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Adware firm goes under to cheers from security experts

Internet security researchers are breathing a sigh of relief following the closure of tarnished adware company Zango, it has emerged.

The firm, which was previously fined by the US Federal Trade Commission for discreetly installing software on computers, has been forced to shut down because of mounting debts.

Commenting on the closure in a blog posting, online security expert Graham Cluley of Sophos said "not many people will be shedding a tear" due to the way the company operated.

"Affiliates frequently silently installed the adware-displaying software onto unsuspecting users' computers by exploiting vulnerabilities," he said of Zango's software, which landed it the multi-million dollar fine.

Mr Cluley went on to state that he hoped the collapse would let other firms "engaged in dodgy marketing practices learn the lesson sooner rather than later that controversial adware business models will not be tolerated".

Consumers are advised to ensure their machines have proper internet security software that can spot such malware and other online threats.

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