Adware is a type of malicious software that displays unwanted advertisements and pop-ups on your device. It is short for advertising-supported software and generates revenue for its developers by automatically displaying online advertisements in the user interface of the software or on a screen that pops up in the user’s face during the installation process. Adware can track your search and browsing history to display ads that are more relevant to you. Adware can be installed on your device in two ways: by downloading an application with adware in it or by using software with vulnerabilities that adware authors can exploit. Adware can be a nuisance, but it can also be a damaging malware threat to your cybersecurity. Some security professionals view adware as the forerunner of the modern-day PUP (potentially unwanted program).

To summarize, adware is a type of malicious software that displays unwanted advertisements and pop-ups on your device, and it can be installed on your device in two ways. Adware can be a nuisance, but it can also be a damaging malware threat to your cybersecurity.