- Apr 25, 2013
- 5,355
In this post, we will see what are Potentially Unwanted Programs, also called in short as PUPs, and how you can detect them, stop them from installing and remove them, if third-party software install them on to your computer. This form ofgrayware or non-malware may affect your privacy, as well as potentially compromise your Windows computers security.
What are Potentially Unwanted Programs or PUPs
It is clear by the name – unwanted programs – that they are software or apps you don’t want on your computer, laptop, phone, tablet or other devices. Then how do they get into on your computers? We’ll discuss the different tricks some software use, to install these unwanted programs on to your computers.
Potentially unwanted programs are programs that come bundled mostly with freeware and install themselves, with or without your knowledge, on your devices. This especially happens when you are installing a freeware. The software installation package tricks you into accepting the installation of third-party programs that you do not really want. And not only with freeware, some paid software also install third party programs that you don’t want!
Detect PUPs
The potentially unwanted programs which come in the form of browser add-ons and toolbars are readily identifiable. Others like programs that run in the background are not easily identifiable. You may have to check out your Windows Task Manager to find out the PUPs.
Though they may seem innocent, the PUPs are often spyware. That is, they may contain keyloggers, dialers and similar software built into them. In such cases, your anti-virus system, if good enough, should give you an alarm as and when you are installing them, knowingly or unknowingly. That is the time when you have to stop the installation and prevent these potentially unwanted programs from being installed. Even if the PUPs are clean, they take up the precious system resources and slow down your computers. Potentially unwanted programs in the form of browser add-ons will slow down your browser and hamper your browsing experience. Plus it may violate your privacy and security too.
Remove Potentially Unwanted Programs
To uninstall such PUPs, open the browser settings and click on Options. Depending upon your browser, the process tomanage add-ons will be different. In Internet Explorer, you can find it under Tools > Manage your Add-ons. Read our post on how to manage browser add-ons for detailed instructions for various browsers.
Check for the add-ons and for the ones you do not understand, run a search to see if they are important. If not, turn them off, even if they are not PUPs as turning them off will add to your browser speed.
If you see some unknown toolbars, you can remove them via this panel of you can check the Control Panel and remove them from there. In case of some nasty toolbars which refuse to go away, you can use some Free Toolbar Cleaner Tools orBrowser Hijacker Removal Tools.
Next, check out the Programs and Features under Control Panel to see the software installed. The best method is to click on the “Date Installed” so that the programs are sorted by the date you installed them. If you see anything in addition to the program you installed on a particular date, they are the ones you would want to remove. But remember that some programs need external programs like .NET and Visual C++ Distribution Framework. If you remove those programs, your software may not function properly. So you want to be sure! There are many sites that tell you what different programs do. You can then remove or keep the programs based on the recommendations on such sites.FreeFixer is a free tool that can help you remove PUPs.
Another method is to check the Task Manager. This would be a tedious task, but if you are experiencing extreme slowness in your Windows computer, check out each process that you do not identify. As mentioned earlier, there are websites that tell and recommend what the programs are and whether to keep them or not. Certain freeware like Should I Remove It will also guide you in this matter. Based on the recommendations, you may check out the programs corresponding to the process, take an educated decision and then uninstall them.
These days, several security software are programmed to search and find out potentially unwanted programs. Check out their interface of your anti-virus and see if it has any such option. If it has, you are lucky. Just run a scan to detect a list of PUPs and then remove them.
Prevent PUPs from Installing
It is your way of installing programs that often brings potentially unwanted programs into your devices. If you choose the express methods or recommended methods to install freeware, chances would be high that your computer will be installed with the freeware plus a bunch of Potentially Unwanted Programs. Therefore, always download freeware from safe download sites and go through the custom installations – and never blindly click on Next, Next, Next.
There are several tricks employed by software installation packages to have your consent to install potentially unwanted programs. When you go through the custom installation process, even if you have little knowledge of computers, you will still be safely installing just the program you want.
Among the main tricks employed by installation packages, is to present a EULA (a page with I ACCEPT and I DECLINEbuttons) on the dialog box with Next Button. If you read the top of such a page on the dialog, you know what software the installation package is talking about. In that case, click DECLINE and then on NEXT. You saved yourself a hassle there.
Another common trick is to show the EULA page only with I ACCEPT ticked and there is no I DECLINE option. In such cases, just uncheck the I ACCEPT page if you notice that it is for third party software (normally listed on the top of the dialog box). You will still be able to click Next to continue installing your program without the listed PUP.
In other cases, when you select custom installation, it is as easy as to uncheck “Install XYZ toolbar” and “Change home page to XYZ” and click Next to install only the freeware. You thus need to be careful and not in a hurry while installing software so that you install only what you want.
Check the wordings carefully too. Sometimes they may use two negatives and trick you into not unchecking the box – and installing the third-party offer.
If yours is a multi-user PC, you can block other users from installing programs.
Final Words
These days very few ‘freeware’ are really freeware! Our freeware is genuinely offered as free. There are several others too. But some freeware developers bundle third-party offers which could be potentially unwanted software, with a vie to making some money. These are not freeware – but bundleware as the push crapware on to your Windows computer. So whenever you install free software or games, be very careful during installation. Read and click on Next. Uncheck boxes, if you need to opt out of third-party offers. If no such options are offered – exit the installation. Better not to install such software.
Another trend I have noticed lately, is that some developers launch software as genuine freeware, without pushing any third-party offers initially. Blogs, download sites and websites cover them and link to them. Once, some time has passed by, they start bundling Potentially Unwanted Programs. So one has to be careful at all times.
Source
What are Potentially Unwanted Programs or PUPs
It is clear by the name – unwanted programs – that they are software or apps you don’t want on your computer, laptop, phone, tablet or other devices. Then how do they get into on your computers? We’ll discuss the different tricks some software use, to install these unwanted programs on to your computers.
Potentially unwanted programs are programs that come bundled mostly with freeware and install themselves, with or without your knowledge, on your devices. This especially happens when you are installing a freeware. The software installation package tricks you into accepting the installation of third-party programs that you do not really want. And not only with freeware, some paid software also install third party programs that you don’t want!
Detect PUPs
The potentially unwanted programs which come in the form of browser add-ons and toolbars are readily identifiable. Others like programs that run in the background are not easily identifiable. You may have to check out your Windows Task Manager to find out the PUPs.
Though they may seem innocent, the PUPs are often spyware. That is, they may contain keyloggers, dialers and similar software built into them. In such cases, your anti-virus system, if good enough, should give you an alarm as and when you are installing them, knowingly or unknowingly. That is the time when you have to stop the installation and prevent these potentially unwanted programs from being installed. Even if the PUPs are clean, they take up the precious system resources and slow down your computers. Potentially unwanted programs in the form of browser add-ons will slow down your browser and hamper your browsing experience. Plus it may violate your privacy and security too.
Remove Potentially Unwanted Programs
To uninstall such PUPs, open the browser settings and click on Options. Depending upon your browser, the process tomanage add-ons will be different. In Internet Explorer, you can find it under Tools > Manage your Add-ons. Read our post on how to manage browser add-ons for detailed instructions for various browsers.
Check for the add-ons and for the ones you do not understand, run a search to see if they are important. If not, turn them off, even if they are not PUPs as turning them off will add to your browser speed.
If you see some unknown toolbars, you can remove them via this panel of you can check the Control Panel and remove them from there. In case of some nasty toolbars which refuse to go away, you can use some Free Toolbar Cleaner Tools orBrowser Hijacker Removal Tools.
Next, check out the Programs and Features under Control Panel to see the software installed. The best method is to click on the “Date Installed” so that the programs are sorted by the date you installed them. If you see anything in addition to the program you installed on a particular date, they are the ones you would want to remove. But remember that some programs need external programs like .NET and Visual C++ Distribution Framework. If you remove those programs, your software may not function properly. So you want to be sure! There are many sites that tell you what different programs do. You can then remove or keep the programs based on the recommendations on such sites.FreeFixer is a free tool that can help you remove PUPs.
Another method is to check the Task Manager. This would be a tedious task, but if you are experiencing extreme slowness in your Windows computer, check out each process that you do not identify. As mentioned earlier, there are websites that tell and recommend what the programs are and whether to keep them or not. Certain freeware like Should I Remove It will also guide you in this matter. Based on the recommendations, you may check out the programs corresponding to the process, take an educated decision and then uninstall them.
These days, several security software are programmed to search and find out potentially unwanted programs. Check out their interface of your anti-virus and see if it has any such option. If it has, you are lucky. Just run a scan to detect a list of PUPs and then remove them.
Prevent PUPs from Installing
It is your way of installing programs that often brings potentially unwanted programs into your devices. If you choose the express methods or recommended methods to install freeware, chances would be high that your computer will be installed with the freeware plus a bunch of Potentially Unwanted Programs. Therefore, always download freeware from safe download sites and go through the custom installations – and never blindly click on Next, Next, Next.
There are several tricks employed by software installation packages to have your consent to install potentially unwanted programs. When you go through the custom installation process, even if you have little knowledge of computers, you will still be safely installing just the program you want.
Among the main tricks employed by installation packages, is to present a EULA (a page with I ACCEPT and I DECLINEbuttons) on the dialog box with Next Button. If you read the top of such a page on the dialog, you know what software the installation package is talking about. In that case, click DECLINE and then on NEXT. You saved yourself a hassle there.
Another common trick is to show the EULA page only with I ACCEPT ticked and there is no I DECLINE option. In such cases, just uncheck the I ACCEPT page if you notice that it is for third party software (normally listed on the top of the dialog box). You will still be able to click Next to continue installing your program without the listed PUP.
In other cases, when you select custom installation, it is as easy as to uncheck “Install XYZ toolbar” and “Change home page to XYZ” and click Next to install only the freeware. You thus need to be careful and not in a hurry while installing software so that you install only what you want.
Check the wordings carefully too. Sometimes they may use two negatives and trick you into not unchecking the box – and installing the third-party offer.
If yours is a multi-user PC, you can block other users from installing programs.
Final Words
These days very few ‘freeware’ are really freeware! Our freeware is genuinely offered as free. There are several others too. But some freeware developers bundle third-party offers which could be potentially unwanted software, with a vie to making some money. These are not freeware – but bundleware as the push crapware on to your Windows computer. So whenever you install free software or games, be very careful during installation. Read and click on Next. Uncheck boxes, if you need to opt out of third-party offers. If no such options are offered – exit the installation. Better not to install such software.
Another trend I have noticed lately, is that some developers launch software as genuine freeware, without pushing any third-party offers initially. Blogs, download sites and websites cover them and link to them. Once, some time has passed by, they start bundling Potentially Unwanted Programs. So one has to be careful at all times.
Source
