Definition
Greyware is software that is neither legitimate nor malicious. While it is not overtly dangerous like malware, it can still compromise your system performance, user experience, or privacy.
Greyware Examples
- A toolbar that injects pop-up ads while browsing the internet.
- A weather app that floods your device with ads and compromises your device’s performance.
- A free mobile app that logs use locations without clear permission.
How to Detect Greyware
- Monitor system performance to identify suspicious system behaviors, which might indicate the presence of malware.
- Use antivirus and anti-malware software to detect different types of Greyware.
- Authenticate installed extensions and programs for unfamiliar or unexpected entries that could be malware.
- Analyze network traffic to identify unwarranted data transmissions or unusual network activity.
- Examine privacy settings and permissions to identify any applications with unnecessary permissions, as they might be malware.
Stopping Greyware
- Conduct your research about applications before downloading them.
- Download applications from trustworthy sources.
- Delete apps you don’t use frequently.