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Colorado's better off than average, but still you should protect yourself against adware helpers

Some of the worst adware helpers can even infiltrate a computer's control center, monitoring activity and changing settings to allow unauthorized outside applications access.
Credit: KUSA

For the second year in a row, adware helpers are the most prevalent type of malware worldwide.

These programs cause unwanted pop-up advertising to appear on computers, change browser settings and make computers run slowly, according to Enigma Software Group, which recently released its 2017 MalwareTracker report, revealing common computer infections by type and location.

Some of the worst adware helpers can even infiltrate a computer’s control center, monitoring activity and changing settings to allow unauthorized outside applications access. This slows down computers, thereby slowing down worker — and personal — productivity and ultimately operating costs, company profits and economic growth.

In fact, in September, computer manufacturer Lenovo settled a $3.5 million lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission over an adware helper called Superfish. It had pre-installed the adware on new computers, potentially threatening the very security of users’ online browsing.

Read more at the Denver Business Journal: http://bit.ly/2sI5nLN

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