ShopperSaga

Posted by Max Lehmann on May 5, 2016

What is ShopperSaga?

ShopperSaga is an ad-supported program that can secretly infect your computer and show you invasive and potentially dangerous advertisements. For this reason, we suggest that you remove this application as soon as you can. Our malware analysts have tested this application and found that it belongs to a recently emerged adware family that has been wreaking havoc for the past few months. Hence, ShopperSaga has many clone programs. So if you want to keep your computer malware free, then you have to get rid of this adware, and we are going to help you with that. In this article, we are going to discuss its distribution methods, functions, and removal possibilities. Please continue reading to find out more. test test test

Where does ShopperSaga come from?

Research has revealed that this adware comes from Flatiron Media LLC, an adware developer based in New York that has recently been releasing dozens of ad-supported programs that are nearly identical in terms of functionality but promote different content. Some of the more recent additions to this developer’s “fleet” of adware include SlateBeauty, BabyBrowse, and Travel Giga. Thus, there is no doubt about the shady origins of ShopperSaga. Now let us take a look at how this application is promoted and distributed.

Our security analysts have discovered that this adware is promoted by browser hijackers that include links to this program’s main distribution website http://shoppersaga{.}com in their search results. In addition, the developers have made arrangements for other adware applications to promote this particular program as well, but these programs are still unknown to us. At any rate, our researchers believe that the adware promotes this particular program using pop-ups, in-texts, banners, and on, and link them to the aforementioned main distribution website. This website features ShopperSaga’s installCore-based installer which, according to our security analysts, is already bundled with potentially unwanted programs, such as System Healer, and MyPcBackUp. In some cases, it might come with adware, such as Search Know. In short, this program can bring other malicious or useless applications along with it, and this is one of the reasons to get rid of it.

How does ShopperSaga work?

Testing has shown that this adware works much like its predecessors. It features a dedicated adverting window that always loads the website http://comparerewards{.}com that promotes various cashback programs. We do not regard this website as malicious, but we do not think that its content is that useful. Now, you can launch this dedicated window manually, but it can also open randomly, and in addition to this advertising window ShopperSaga will open Internet Explorer that loads different promotional links that include http://s3.amazonaws{.}com/dm.leadgen/page/index.html, http://redtag-specials{.}com/?agent_ID=201735&campaign_ID=6089, and so on. We have doubts about the legitimacy of these websites, but testing has shown that they are not malicious.

According to this program’s Privacy Policy found on its website, ShopperSaga may allow other entities to server advertisements on Flatiron Media LLC behalf, so this is a very worrisome development because it there is no way to determine whether the content endorsed by the third parties is legitimate. Furthermore, the Privacy Policy states that “These entities may use cookies, web beacons and other technologies to collect information about your use of the Services and other websites, including your IP address, web browser, pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked and conversion information.” The entities mentioned in the quote are the third parties, Flatiron Media's partners. Note that the collected information should be used for tailoring the ads, making them more appealing and generating more advertising revenue. However, given the shady origins of this program and its developer, we highly recommend that you uninstall it.

How do I remove ShopperSaga?

There is no doubt that this application’s sole purpose is to make money for its developers and their partners. Therefore, it will annoy you with its ads that can be of malicious nature. Also, ShopperSaga will collect information about you to improve the advertising campaign. So, this program is anything, but useless and we invite you to remove it using the instructions we have included at the end of this description.