O
offering	O
bundled	O
installers	O
that	O
include	O
unwanted	B-Application
software	I-Application
,	O
and	O
confuse	O
users	O
by	O
presenting	O
the	O
bundled	O
software	O
as	O
an	O
official	O
download	O
page	O
endorsed	O
by	O
the	O
open	O
source	O
project	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ownership	O
of	O
SourceForge	B-Application
transferred	O
to	O
SourceForge	B-Application
Media	O
,	O
LLC	O
,	O
a	O
subsidiary	O
of	O
BIZX	O
,	O
LLC	O
(	O
BIZX	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
November	O
2013	O
,	O
GIMP	B-Application
,	O
a	O
free	O
image	O
manipulation	O
program	O
,	O
removed	O
its	O
download	O
from	O
SourceForge	B-Application
,	O
citing	O
misleading	O
download	O
buttons	O
that	O
can	O
potentially	O
confuse	O
customers	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
SourceForge	B-Application
's	O
own	O
Windows	O
installer	O
,	O
which	O
bundles	O
third-party	O
offers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
statement	O
,	O
GIMP	B-Application
called	O
SourceForge	B-Application
a	O
once	O
"	O
useful	O
and	O
trustworthy	O
place	O
to	O
develop	O
and	O
host	O
FLOSS	O
applications	O
"	O
that	O
now	O
faces	O
"	O
a	O
problem	O
with	O
the	O
ads	O
they	O
allow	O
on	O
their	O
sites	O
...	O
"	O
In	O
May	O
2015	O
,	O
the	B-Application
GIMP	I-Application
for	O
Windows	O
SourceForge	B-Application
project	O
was	O
transferred	O
to	O
the	O
ownership	O
of	O
the	O
"	O
SourceForge	B-Application
Editorial	O
Staff	O
"	O
account	O
and	O
adware	O
downloads	O
were	O
re-enabled	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
same	O
happened	O
to	O
the	O
developers	O
of	O
nmap	B-Language
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
May	O
2015	O
SourceForge	B-Application
took	O
control	O
of	O
projects	O
which	O
had	O
migrated	O
to	O
other	O
hosting	O
sites	O
and	O
replaced	O
the	O
project	O
downloads	O
with	O
adware-laden	O
downloads	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Gordon	O
Lyon	O
has	O
lost	O
control	O
of	O
the	O
Nmap	B-Language
SourceForge	B-Application
page	O
,	O
with	O
SourceForge	B-Application
taking	O
over	O
the	O
project	O
's	O
page	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
trojaning	O
Nmap	B-Language
the	O
way	O
they	O
did	O
with	O
GIMP	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Download.com	B-Application
tried	O
back	O
when	O
they	O
started	O
circling	O
the	O
drain	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
VideoLAN	B-Application
has	O
expressed	O
dismay	O
that	O
users	O
searching	O
for	O
their	O
product	O
see	O
search	O
advertising	O
from	O
websites	O
that	O
offer	O
"	O
bundled	O
"	O
downloads	O
that	O
include	O
unwanted	O
programs	O
,	O
while	O
VideoLAN	B-Application
lacks	O
resources	O
to	O
sue	O
the	O
many	O
companies	O
abusing	O
their	O
trademarks	O
.	O
</s>
