Badware Website Clearinghouse

Badware doesn't just appear on users' computers out of thin air - instead, much of it (maybe even most of it) is hosted on websites that then distribute it to consumers who visit those sites. Given the importance of websites as a means of spreading badware to unsuspecting users, StopBadware.org has expanded our mission to include shining a light on websites themselves, not just on the applications they host for download. In that vein, we've launched the Badware Website Clearinghouse -- a collaborative effort to build a comprehensive list of websites that host, link to, or otherwise distribute badware.

Websites can host or distribute badware in a variety of ways. They may be sites that intentionally distribute bad applications for profit; or sites featuring ads, often provided by third parties, that - if clicked on - will attempt to automatically install harmful software; or sites that have been hacked and can download dangerous code onto visitors' computers without the site owner even knowing the badware is there; and a whole range of sites in between. For a comprehensive definition of what constitutes a badware website, check out our Website Guidelines.

Although the list of websites in this Clearinghouse is hosted by StopBadware.org, we're not the only ones contributing to it. This list contains both websites that StopBadware itself has tested and found to contain badware or badware links, as well as thousands of sites that trusted third parties have independently examined, found to be hosts or distributors of badware, and provided to us for posting. Sites that StopBadware has tested itself and determined to contain or link to badware are marked with a ; sites marked with a were reported to StopBadware by one or more trusted third parties whose name(s) appear in a separate column to the left of the site's url.

Please note that all of the information about sites marked with a has been provided to us by third parties. Unless otherwise specifically indicated, those websites have been examined by trusted third parties and found by them to contain badware or links to badware. StopBadware.org has not independently tested or reviewed those sites and has not created or developed any of the information listed about them - we are merely hosting the lists of badware provided to us by others.

To search the Badware Clearinghouse, click here.

For more details on the trusted third parties that contribute to the Clearinghouse, click here.

For more details on how this independent testing process works, check out our FAQ.

If you are the administrator of a website on this list, you can ask StopBadware.org to review the inclusion of your site in the Badware Website Clearinghouse through our Request for Review process. For more information, please see our FAQ.