Fergie's Tech Blog

Be Advised!: AOL Active Virus Shield Permits Adware

Paul Laudanski writes over on CastleCops.com:

I was recently contacted by an America Online (AOL) vice president, Ted Hopper, about our BHO listing of "AOL Security Toolbar" which was described as having adware functionality. That phone call set into motion what ultimately is presented here.

AOL recently launched a new service/product called Active Virus Shield (Security Toolbar) which received some controversial press. It comes with the free Kaspersky AV technology. By all reports the application itself could not be found to serve adware (testing done by external parties). But that is not what this article is about. It is the end user license agreement (EULA) which has raised some eyebrows. We find it treading adware territory, and here is why as we show via the interesting portions from the EULA.

posted by Fergie @ 8/21/2006 08:20:00 PM