QualitiLink

Posted: September 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.

Ranking:	17,092
Threat Level:	2/10
Infected PCs:	91

First Seen:	September 25, 2014
Last Seen:	September 9, 2023
OS(es) Affected:	Windows

QualitiLink is a browser add-on that markets itself as a provider of quality Web-surfing, but actually is adware: a program that loads extra advertising content into your browser. Although QualitiLink doesn't fall into the classification of a threat, QualitiLink may cause incidental harm to your PC by exposing it to unsafe advertisements, and also may impact negatively the performance of your browser. In consideration of well-thought-out reasons for doing otherwise, removing QualitiLink via specialized anti-adware tools normally should be your default position to the frequently-appearance of its advertisements.

When 'Quality' Links to Advertisements

Most likely a simple copy-paste of past adware products, such as Qualitink, QualitiLink is an add-on that attempts to justify its existence with minor benefits to your browser. In contrast to add-ons with more legitimate business practices, QualitiLink's primary function is to modify your browser so that QualitiLink may inject additional advertisements into third-party HTML pages. Any advertisements shown by QualitiLink may include seemingly beneficial content, such as online coupons, but also are possible sources of attacks against your computer.

Because QualitiLink modifies Web pages to load new advertisements without their being designed for that purpose, QualitiLink may cause issues with navigating websites, experiencing content or even interacting with advertisements from other sources. QualitiLink advertisements are especially likely to be injected as search results, thumbnails, banners or balloons, although other formats also are possible.

Although its likely clone, Qualitink, has been associated with the now-expired domain of qualitink.net, QualitiLink has not been associated with any known websites. Malware experts' research indicates that QualitiLink may be in distribution through software bundles and other, equally-non-consensual methods that could install QualitiLink automatically.

Severing the Link Between Your Browser and Pop-Up Advertisements

Adware programs of any sort that achieve a revenue advantage through the persistent display of advertisements may lead to both security problems and quality-of-life Web-browsing issues. The above problems especially are typical for any adware product that lacks a reputable business history or relevant company support to guarantee its authenticity. Malware experts may not place QualitiLink in the same category as Trojans or any other threats, but removing QualitiLink continues to be their suggested response to its invasive advertisements.

Anti-adware applications are useful both for deleting QualitiLink and for detecting the software bundles that could distribute QualitiLink. If they're kept well-updated, and you don't frequently install freeware from suspicious websites, your PC is unlikely ever to encounter QualitiLink, or its advertisements, in the first place.

The brands of browsers affected by QualitiLink add-ons are being confirmed by malware experts. In the meantime, popular Windows browsers, including Internet Explorer and Chrome, are rated as most likely to be at risk of these and other adware-related problems.

QualitiLink

Threat Metric

When 'Quality' Links to Advertisements

Severing the Link Between Your Browser and Pop-Up Advertisements

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