Technology companies and other organisations have formed
a coalition to try and take on firms that spread spyware and
adware.
The Stop Badware Coalition intends to publish the names of
companies that it deems are the worst offenders.
The coalition will also explain how many of these companies make
cash through unethical marketing practices and fraud.
The group has the support of Google, Chinese PC manufacturer
Lenovo, Sun Microsystems, the Berkman Center for Internet &
Society at Harvard Law School and the Oxford Internet Institute at
Oxford University.
Spyware and adware can be unwittingly loaded on to users' PCs
when they visit websites or download other legitimate software
programs.
As a result, the user can be plagued by pop-up ads, slow
computer connections as a result of the malware using their
bandwidth to send out reports of their activity, or, in the worst
case scenarios, having their PC used by remote hackers to spread
further malware and commit crimes.
The coalition has also launched the Stopbadware.org website to
help users deal with malware problems, where they will be able to
check what malware is included in programs they are about to
download.