What is the difference between PUP and malware?

[k-4]

I've googled it, no good. all I got was malware includes all threats and a PUP only includes adware and spyware (as far as I know, spyware is a type of malware)

Read a bit further and just get "one is legal as it's asks for your permission in an EULA which no one reads, and the other is not, as it doesn't ask for permission.

It just leaves me with more questions then answers. Such as:

Could a keyloger be considered as a PUP?

What is the difference between PUP spyware and "malware" spyware?



so once again, question not answered.




please help clarify.

 

[Lycanthrope]

PUP is essentially what it sounds like: a potentially unwanted program.

Usually software marked as PUP sneakily adds garbage (toolbars, search engines, addons, "antivirus programs", etc) to your browsers or PC.

PUP isn't necessarily harmful as such and doesn't necessarily contain spyware. It really just boils down to garbage crammed into an installer that may with or without your consent install software that generates ad revenue for the company responsible for bundling the garbage into the relevant installer.

uTorrent's installer (and arguably uTorrent itself) is a pretty good example of something crammed with potentially unwanted software.

 

[kianm]

Malware (malicious software) is intended to directly cause harm to your machine whereas PUP says it in it's name potentially unwanted program which potentially can add loads of crap to your machine that you do not want

 

[k-4]

PUP is essentially what it sounds like: a potentially unwanted program.

Usually software marked as PUP sneakily adds garbage (toolbars, search engines, addons, "antivirus programs", etc) to your browsers or PC.

PUP isn't necessarily harmful as such and doesn't necessarily contain spyware. It really just boils down to garbage crammed into an installer that may with or without your consent install software that generates ad revenue for the company responsible for bundling the garbage into the relevant installer.

uTorrent's installer (and arguably uTorrent itself) is a pretty good example of something crammed with potentially unwanted software.

Malware (malicious software) is intended to directly cause harm to your machine whereas PUP says it in it's name potentially unwanted program which potentially can add loads of crap to your machine that you do not want

Thank you for the replys, but I ask because my anti virus doesn't include PUP protection and I do online banking, could a spyware PUP go as far as a key logger? In other words, if I get 10 billion PUPs, would my online or mobile (USSD) banking security be at risk?

 

[DA-LION-619]

Thank you for the replys, but I ask because my anti virus doesn't include PUP protection and I do online banking, could a spyware PUP go as far as a key logger? In other words, if I get 10 billion PUPs, would my online or mobile (USSD) banking security be at risk?

If you do internet banking, upgrade to Internet Security not just AV.

 

[Chevron]

EA's Origin would be a great example of PUP.

 

[k-4]

If you do internet banking, upgrade to Internet Security not just AV.

I have internet security. But say I do mobile banking. Eg: dial *280*5741# > option 5 to do transfer > PIN > Enter amount > press 2 to proceed...

Would the advertising purpose spyware read all my keystrokes like passwords, user names, just like a key logger?

 

[DA-LION-619]

I have internet security. But say I do mobile banking. Eg: dial *280*5741# > option 5 to do transfer > PIN > Enter amount > press 2 to proceed...

Would the advertising purpose spyware read all my keystrokes like passwords, user names, just like a key logger?

On your phone?

 

[k-4]

On your phone?

Yes, Avast mobile doesn't have PUP detection, nor does kaspersky, nor does cm security, nore does AVL. Tried all with a confirmed PUP, none of them detected it.

Note, I had to use really expensive anti viruses such as Norton, mcafee and eset to find and confirm the PUP.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Yes, Avast mobile doesn't have PUP detection, nor does kaspersky, nor does cm security, nore does AVL. Tried all with a confirmed PUP, none of them detected it.

Lol, I've never hear of a case on Android where the numbers you dial get key logged, so I think you're fine as long as you stay away from side loading your apks.

Also I don't think you'll get PUP detection on Android since what you want to install, only gets installed. If you wanna install Tapatalk, you'll only install Tapatalk nothing else.

 

[k-4]

Lol, I've never hear of a case on Android where the numbers you dial get key logged, so I think you're fine as long as you stay away from side loading your apks.

I'm not rooted, don't know what apks are, so I should be safe?

 

[DA-LION-619]

I'm not rooted, don't know what apks are, so I should be safe?

Nothing wrong with being rooted. You're safe so don't worry.
The Play Store doesn't keep malicious apps also if you install apps outside of the Play Store, Google does check to make sure it's not malicious, that feature is somewhere in settings and it's turned on by default.

 

[DA-LION-619]

Also you posted this on the wrong subforum, I thought you were talking about PC security, not your phone.

 

[k-4]

I guess it could apply to a PC as well.