Tafbar is a spyware program disguised as a toolbar add-on for your browser.  It was first discovered on November 18, 2004.  It is created by Visicom Media and Focalex.

Tafbar is installed on your computer as part of an ad-supported freeware bundle or individually as an ActiveX-powered installation.  Once installed, it starts delivering pop-ups and hijacks your browser.  It resets your home page to one of its affiliate pages and redirects all search errors there, too.

Tafbar also has spyware data mining capabilities.  That is, it can search through your browsing history and monitor your browsing so it can collect data to send to its servers.  This, along with the browser hijacking, is explicitly stated in its EULA, which reads:  “The Application, in the course of processing a given search query, sends a request to our servers. This request includes the keyword query, time of day, browser type, default language setting, IP address, an anonymous unique ID, and a code which identifies the distribution source of the Application used by you to conduct your search. If the search query is being generated as the result of a misspelled URL or search term entered in to the browser address bar, we also receive the misspelled URL address or search term. We use this information in order to properly process your search request. For example, this data provides us with: information on which language you prefer to use; (…) Importantly, all information collected from a search query may be recorded and stored.”

The activity of Tafbar can seriously slow down your computer’s performance.  It can also potentially cause your Internet browser to crash.  It also presents a potential privacy risk.  Any supposed benefits it promises, which are mostly illegible, are not worth compromising your computer and your privacy.

If you are infected with Tafbar, you should remove it immediately with SpyZooka.

Also Known As:
Spyware.Tafbar, Tafbar Toolbar

Spyware Type:
Toolbar, Browser Hijacker, Data Miner

Associated Files:
taf.dll
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbarWebBrowser{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-D4FF-EB2CF4D5FA7D}
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareDynamic ToolbarTAF
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-D4FF-EB2CF4D5FA7D}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTtaf.TAF
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-D4FF-EB2CF4D5FA7D}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerToolbar{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-D4FF-EB2CF4D5FA7D}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{4E7BD74F-2B8D-469E-D4FF-EB2CF4D5FA7D}