Foistware/Spyware: WebHancer According to the WebHancer website, the purpose of this program is as follows:
"webHancer Customer Companion resides on the end-user's computer, where it transparently monitors Internet performance. webHancer Customer Companion measures overall network/site delay and the performance times experienced by actual end-users."
Infection method:
The majority of users running WebHancer are not aware they are running it, unless they have noticed system side-effects or unusual data transfers from their machine. WebHancer, like "Comet Curse", falls into the category of "everything-installs-it-can't-get-rid-of-it" foistware, with completely unrelated software secretly installing the WebHancer product on the user's system. (Given this, I think the program should be more aptly called "WebCancer" :) In one of the most user-hostile moves I've seen in a while, the clandestine WebHancer install will alter critical Registry keys relating to Windows Sockets, causing the system's Internet connection capabilities to break if the user dares to try uninstalling the spy. WebHancer's makers claim not to modify system files (which is, technically, true) although they have confirmed that attempting to remove it will break your system.