Ad-Aware 2009

Ad-Aware was a program that pioneered in to detection and removal of spyware and adware. It was first released in 1999, as software vendors were beginning to discover they could legally get away with including abusive programs and content with install-able software.

Unlike traditional viruses, spyware/addware did not technically harm the computer or other computers. Instead they would do things like display unwanted advertising, tracking a users activity, collect user information, hijack web browser behavior, or run unwanted processes in the background.

Ad-Aware attempts to identify, remove, or block such programs on a users PC.

Ad-Aware was initially created by Steve Gibson of Gibson Research under the name "Optout", but turned over to Lavasoft who further developed and released it.

Of course, abusive advertising and privacy raping is standard procedure now. Oh, look fake Download and "Click to C0ntinue" banners everywhere. Please kill me.