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On the 20th Safer Internet Day, what was security like back in 2004?

Malwarebytes

You had very rich and powerful adware companies, making liberal use of bundled installers. The adware was frequently incredibly invasive, with affiliate networks often in meltdown promoting every kind of rogue install under the sun. For one final slice of additional context, 2005 was also a key year for security happenings.

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Scammers, profiteers, and shady sites? It must be tax season

Malwarebytes

Most of the tax-related attacks follow a few tried and true methods: A phishing email or scam call from someone purporting to be from the IRS, or an accountant offering to help you get a big refund. Many search hijackers in this family also use notifications, which qualifies them as adware.