TAI Analysis Criteria

When analyzing a potential threat, we use 5 specific criteria: behavior, privacy, distribution, removal, and integration. The threat is then assigned points according to its characteristics when attempting to infiltrate your computer. The points are tallied and rounded to the nearest whole number to determine the threat’s TA index level. Click on the threat levels or criteria below to learn more about the analysis process.

Medium

Behavior

• Performs automatic updating without your knowledge
• Displays ads without your consent
• Displays advertisements that do not clearly and/or transparently display origin
• Adds an auto-start feature that is not disclosed and cannot be disabled
• Opens web sites without your initiation
• Injects links from third party sites into browser favorites, registry, or onto the desktop
• Allows third party advertising that does not originate from within the system

Privacy

• Collects personal information to build a local profile that can easily be compromised
• Tracks your surfing habits, using anonymous information
• Transmits system information without your consent or knowledge
• Privacy policy does not adequately disclose and/or detail information collection
• Privacy policy is not disclosed prior to installation

Distribution

• Bundles with third party applications and is undisclosed prior to installation
• License terms are intentionally difficult to read
• No existing license terms

Removal

• Uninstaller is only available by contacting the vendor
• Does not provide a functional uninstaller

Integration

• Drains system resources to such a degree that computer becomes unstable
• Runs even when the host application is closed (but does not present advertising when the user is not online)