尽管名字很可爱，但在您的计算机上安装PUP并不好玩。可能不需要的程序(Programs)（也称为“ PUA(PUAs) ”或可能不需要的应用程序(Apps)）在令人烦恼和直接恶意软件之间划清界限，但是未经您的许可或知识安装在您的计算机上的任何东西都是一个问题。
了解某些东西何时是PUP以及如果您的计算机上有它们可能会面临哪些潜在威胁，这一点很重要。好消息是删除它们比成熟的恶意软件(malware)要容易得多。
定义 PUP
定义PUP(PUPs)有点棘手。它们不是特定类型的软件，并且某物是否是PUP通常是一个观点问题。例如，您可能会在您的工作计算机上安装一个应用程序，因为您需要它并且知道它的作用；但是，您的系统管理员可能会认为它是PUP，因为它违反了公司政策。
一般来说，PUP(PUPs)是在您不知情的情况下安装在您的计算机上的任何软件，即使您确实安装了它，也会执行您不知道的事情，并且通常会进行更改或采取您不想要的操作。
这使得PUP(PUPs)不同于木马、病毒或勒索(trojans, viruses, or ransomware)软件等恶意软件。编写这些应用程序是为了损坏您的信息或设备，或者以有害的方式从您那里赚钱。相比之下，大多数PUP(PUPs)最糟糕的是令人讨厌。
PUP 与英国媒体报道软件
PUP 有时会与“英国媒体报道(bloatware)”混淆。虽然一个程序可以同时是PUP和英国媒体报道软件，但这取决于上下文。Bloatware是预装在计算机或智能手机等设备上的软件。虽然用户可能不想要这些应用程序，但它们是在设备制造商同意的情况下存在的。通常，设备制造商会付费以包含特定的应用程序，这可以降低您的价格。
Bloatware应用程序不包含恶意软件，尽管它们会减慢计算机速度并令人讨厌。但是，删除过时软件通常很容易，而且您通常不需要任何特殊工具来完成它。只需(Just)像往常一样卸载这些应用程序。
PUP 如何进入您的计算机
PUP找到进入系统的最常见方法是搭载您实际想要安装的程序。通常，其他软件的安装过程将使用“退出”方法，其中安装PUP的选项已在安装向导中勾选。这依赖于简单地单击“下一步、下一步、下一步”直到安装完成而不是阅读细则的典型用户行为。
这意味着从技术上讲，您有机会将 PUP(PUP)远离您的系统。PUP的详细信息可能包含在许可协议中（没有人阅读），您甚至可能已经同意许可协议中描述的不需要的软件行为。
PUP作者不希望绝大多数人通读冗长的EULA（最终用户许可协议(End User License Agreement)）。尽管如此，它还是给了他们合理的否认，因为任何花时间阅读所提供的所有信息的人都有机会让软件远离他们的计算机。
为什么会存在 PUP？
PUP(PUPs)存在的主要原因是软件开发人员希望通过任何方式在您的计算机上获取他们的软件。一种思路是，如果应用程序已经安装在用户的计算机上，他们可能会尝试并喜欢它们。它克服了一个主要障碍：让用户下载并安装应用程序。大多数PUP(PUPs)是普通用户不会故意安装的那种应用程序，因此他们必须偷偷溜进后门才能获得成功。
归根结底，PUP的目的是获得经济利益，但PUP开发人员使用多种方式来赚钱，具体取决于您正在处理
的PUP类型。(PUP)
PUP 的类型
PUP大致有四种类型，问题最少的软件与另一个应用程序捆绑在一起，该应用程序只是一个免费软件或合法应用程序的演示。它不一定会损害您的计算机，至少不是故意的，您可以通过通常的方式卸载它来删除它。
其他三种PUP更令人不安。
- 间谍软件(Spyware)旨在悄悄收集有关您的信息。它可以浏览您的网络浏览器历史记录、您在计算机上执行的操作、捕获屏幕截图并将其发送回其作者，等等。间谍软件(Spyware)是一个主要的隐私问题，但来自广告商、黑客或其他网络犯罪分子的用户数据市场很大，他们可以利用这些信息进行进一步的攻击。键盘(Keyboard)记录器是一种常见的间谍软件，黑客在您键入密码时使用它来捕获信息，例如密码。
- 广告软件(Adware)通过在您的计算机上充斥互联网广告来赚钱，通常以弹出窗口的形式。通常，广告软件不会造成任何直接伤害，但它们显示的一些广告可能会链接到带有纯恶意软件的恶意网站。
- 浏览器(Browser)劫持者是改变浏览器设置和行为的浏览器插件。它们通常以“工具栏”的形式销售，并且确实可以为您的浏览器添加额外的工具栏。该软件将您的浏览器重定向到恶意网站，并将您的主页和默认搜索引擎更改为潜在的恶意替代品。通常(Often)，这些网站看起来有点像Google或其他合法搜索引擎。
PUP 的风险
捆绑的合法实用程序通常不是主要风险，但其他类型的PUP会带来几个严重的可能后果：
- 窃取您的私人数据，例如浏览习惯或密码。
- 消耗计算机资源，降低速度，甚至使您的计算机崩溃。
- 使您的互联网带宽饱和会影响您本地网络中的其他服务和设备。
- 通过浏览器重定向或恶意广告将您链接到恶意软件。
尽管不违法，但在某些情况下， PUP(PUPs)可以像成熟的恶意软件一样造成严重破坏，而且它们的卑鄙策略是不道德的。
预防 PUP
假设(Suppose)您不想在您的计算机上安装PUP 。(PUPs)在这种情况下，您将不得不养成仔细阅读您下载的应用程序的最终用户许可协议(EULA)的习惯，看看是否提到了其他软件。
您还应该仔细阅读安装向导的每一页，如果可能，选择自定义安装以确保不需要的软件不会隐藏在安装程序的该部分中。确保您阅读了每个复选框的作用，并取消选中那些安装PUP(PUPs)的复选框。在下载软件之前，搜索以查看其他用户是否在应用程序中找到了PUP(PUPs)。
您不仅会发现隐藏在安装程序本身中的这些信息。在下载任何内容之前，请务必阅读网站上的下载协议。
您还需要使用防病毒网站（例如VirusTotal(VirusTotal)）对安装程序执行先发制人的扫描。这些网站包括许多反恶意软件引擎，这使您更有可能在将受 PUP 感染的应用程序安装到您的计算机之前将其捕获。
删除 PUP
如果您的设备上已经存在可能不需要的应用程序(Potentially Unwanted Application)，那么让事情恢复正常会稍微复杂一些。很大程度上取决于PUP的类型，但您首先要卸载它，就像您在特定操作系统上卸载任何其他应用程序一样。在Android或Apple iOS 设备上，您可以按住该应用程序，然后从弹出的上下文菜单中选择将其删除。
在Windows上，使用控制面板中的“(Control Panel)添加(Add)或删除程序” 。在 macOS 中，您将从Applications文件夹中删除该应用程序。
对于用作浏览器扩展或附加组件的PUP(PUPs)，您必须使用特定浏览器（例如Chrome或Firefox ）的浏览器扩展列表来删除它们。
如果你很幸运，这将是它的结束，但许多PUP(PUPs)是有害的，需要你跳过很多圈才能手动删除它们。在这种情况下，您最好的选择是使用专用软件来删除这些程序的所有痕迹，甚至从一开始就阻止它们被安装。
Malwarebytes 是几乎所有平台（包括Mac(Mac) ）上的绝佳选择，尽管考虑到平台上病毒的不常见
程度， Mac Antivirus 应用程序(Mac Antivirus apps)数量惊人。
对于某些PUP(PUPs)，尤其是浏览器劫持者，您必须为该特定软件使用专用的删除工具。如果一般的防病毒软件包无法完成这项工作，您将不得不这样做。通常，像McAfee这样的公司会在其网站上提供这些一次性删除工具，因此如果您的反恶意软件无法删除PUP，您可以在网络上搜索更有针对性的解决方案。
在最坏的情况下，您可能必须遵循分步手动删除指南，该指南也经常在反恶意软件网站上提供。
What Is a Potentially Unwanted Program (PUP)?
Despite its cute name, having a PUP on yoυr computer isn’t fun. Potentially Unwanted Programs (also known as “PUAs” or Potentially Unwanted Apps) tread a fine line betweеn beіng an annoyance and straight-up malware, but anything installed on your computer without your permission or knowledge is a problеm.
It’s important to understand when something is a PUP and what potential threats you may face if you have them on your computer. The good news is that removing them is much easier than full-blown malware.
Defining PUPs
Defining PUPs is somewhat tricky. They aren’t a specific type of software and whether something is a PUP or not is often a matter of perspective. For example, you may install an application on your work computer because you want it and know what it does; however, your system administrator may consider it a PUP because it violates company policy.
In general, PUPs are any software that gets installed on your computer without you knowing it, does something you don’t know about even if you did install it knowingly, and generally makes changes or takes an action you wouldn’t want.
This makes PUPs different from malicious software such as trojans, viruses, or ransomware. Those applications are written to damage your information or device, or to make money from you in an injurious way. In comparison, most PUPs are at worst a nuisance.
PUPs Vs Bloatware
PUPs are sometimes confused with “bloatware”. While a program can be both a PUP and bloatware simultaneously, it depends on the context. Bloatware is software pre-installed on a device like a computer or a smartphone. While the user may not want these apps, they are there with the consent of the device manufacturer. Usually, the device maker is paid to include specific applications, and that can make the price lower for you.
Bloatware apps don’t contain malware, although they can slow a computer down and be annoying. However, it’s usually easy to remove bloatware and you don’t usually need any special tools to do it. Just uninstall those apps as usual.
How PUPs Get On Your Computer
The most common way for a PUP to find its way onto your system is by piggybacking on a program that you actually wanted to install. Usually, the installation process for the other software will use an “opt-out” approach, where the option to install the PUP is already ticked in the installation wizard. This relies on the typical user behavior of simply clicking ”next, next, next” until the installation completes instead of reading the fine print.
This means that technically you had the chance to keep the PUP off your system. Details of the PUP might be included in the license agreement (which no one reads) and you may even have consented to unwanted software behavior described in the license agreement.
PUP authors don’t expect the vast majority of people to read through a lengthy EULA (End User License Agreement). Still, it gives them plausible deniability since anyone who does take the time to read all the information presented has the opportunity to keep the software off their computer.
Why Do PUPs Exist?
The main reason that PUPs exist is that software developers want to get their software on your computer by any means. One line of thinking is that if the applications are already installed on a user’s computer, they might try them and like them. It overcomes a major hurdle: getting the user to download and install the application. Most PUPs are the sort of app that the average user wouldn’t install on purpose, so they have to sneak in the back door to have any measure of success.
Ultimately, the purpose of a PUP is financial gain, but there are various ways that PUP developers use to make money, depending on the type of PUP you’re dealing with.
Types of PUPs
There are broadly four types of PUP, the least problematic being software bundled with another application that is simply a freeware or demo of a legitimate application. It won’t necessarily harm your computer, at least not on purpose, and you can remove it by just uninstalling it the usual way.
The other three types of PUP are far more troubling.
- Spyware is designed to harvest information about you silently. It can go through your web browser history, what you do on your computer, capture screenshots and send them back to its author, and so on. Spyware is a major privacy issue, but there’s a big market for user data from advertisers, hackers, or other cybercriminals who can use that information for further attacks. Keyboard loggers are a common type of spyware that hackers use to capture information such as passwords as you type them.
- Adware makes money by flooding your computer with internet ads, usually in the form of popups. Usually, adware doesn’t cause any direct harm, but some ads they display can link to malicious websites with bone fide malware.
- Browser hijackers are bare browser add-ons that change your browser’s settings and behavior. They are often marketed as “toolbars” and can indeed add an extra toolbar to your browser. This software redirects your browser to malicious sites and changes your home page and default search engine to potentially malicious alternatives. Often, these sites look somewhat like Google or other legitimate search engines.
The Risks of PUPs
Bundled, legitimate utilities are generally not a major risk, but other types of PUP come with several serious possible consequences:
- Stealing your private data, such as browsing habits or passwords.
- Eating up computer resources, slowing down, or even crashing your computer.
- Saturating your internet bandwidth affects other services and devices in your local network.
- Linking you to malware through browser redirection or malicious advertising.
Despite not being illegal, PUPs can wreak as much havoc as full-blown malware in some cases, and their underhanded tactics are unethical.
Preventing PUPs
Suppose you don’t want PUPs on your computer. In that case, you’re going to have to make a habit of carefully reading the EULA of an application you’ve downloaded to see if there’s any mention of additional software.
You should also carefully read every page of the installation wizard and, if possible, choose a custom installation to ensure that unwanted software isn’t hidden in that section of the installer. Make sure you read what every checkbox does and uncheck those that install PUPs. Before downloading the software, search to see if other users have found PUPs in the application.
You won’t just find this information hidden in the installer itself. Be sure to read the download agreement on the website before downloading anything.
You’ll also want to perform a pre-emptive scan of the installer using an antivirus website such as VirusTotal. These sites include numerous anti-malware engines, which makes it much more likely that you’ll catch a PUP-infested app before installing it on your computer.
Removing PUPs
If a Potentially Unwanted Application is already on your device, then getting things back to normal is a little more complicated. Much depends on the type of PUP, but your first port of call would be to uninstall it the same way you would any other app on your particular operating system. On an Android or Apple iOS device, you’d press and hold the app and then choose to remove it from the context menu that pops up.
On Windows, use “Add or remove programs” found in the Control Panel. In macOS, you’d delete the app from the Applications folder.
For PUPs that work as browser extensions or add-ons, you’ll have to remove them using the browser extension list for your specific browsers, such as Chrome or Firefox.
If you’re lucky, that will be the end of it, but many PUPs are pernicious and require you to jump through many hoops to remove them manually. Your best option, in this case, is to use dedicated software to remove every trace of these programs and even prevent them from being installed in the first place.
Malwarebytes is an excellent option on almost every platform, including Mac, although there are a surprising number of Mac Antivirus apps considering how uncommon viruses are on the platform.
With some PUPs, especially browser hijackers, you’ll have to use a dedicated removal tool for that specific piece of software. If a general antivirus software package can’t do the job, you’ll have to do this. Often companies like McAfee will offer these one-shot removal tools on their websites, so if your anti-malware software can’t remove a PUP, you can do a web search for more targeted solutions.
In the worst-case scenario, you may have to follow a step-by-step manual removal guide, which is also often offered on anti-malware websites.
