

- #HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS INSTALL#
- #HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS FULL#
- #HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS SOFTWARE#
- #HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS LICENSE#
If it isn’t, you can decline and still move forward in the install process. Read the top title above the fine print to be sure the EULA you are accepting is only for the program you originally downloaded.
#HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS FULL#
EULAs go on forever and are full of legalese, which is why most people skip right past them to the “I accept” button.
#HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS SOFTWARE#
They are legal contracts between you and the makers of the software programs you’re downloading.
#HOW TO REMOVE POTENTIALLY UNWANTED PROGRAMS LICENSE#
Custom settings are not advanced.ĮULAs are the End User License Agreements that come standard with any download. Install wizards may call this out as “advanced” in parentheses but that’s actually a dark pattern. Do not accept standard, express, default, or other installation settings that are recommended.Read the information in the top navigation bar of the install wizard to catch names of unwanted programs.In order to catch PUPs in the act, you should: PUPs can openly hide in the install wizard, as their makers understand that most users tend to fly through the steps in order to launch their intended program. The install wizard, or setup assistant depending on which operating system you use, is a series of dialog boxes that helps you through the installation process step-by-step. When you download a piece of software, you’ll be directed through the install process by an installation wizard. Read through install wizard instructions carefully Misdirection (hiding free or cheaper options).Emphasis of a desired path (gray out the “skip” button, use bright color for “next” button).Adding an unofficial “seal” as a credibility indicator.Pre-populated check boxes (Software programs such as Unchecky scan third-party software agreements and uncheck options that result in PUPs, but they may not catch everything.).Here are some other dark patterns to look out for: For example, a newsletter that makes it difficult to find the unsubscribe button or a website whose customer service contact information is obfuscated-that’s a dark pattern.

Recognize dark patternsĭark patterns are user interfaces that are deliberately designed to trick people. So how do you go about avoiding PUPs? Here are a few tips to keep your computer PUP-free. PUP criteria includes advertising no-nos such as obtrusive pop-ups, web infractions, such as altered search results or bookmark insertions, or download offenses, such as pre-populated check boxes or the liberal use of “recommended” next to an option. Others because they had one serious violation. Some apps are classified as PUPs because of multiple small transgressions. In order to determine whether an application is a PUP, security engineers examine a list of bad behaviors. (‘Cause everyone reads download agreements, right?) So cybersecurity company McAfee came up with the softer, less mal-sounding term “Potentially Unwanted Programs.” What makes a program a PUP? So why aren’t PUPs simply called malware? The makers of PUPs felt that since they included the information necessary for consent in the download agreement, they shouldn’t be lumped in with other malicious programs. By swiftly clicking through an installation, it’s easy to miss the fine print and “agree” to these extra applications. PUPs often come bundled with software that you did, in fact, want to download.

If you’ve ever downloaded software onto your computer, chances are you’ve unknowingly cluttered your machine with PUPs.
