iReview

Posted: July 25, 2014

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:	5

First Seen:	July 25, 2014
Last Seen:	December 1, 2020
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

iReview is an adware program that may be installed by the Yontoo Adware and is unrelated to the similarly-named (and now discontinued) Apple iReview service. While some of the iReview's functions are not necessarily non-beneficial, iReview also focuses on delivering advertising content that is unnecessarily difficult to disable, and which could harm either the safety or performance of your Web browser. Malware researchers have few reservations about suggesting iReview's deletion by dedicated anti-adware products – especially ones that also could detect Yontoo or other, associated PUPs.

The Hidden Price of Free Reviews

Even developers of unwanted software have taken notice of the profit and popularity of online review sources, and iReview is evidence of another questionable practice using that industry to generate advertising traffic. While iReview has affiliations with Yontoo and is available for download at goireview.com, iReview also historically has been installed non-consensually. Malware experts see some evidence that these iReview installations may install via bundles with other, free programs, which may circulate through torrent networks or inauspicious freeware sites.

Although iReview provide access to generic review content, as iReview claims, iReview also loads advertisements automatically for Web pages, especially search engines, that aren't intended to display them. Notably, malware experts also found that iReview included a non-functional deactivation button in its Web browser interface, although whether this was intentional or a mere coding mistake is open to question. iReview shows equal signs of being difficult to uninstall, contrary to its website's claims of making uninstallation by normal OS standards straightforward.

Affected brands of browsers include both major windows Web browsers along with Mac OS X's Safari.

A Fast Review of Ditching iReview

Advertisements from iReview may be security issues risking your exposure to information-collecting tactics, exploits that install threats or other attacks. However, malware researchers have seen insufficient cause to categorize iReview (or the Yontoo Adware) as a threat. Neither iReview nor its website should harm your PC if you restrain your contact with appropriate browser protection, but removing iReview still is suggested for keeping your browser optimized.

In spite of the limited risks of iReview, prolonged exposure to advertising content from any adware is less than safe for any PC. If you're interested in preventing iReview from being installed, you should use anti-adware, anti-PUP and anti-malware file scanners to identify potential bundles and other risks that could be present in a seemingly unrelated software installer. Of course, PC users who avoid websites that may distribute such threats as adware will continue to be at less risk than others. However, Trojans like Zlob also are well-known distributors of adware, and may be installed by exploit kits and other methods that don't require any unsafe behavior on the part of the PC's owner.

iReview

Threat Metric

The Hidden Price of Free Reviews

A Fast Review of Ditching iReview

Leave a Reply