HugeApps Ads

Posted: June 23, 2015

Threat Metric

The Threat Meter is a malware assessment that SpywareRemove.com's research team is able to give every identifiable malware threat. Our Threat Meter includes several criteria based off of specific malware threats to value their severity, reach and volume. The Threat Meter is able to give you a numerical breakdown of each threat's initial Threat Level, Detection Count, Volume Count, Trend Path and Percentage Impact. The overall ranking of each threat in the Threat Meter is a basic breakdown of how all threats are ranked within our own extensive malware database. The scoring for each specific malware threat can be easily compared to other emerging threats to draw a contrast in its particular severity. The Threat Meter is a useful tool in the endeavor of seeking a solution to remove a threat or pursue additional analytical research for all types of computer users.

The following fields listed on the Threat Meter containing a specific value, are explained in detail below:

Threat Level: The threat level scale goes from 1 to 10 where 10 is the highest level of severity and 1 is the lowest level of severity. Each specific level is relative to the threat's consistent assessed behaviors collected from SpyHunter's risk assessment model.

Detection Count: The collective number of confirmed and suspected cases of a particular malware threat. The detection count is calculated from infected PCs retrieved from diagnostic and scan log reports generated by SpyHunter.

Volume Count: Similar to the detection count, the Volume Count is specifically based on the number of confirmed and suspected threats infecting systems on a daily basis. High volume counts usually represent a popular threat but may or may not have infected a large number of systems. High detection count threats could lay dormant and have a low volume count. Criteria for Volume Count is relative to a daily detection count.

Trend Path: The Trend Path, utilizing an up arrow, down arrow or equal symbol, represents the level of recent movement of a particular threat. Up arrows represent an increase, down arrows represent a decline and the equal symbol represent no change to a threat's recent movement.

% Impact (Last 7 Days): This demonstrates a 7-day period change in the frequency of a malware threat infecting PCs. The percentage impact correlates directly to the current Trend Path to determine a rise or decline in the percentage.

Threat Level:	8/10
Infected PCs:	244

First Seen:	June 23, 2015
Last Seen:	January 14, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

HugeApps is a Potentially Unwanted Program that may change your browser's settings to facilitate additional advertising. Although malware researchers found the majority of HugeApps advertisements content consisting of harmless shopping tips, adware like HugeApps also may deliver attacks against your PC by mistake, or harm your browser's performance. PC users with no interest in viewing these extra advertisements should apply anti-adware applications for removing HugeApps as completely as possible.

Another Huge Advertisement Problem for Chrome

HugeApps is another variant of Ads by Name, an adware extension that sometimes appears in other browsers, but may be associated with Google's Chrome. Like prior examples of this PUP, such as Ads by Info, Better Surf Plus or Browsebit, HugeApps may include its advertisements automatically into your Web pages as they're loaded. Malware researchers found most HugeApps advertisements consisting of overlaid graphical elements that can be closed as they appear, but HugeApps offers no options for disabling its advertisements globally. Some variants of HugeApps also may deliver pop-up advertisements in separate windows.

Advertising from HugeApps isn't an intentional attack against your PC, and a majority of these advertisements may consist of product recommendations. With respect to suspicious behavior, however, malware researchers have seen samples of HugeApps advertisements failing to install themselves with appropriate extension entries. Without the extension entries that enable Chrome users to detect and remove their extensions at will, identifying the presence or full scope of adware like HugeApps may become a minor, albeit definitive security hazard. Related issues, such as excessive network activity from HugeApps updating itself automatically, also may be expected.

Turning an Adware Mountain into a Molehill

Even advertisements from HugeApps not intended to be threatening may have undesired side effects on Chrome's ability to load other Web pages. Common issues may include increases in loading times, being unable to use some forms of scripted content, seeing HugeApps advertisements block a Web page's default advertisement revenue sources or having your Web pages crash.

While HugeApps is a recent variant of past adware, malware researchers have yet to connect its distribution methods to either threat campaigns or attempted attacks against arbitrary PCs. However, HugeApps is equally bereft of association with any reputable download strategies, such as the Chrome Web Store. All evidence to date indicates that HugeApps is being installed in bundles with other PUPs and free software automatically.

HugeApps may be detectable via its clearly labeled advertisements, but does its best to persist on Chrome by concealing its extension installation. Anti-adware applications should be able to identify HugeApps while scanning your PC. However, as with all recently-detected, unwanted software, any tools used for removing this adware should be updated for the best chance of success.

HugeApps Ads

Threat Metric

Another Huge Advertisement Problem for Chrome

Turning an Adware Mountain into a Molehill

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