Here's what you will learn at ThiefWare.com:

For everyone...
It is commonly thought that spyware and thiefware are both one and the same. Well, not exactly. It is true that spyware is a subset of ThiefWare, but Thiefware is more than just spyware, malware, and the variety of other terms named for those pesky software packages that get onto people's computers through sneaky means. In summary:

• All spyware fits one of the ThiefWare characteristics
• NOT all ThiefWare will be Spyware
• NOT all adware is ThiefWare
• NOT all Viruses are ThiefWare
• For more complete examination see this page.

For computer owners...

• Methods of how ThiefWare gets installed onto your computer and how you can help prevent that from happening.
• Learn how Microsoft Internet Explorer and it's various rebranded browsers let ThiefWare (which includes spyware) get onto your computer. Learn which browsers are safer to use and why.
• Learn why ThiefWare can be a privacy issue as well as be an Identity theft problem.
• Get the details on the largest brands of ThiefWare and how they operate.

For Web site owners...

• Learn what types of ads may be displaying in connection to your Web sites from ThiefWare adware.
• Get scripts, CSS and HTML code to help keep certain types of ThiefWare ads from being embedded into your Web pages.
• Be informed of the various big brand ThiefWare companies and how their ads are generated.
• Learn why ThiefWare is a major problem for site owners and how it threatens YOUR site's revenue generating ability.
• Affiliate site owners, YOU should be aware that ThiefWare can intercept your credits for referrals. The ThiefWare company gets your commissions instead of you.

ThiefWare.com, hundreds of thousands of computer owners, tens of thousands of Web site owners, Web marketers, etc., believe the methods used by these unscrupulous companies are unethical and should be illegal. Apparently the legal system is taking a long time to resolve this injustice of stealthyly installing their software onto users' computers and using Web sites to deliver advertising without compensation.

ThiefWare \theef-wair\ n : software residing on a computer that
   may spy (a.k.a. spyware) on the computer owner without their
   knowledge, may install itself by stealthy methods without the
   computer owner's knowledge, may contextually use Web sites to
   generate various ad types without the Web site owner's permission,
   agreement, and/or compensation.
   [Click Here] for a more complete definition.

What is ThiefWare?
ThiefWare is software being used in an unethical or disagreeable manner. The term does not necessarily mean that the software is involved in illegal thievery as determined by law.

The word is being used to denote unethical, unacceptable, or otherwise negative use of software and Internet technology.

The software mentioned leads your site visitors (for all Web site owners) away to your competitor's Web sites. Many site owners would say the software and respective company is stealing visitors which makes ThiefWare an appropriate name for such services and software. Click here for a more complete definition. ThiefWare also includes spyware as spyware exhibits characteristics of ThiefWare. True hardcore spyware is often more dangerous to a specific user than the ordinary variety of thiefware. However thiefware often affects a much larger user base than hardcore spyware because, unlike spyware which is basically illegal, thiefware is currently legal though barely. Since thiefware and spyware tend to share very similar methods of operation, people like to interchange the terms.

The ThiefWare Plan
You (as a computer user) are enticed to download a program (frequently it's a file sharing program like KaZaa bundled with other unwanted software, a browser toolbar like HotBar, or some so called browser helper such as Gator *). When you install the desired program, it also prompts you to install the ThiefWare program or the desired program is itself the thiefware application. It installs very seamlessly in the case of the bundled software. There is usually some mention of agreement on your part to install this ThiefWare as you click the OK button to continue. Because it is presented in such a fluid manner, many do not take the time to notice what was installed until it's too late. You may not even know that thiefware is on your system and when you do figure it out, you may find that it is next to impossible to remove. Again, we are talking mainly about thiefware due to it's wide spread proliferation though spyware exhibits similar characteristics. Hardcore spyware affects much less of the computer user population than does the more benign thiefware with it's adware ads.

When a person surfs the net, they begin to notice abnormal links on many of the Web pages or additional popup ads that are strangely competitive over the site they popup over (depending on which thiefware program you have installed). Many people don't know at first how the ads get there unless they remember or realize that the software they installed put the links there. When the problem persists, it becomes evident it's not normal Web behavior as usual. These links or popup ads are not placed there by the Web site designer but have been super-imposed over certain words (eZula TopText) or popped up by a program like WhenU. Gator, back in 2001, super-imposed graphic ads that matched the same dimensions as the original ads on the page. Because the super-imposed graphics were the same size, they appeared to belong on the page. The super-imposed ads by Gator were discontinued, but Claria (Gator) continued to popup ads at computer users up until fall of 2006. *

* Claria (former purveyor of Gator) has since discontinued supporting their thiefware products and has shut down the GAIN system—very good news for all of us. Read more about it.