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Malware is any software intentionally designed to cause disruption to a computer, server, client, or computer network, leak private information, gain unauthorized access to information or systems, deprive access to information, or which unknowingly interferes with the user's computer security and privacy. Researchers tend to classify malware into one or more sub-types.
VideoLAN is a non-profit organization which develops software for playing video and other media formats. It originally developed two programs for media streaming, VideoLAN Client (VLC) and VideoLAN Server (VLS), but most of the features of VLS have been incorporated into VLC, with the result renamed VLC media player.
Spybot – Search & Destroy (S&D) is a spyware and adware removal computer program compatible with Microsoft Windows. Dating back to the first Adwares in 2000, Spybot scans the computer hard disk and/or RAM for malicious software.
FlashGet was a freeware download manager for Microsoft Windows. It was originally available in either paid or ad-supported versions, the latter of which included an Internet Explorer Browser Helper Object (BHO).
In computing, ACE is a proprietary data compression archive file format developed by Marcel Lemke, and later bought by e-merge GmbH. The peak of its popularity was 1999–2001, when it provided slightly better compression rates than RAR, which has since become more popular.
CNET Download is an Internet download directory website launched in 1996 as a part of CNET. Initially it resided on the domain download.com, and then download.com.com for a while, and is now download.cnet.com. The domain download.com attracted at least 113 million visitors annually by 2008 according to a Compete.com study.
PDFCreator is an application for converting documents into Portable Document Format (PDF) format on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It works by creating a virtual printer that prints to PDF files, and thereby allows practically any application to create PDF files by choosing to print from within the application and then printing to the PDFCreator printer.
ImgBurn is an optical disc authoring program that allows the recording of many types of CD, DVD and Blu-ray images to recordable media. Starting with version 2.0.0.0, ImgBurn can also burn files and data directly to CD or DVD. It is written in C++. It supports padding DVD-Video files so the layer break occurs on a proper cell boundary.
Foxit PDF Reader is a multilingual freemium PDF tool that can create, view, edit, digitally sign, and print PDF files. Foxit Reader is developed by Fuzhou, China-based Foxit Software. Early versions of Foxit Reader were notable for startup performance and small file size. Foxit v3.0 was found to be comparable to Adobe Reader. The Windows version allows annotating and saving unfinished PDF forms, FDF import/export, converting to text, highlighting, and drawing. Until version 9.7.2 Foxit Reader had PDF creation features, including a "Foxit PDF Printer" for Windows, allowing all programs to "print" output to PDF; they were removed in May 2020 from later versions. Foxit PDF Reader also includes an Enterprise version, which requires a Foxit account.
Kaspersky Anti-Virus is a proprietary antivirus program developed by Kaspersky Lab. It is designed to protect users from malware and is primarily designed for computers running Microsoft Windows and macOS, although a version for Linux is available for business consumers.
HitmanPro is a portable antimalware program, which aims to detect and remove malicious files and registry entries related to rootkits, trojans, viruses, worms, spyware, adware, rogue antivirus programs, ransomware, and other malware from infected computers.
Kaspersky Internet Security was an internet security suite developed by Kaspersky Lab compatible with Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X. Kaspersky Internet Security offers protection from malware, as well as email spam, phishing and hacking attempts, and data leaks. Kaspersky Lab Diagnostics results are distributed to relevant developers through the MIT License.
OpenCandy was an adware module and a potentially unwanted program classified as malware by many anti-virus vendors. They flagged OpenCandy due to its undesirable side-effects. It was designed to run during installation of other desired software. Produced by SweetLabs, it consisted of a Microsoft Windows library incorporated in a Windows Installer. When a user installed an application that had bundled the OpenCandy library, an option appeared to install software it recommended based on a scan of the user's system and geolocation. Both the option and offers it generated were selected by default and would be installed unless the user unchecked them before continuing with the installation.
PrimoPDF is a freeware program that creates PDF files from printable documents on computers running Microsoft Windows. It works as a virtual printer. It does not present the user with advertisements, but does utilize the OpenCandy Adware program, and its terms of service say that it may use OpenCandy to recommend other software to the user. PrimoPDF is developed by the same company that develops the commercial Nitro PDF software. According to the download link on its Web site in February 2023, version 5.1.0.2 remained current.
Superfish was an advertising company that developed various advertising-supported software products based on a visual search engine. The company was based in Palo Alto, California. It was founded in Israel in 2006 and has been regarded as part of the country's "Download Valley" cluster of adware companies. Superfish's software is malware and adware. The software was bundled with various applications as early as 2010, and Lenovo began to bundle the software with some of its computers in September 2014. On February 20, 2015, the United States Department of Homeland Security advised uninstalling it and its associated root certificate, because they make computers vulnerable to serious cyberattacks, including interception of passwords and sensitive data being transmitted through browsers.
FreeFileSync is a free and open-source program used for file synchronization. It is available on Windows, Linux and macOS. The project is backed by donations. Donors get access to a Donation Edition that contains a few additional features such as an auto-updater, parallel sync, portable version, and silent installation. FreeFileSync has received positive reviews.
SweetLabs is a software distribution company based in San Diego and Seattle. SweetLabs has raised at least $21.5 million in venture capital from Bessemer Venture Partners, Google Ventures, Intel Capital, and O’Reilly AlphaTech Ventures.
A potentially unwanted program (PUP) or potentially unwanted application (PUA) is software that a user may perceive as unwanted or unnecessary. It is used as a subjective tagging criterion by security and parental control products. Such software may use an implementation that can compromise privacy or weaken the computer's security. Companies often bundle a wanted program download with a wrapper application and may offer to install an unwanted application, and in some cases without providing a clear opt-out method. Antivirus companies define the software bundled as potentially unwanted programs which can include software that displays intrusive advertising (adware), or tracks the user's Internet usage to sell information to advertisers (spyware), injects its own advertising into web pages that a user looks at, or uses premium SMS services to rack up charges for the user. A growing number of open-source software projects have expressed dismay at third-party websites wrapping their downloads with unwanted bundles, without the project's knowledge or consent. Nearly every third-party free download site bundles their downloads with potentially unwanted software. The practice is widely considered unethical because it violates the security interests of users without their informed consent. Some unwanted software bundles install a root certificate on a user's device, which allows hackers to intercept private data such as banking details, without a browser giving security warnings. The United States Department of Homeland Security has advised removing an insecure root certificate, because they make computers vulnerable to serious cyberattacks. Software developers and security experts recommend that people always download the latest version from the official project website, or a trusted package manager or app store.
References
- ↑ Johnson, Ruth S.; Mims-Cox, J. Sabrina; Doyle-Nichols, Adelaide (2006). Developing Portfolios in Education. SAGE Publications. p. 160. ISBN 9781412913898.
- ↑ Schildermans, Jozef (2011-03-30). "Deel 2: CutePDF Professional". Computable (in Dutch). Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ↑ "Technology: 'CutePDF Writer' is easiest for saving file". Winston-Salem Journal . Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ↑ Jacobi, Jon L. (2009-01-13). "Complete PDF Forms on the Cheap with CutePDF Form Filler". PC World . Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- 1 2 "How to convert a file to PDF with CutePDF for Windows 11/10". The Windows Club. 2019-10-16. Retrieved 2022-06-03.
- ↑ Humpa, Michael. "CutePDF Writer". Chip.de (in German). Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ↑ Shultz, Greg (9 October 2003). "TechRepublic Tutorial: Create your own PDF files for free with CutePDF Printer". Tech Republic . Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ↑ Pegoraro, Rob (May 2, 2009). "How can I save a document as a PDF on my Windows PC?". The Washington Post . Retrieved April 14, 2015.
- ↑ Null, Christopher (February 13, 2014). "5 cheaper alternatives to Acrobat for PDF editing". PC World . Retrieved 2015-04-14.
- ↑ "CutePDF Writer". Lo4d.com. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
- ↑ "CutePDF Writer 3.1: CutePDF Writer may contain a virus or malware". Lo4d.com. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
- ↑ Brinkmann, Martin (August 10, 2014). "Security: OpenCandy explained: what you need to know about the technology". ghacks.net.
- ↑ Priit (June 16, 2011). "The best freeware virtual PDF printer: a comparison". Freeware Genius. Archived from the original on 2022-11-28.
- ↑ "cutewriter.exe: CutePDF Writer, Acro Software Inc (analysis date: June 19, 2016)". herdProtect Anti-Malware. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
