Spyware Information: EliteBar
This is a Browser Helper Object (BHO). BHO's connect to Internet Explorer while it's running, and share information. BHO's were originally designed to allow Internet Explorer to handle new types of data and to offer new features not originally designed into the product (like search toolbars, for example). But because BHO's have access to all the information about the web sites that you visit (and because BHO's run on your computer and could potentially do anything they want), they have been used by advertising companies and others to track you online.
- Size: 86,016 bytes
- Threat level: High (more info...)
- Detections: 12,182 this month: 8
- Author: Search Miracle
- Appeared: 11/1/2004
Research
- Method of infection: EliteBar must be installed manually. Frequently, this happens when EliteBar is bundled with other spyware.
- Advertising: EliteBar adds a search toolbar to Internet Explorer which redirects searches through www.searchmiracle.com. It also creates popup advertisements.
- Browser degradation: EliteBar automatically disables the Google toolbar, attempting to trick users into using the EliteBar toolbar instead. EliteBar can cause Internet Explorer to run slowly.
- Privacy issues: EliteBar collects information about your web-suring habits and sends that information back to www.searchmiracle.com. EliteBar admits in its EULA that this information may include personally-identifiable information.
- Privacy policy: Available online here. Here is an excerpt:
"You will permit that third party software may be installed in the Software and EM shall not be accountable to anyone with respect to such third party software."
"You understand and give EM authorization to allocate each copy of the Software and unique software identity code. You also endow EM authorization to collect and store information of your internet usage habits, i.e. including but not limited to, information about every web page you view with the full Uniform Resource Locators, and the content of the web page. You understand and accept that Uniform Resource Locators and the content of web pages you view may contain your personally identifiable information. You grant EM consent to collect and store information on which EM Toolbar buttons you click on, your response to advertising, the search terms you entered on the EM Toolbar™ and/or all other information relates to your internet usage habit. EM may at times ask you for your personally identifiable information, such as name, address, email address, zip code, and telephone number. You hereby grant EM authorization to distribute your non-personally identifiable information to our partners, agents, and/or any third party in EM’s sole discretion."
"You grant EM authorization to inaugurate an advertisement application licensed to it from a third party. The raison d'être of the advertisement application is to exhibit an advertisement a limited number of times at a specified time interval; the advertisement application will present you the opportunity to inaugurate software onto your computer and will be automatically uninstalled after its procedure is complete."
- Security issues: EliteBar installs third-party software. This software may be dangerous and usually is spyware.
Spyware Detection Stats
- Spyware Fingerprints: 91,859
- Detections: 6,792,682
- Detections this Month: 829
Spyware Search
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