Pop Up Ads, Are they a threat?

[ViRoX]

Pop Up Ads
If you surf the internet, odds are you're familiar with pop-up ads. Close the window or click to learn more. Harmless enough, right?

For the most part, little is at risk by clicking on legitimate pop-up ads. But, many times the ads are deceptive and brought to you by adware, which may be tracking your surfing habits. Other less legitimate ads may install spyware, software that transmits information back to a third party without notifying you. How bad can it be? Think worst case scenario . beyond just tracking your online habits. These programs are capable of hijacking your browser and capturing your personal information.

What are pop-up ads?
Pop-up ads turn up when you launch a web site and as you browse the internet. Pop-ups come in different forms, but they generally want to sell you something. In fact, the product offerings run the gamut, ranging from travel opportunities to drugstore items.

By clicking anywhere in this type of pop-up window, you may trigger a spyware install off your radar in the background. Illegitimate pop-ups can perform a "drive-by download;" that is, programs which are downloaded without your knowledge or consent.

A similar pop-up ploy asks you to accept a download, and then won't stop popping up until you do what they want.

Drive-by downloads work by exploiting operating system vulnerabilities. A specific vulnerability allows the computer to act on auto-pilot without prompting for your input.

Many users have low internet security settings and these low settings allow the operating system to perform various activities on your computer without letting you know beforehand.

Don't be fooled. Pop-ups could install spyware on your PC to capture and transmit your personal data across the internet. Or it could be adware, another form of spyware.

What's the real threat here?
Pop-up ads can be nothing more than an irritation. Shutting down repeated pop-ups or getting redirected during a search isn't harmful, just bothersome. However, if you are a victim of a drive-by download, you may have more than you think running in the background of your PC . you may have spyware programs.

If spyware is installed on your computer, it can use up valuable resources such as disk space, bandwidth and memory. It can slow browser performance and add icons to your desktop.

Worst case, pop-up ads can actually cause a computer to stop responding or refuse to start up as a result of the stream of ads. Think domino effect, one pop-up ad triggers another and another until your system just can't handle it and quits unexpectedly.

Moreover, spyware can use your PC to dispatch spam, exploit your e-mail address book for spam, shop illegally online using your credit cards, access your bank account, identity theft, the list is endless.

[Napolean]

The worst thing is that it these pop-ups automatically add spyware when it pops(no touch or click required)

[Pie3.14]

deleted

[Bannedzor]

This post has been edited by Snowbaby on Aug 7 2005, 11:18 AM