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MyWay Searchbar

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The MyWay Searchbar, also known as the MyWay Speedbar, MyWay Search Assistant, MyWebSearch, MyAllSearch, and MyWeb Searchbar, is a toolbar program that replaces an Internet browser's default search engine with MyWay's website. This program is classified as adware by certain websites and anti-malware applications.[1][2][3] Its status as adware is disputed. Some major antivirus companies, such as Sophos, claim that the current version is not Adware. Other companies, such as Malwarebytes, still detects this software as malware. It is still regarded as a Potentially Unwanted Program because of the complicated removal process (add or remove programs doesn't uninstall it completely, and it restarts itself when a user tries to disable it, resets IE, or reinstalls any supported browser), and because it takes up a considerable amount of system resources.[4]

Complaints

Older versions of the program displayed pop-up advertisements onto the user’s screen and contained an adware function.[1] Sophos, unlike many other antivirus companies,[5] says that the most recent build of the MyWay Searchbar does not display pop-up ads and does not contain the adware function.[6] Users have also complained that the MyWay Searchbar tracks what websites they go to, although MyWay claims that the latest version of the Searchbar does not track users' habits.[7] It is regarded as a PUP (potentially unwanted program) by many top security companies. Many antivirus companies such as Spybot, Superantispyware, and Panda detect and encourage removal of this software.[8]

Design

After a user installs the program, a toolbar appears in Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, and Opera web browsers,[9] adding search functions and pop-up blocking. The toolbar allows users to search on Google, Yahoo!, and Ask.com. MyWay is owned by InterActiveCorp.

Addons

  • Smiley Central, lets the user add emoticons to instant messages and Emails
  • Cursor Mania, allows the user to set their cursor to one of a selection of cursors
  • Popular Screensavers, allows the user to set their screensaver to one of a selection of screensavers
  • Zwinky, an online game with a virtual self
  • Webfetti, puts one of a selection of templates onto a user's website

References

  1. ^ a b "Malwarebytes.org". Malwarebytes.org. 2008-01-20. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  2. ^ "Adware.Mywebsearch.C". Bitdefender.co.uk. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  3. ^ http://www.sunbeltsecurity.com/ThreatDisplay.aspx?name=My%20Way%20Speedbar&tid=39728&cs=D310C896256059FE2DDF1A95703618AE
  4. ^ http://www.pchell.com/support/mywebsearch.shtml
  5. ^ http://www.bitdefender.com/VIRUS-1000252-en--Adware.Mywebsearch.DV.html
  6. ^ "Click 'More Information'". Sophos.com. Retrieved 2010-03-05.
  7. ^ http://info.myway.com/terms/mw_speedbar.html
  8. ^ http://www.pandasecurity.com/homeusers/security-info/40682/MyWay/
  9. ^ "Browser Support", My Way - Browser Support, http://info.myway.com/index/id/browser.html
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