RetrievalBandwidth Mac Adware

We came across a questionable application called RetrievalBandwidth during a routine review of new submissions to the VirusTotal platform. Our investigation revealed that this app is a form of adware linked to the AdLoad malware group. RetrievalBandwidth functions by delivering invasive advertising campaigns.

Adware, short for advertising-supported software, is created to display advertisements like pop-ups, banners, coupons, overlays, etc., on different interfaces. These ads often promote scams, untrustworthy or harmful software, and even malware. Clicking on some of these ads can trigger scripts that initiate downloads or installations without user consent.

It's important to note that any legitimate-looking content shown through adware-mediated ads is likely endorsed by scammers who exploit its affiliate programs to gain illicit commissions.

Certain criteria might be required for ad-supported software to carry out aggressive advertising campaigns, which could include specific browser or system specifications, user location, visits to particular websites, and more. Nevertheless, even if RetrievalBandwidth doesn't display ads, its presence still poses risks to device and user security.

Although AdLoad applications often manipulate browsers, RetrievalBandwidth did not demonstrate such behavior during testing.

This dubious adware-type application probably has the ability to track data. The gathered information could encompass visited URLs, viewed web pages, search queries, internet cookies, login credentials, personal details, credit card numbers, and so on. This collected data might be shared with or sold to third parties, without the user's consent or knowledge.

How Can Adware Impact Your Browsing Experience?

Adware can significantly impact your browsing experience in various negative ways. Adware stands for "advertising-supported software," and its primary goal is to display advertisements to generate revenue for its creators. While some ad-supported content is legitimate, adware often crosses the line into intrusive, unwanted, and potentially harmful territory. Here's how adware can impact your browsing experience:

• Intrusive Advertisements: Adware inundates your browsing sessions with a barrage of intrusive ads, such as pop-ups, pop-unders, banners, interstitial ads, and more. These ads can disrupt your reading, viewing, or interaction with websites.
• Resource Consumption: Adware can consume significant amounts of your device's resources (CPU and memory), causing your system to run less efficiently and potentially affecting other applications or tasks you're running.
• Browser Hijacking: Some adware goes beyond showing ads and can modify your browser settings, homepage, default search engine, and new tab page. This can redirect you to unwanted websites and disrupt your intended browsing.
• Redirects to Unwanted Sites: Adware may trigger automatic redirects to other websites, some of which could be malicious, fraudulent, or part of phishing scams.
• Privacy Concerns: Certain types of adware may track your browsing behavior, collecting information about the websites you visit, your search queries, and more. This data is often used to deliver targeted ads, but it can also be shared with third parties, raising privacy concerns.
• Malvertising: Adware can serve as a vehicle for malvertising, where malicious advertisements contain malware or lead to websites hosting malware. Clicking on these ads can result in malware infections.