Threat Categories

Adware

A program that displays advertising material to computer users, potentially in a manner or context that is unexpected or unwanted.

Adware is sometimes considered a "gray" area in terms of ethics and legality. They range from legitimate programs that display unobtrusive content and are willingly installed by the user, all the way to programs that silently install themselves and barrage the user with inappropriate content.

Some adware will perform user behavior monitoring to determine the best advertising material to display based on the user's preferences; this function may or may not be disclosed to the user.

Hoax

An application that does not perform as claimed.

Hoaxes are often sold through deceptive or fraudulent methods. For example, a program that claims to remove malicious software but instead only imitates scanning of the hard disk drive is categorized as a hoax.

Hoaxes may also be used to aggressively or deceptively promote rogue/scareware – antivirus and antispyware applications that may not perform as claimed.

Malware

A general term for programs that contain malicious functionality. Malware can be further divided into threat types – for example, viruses, trojans, worms and so on - based on details of their functionality and design.

The word "malware" is a portmanteau of the words "malicious" and "software".

Riskware

A program that is not malicious in nature, but may pose or introduce a security risk if improperly used. Examples of riskware include FTP servers, IRC clients, network sniffers, overeager DRM software, and remote administration utilities.

If a program's functionality is suspect, or the program does not include a functionality it claims to have, it may be added to the riskware category. This category also includes software that cannot be included in other categories.

Spyware

A program that may compromise a user's personal or confidential information. Spyware is usually, but not always, installed on a system without a user's authorization or knowledge.

Spyware can vary widely in the kinds of actions they perform. Some common actions include displaying unsolicited pop-ups, hijacking home/search pages, redirecting browsing results and monitoring user activities.

Spyware is sometimes considered a "gray" area in terms of ethics and legality. Depending on the specific action, context of use and applicable laws, spyware could be considered legal and acceptable; dubious but unlegislated; or outright illegal and unethical.

The term "spyware" can also be used in a more general sense to mean "potentially unwanted technologies".