Maxon Click Adware

Maxon Click is the name of a potentially unwanted program that shares most similarities with adware and browser hijackers.

If you suddenly see a high volume of advertisements on pages you regularly visit that didn't have them before, you could have Maxon Click or a similar potentially unwanted program on your system. This type of unwanted program is also called a browser hijacker.

Browser hijackers can nest themselves in your browser and display intrusive, unwanted advertising. In the case of Maxon Click, you can tell it is the source of the advertising if you see a small-font text under the ad block that says "powered by Maxon Click" or "ads by Maxon Click".

The issue with this is not just the fact that those ads can and will slow down your browser and affect page loading times. A lot of those ads are sourced from questionable ad networks and may redirect to pages with potentially unsafe content. Some of those pages may contain further potentially unwanted programs or even more dangerous, full-blown malware that can have a more harmful impact on your system.

Additionally, similar browser hijackers can also change your default browser home page and search engine. They can also collect information on your search queries. This sort of information is commonly resold to advertising networks, and all of this happens without the user's explicit consent.

In order to steer clear of similar potentially unwanted programs, it is advisable to use legitimate, secure sources for all your downloads. A very common distribution method for browser hijackers is the so-called bundle installer. A bundle installer may contain a single legitimate application that is packed together with one or more potentially unwanted programs. Sourcing all your downloads from well-curated websites is a good way to keep away from bundle installers, that are sometimes distributed through less reputable free download pages.