Name: Adw.SideBySideSearch Category: Adware Alias: SideBySide, sbss Advice: Remove Risk: Moderate Risk Moderate threats may profile users online habits or broadcast data back to a server with 'opt-out' permission. In most cases this type of threat is more along the lines of commercial type adware that offer a premium service in exchange for tracking your user online performance. Description: SideBySideSearch is a browser plug-in that adds a sidesearch bar to Internet Exlorer and displays alternative search results. When a search is done, SideBySideSearch opens a column of alternative search results on the left side of the page. If the user clicks on a link in those results, a new window upens for the page. It has been said to also spawn pop-ups on the desktop. SideBySideSearch can be downloaded from the vendor's website but has been seen to install without notice or consent via exploits bundled with other adware. The End UserLicense Agreement (EULA) (http://www.sidebysidesearch.com/terms.html) and privacy policy (http://www.sidebysidesearch.com/privacy.html) state that SideBySideSearch does not collect any personally identifying information (PII) and does not transmit any clickstream data or record search terms and websites visited. It does maintain aggregate statistics. The privacy policy states that a unique application number is assigned to each download of the application and is tramsmitted back to the server. The privacy policy also states that the application is only installed with user consent, which has been demonstrated to be false. Signatures: process: Uninstall sbss.exe: MD5 Hash: ... process: sbss.exe: MD5 Hash: 09e29abc6ba688c7f13... process: sbss.exe: MD5 Hash: 347ded39699355f8c30... process: sbss.exe: MD5 Hash: 75b29cba5dcad234958... process: sbss.exe: MD5 Hash: ... process: sbss.exe: MD5 Hash: 292ab30beb22a61b94c... process: setup.exe: MD5 Hash: 6f6b88c1d697507ec21... process: sbsse.exe: MD5 Hash: 2071b45850f6dc3150d.. Type: Adware - A browser plug-in is an application that can be installed within a user's web browser. Plug-ins can come in the form of a toolbar that is included in your web browser or a search or navigation feature to extra task buttons on the browser. Although most plug-ins are designed to perform necessary functions, many plug-ins are harmful to you computer because they have complete access to your web browser and can modify, spy and redirect any task you perform.