A user reports that every time Windows starts, several unsolicited advertisement windows and banners appear on the desktop and inside different web browsers-even when no sites are open. A full antivirus scan completes with no detections. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of these persistent pop-ups?
Frequent, unsolicited advertisements that appear outside of an open browser session are a hallmark of adware. Adware is designed to display pop-ups and banners to generate advertising revenue. Ransomware typically locks or encrypts files and presents a ransom note rather than constant ads, a network worm focuses on self-replication, and a corrupted video driver would more likely cause display artifacts or crashes, not advertisements.
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What is adware and how does it work?
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How does adware differ from more destructive malware like ransomware or worms?