Advertising toolbar makes Kaspersky's top 20 malware list

 

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Posted on 6 Jan 2010 at 12:27

Kaspersky's list of the top malware threats for December 2009 includes GamezTar.a, the Gameztar browser toolbar. Kaspersky observes in a statement that "this program is presented as being a toolbar for popular browsers, which provides quick access to online games. Of course, it also displays irritating adverts. Additionally, it installs a number of applications that run independently of the toolbar and interfere in online activity, whether it’s searching or displaying content."

The statement also notes that the toolbar's End User Licence Agreement (EULA), which you agree to during installation, gives Gameztar permission to install a plethora of extra applications allegedly intended to improve user applications. This may be enough to keep the Geman-hosted website on the right side of the law.

A quick web search brings up scores of complaints about the toolbar's detrimental effect on system performance, failure to provide any games, production of irritating pop-ups and several unverifiable allegations that it has lead users to download malware.

We're all bombarded with opportunities to download free browser toolbars, whether we want to or not. We've seen toolbars for everything from running searches to improving our love life. None of these hold much interest for interest for us, but everyone loves free games, which is probably why Gameztar has become so prevalent in the weeks since the domain was registered at the end of October.

Other anti-malware firms also regard the toolbar as a threat. GData Internet Security, which uses the Bitdefender and Avast! Engines, blocked us from downloading the toolbar, reporting it as Virus: Trojan.Generic.2900717 (Engine A), Win32:Inject-WV [Trj] (Engine B). Norton's SafeWeb describes Gameztar as potentially harmful, Sunbelt Labs classes it as high-risk malicious adware and McAfee SiteAdvisor classes the Gameztar website as a potential security risk.

The toolbar is notoriously difficult to remove. At least one removal tool exists, but we can't confirm its effectiveness. In general, we advise against installing extra toolbars, as they rarely add anything to your browser except more clutter.

Author: Kat Orphanides