I rarely make an article about one specific product, but this is going to have to be the exception. In an earlier article, which you can find here, I mentioned Hotspot Shield as one of the products one could use for heightened security when dealing with plain internet connections. Although I explicitly stated my mentioning of the product was not an endorsement, I want to update you on this product based on information newly available to me. Kudos to the Sunbelt Software guys (makers of VIPRE Antivirus/Antispyware, a product I do recommend and my current choice for antivirus software) for correctly labeling Hotspot Shield as adware.

For those wondering, adware (advertising-supported software)  is defined as any software program that automatically displays or plays advertisement in the computer where the software is installed, without user intervention or control.

Hotspot Shield falls under that category. Rather than repeat the whole rationale, here’s a link to the back and forth between Sunbelt Software and AnchorFree (the makers of Hotspot Shield):

Here’s the original post labeling Hotspot Shield as adware:

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/what-part-of-no-adware-dont-you.html

Here’s AnchorFree’s response, and Sunbelt’s retort to it:

http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2010/05/anchorfree-responds-on-hotspot-shield.html