Adware:Win32/Hotbar is an adware program that displays advertisements to as you browse the web.

It also installs other adware components related to Win32/ClickPotato and Win32/ShopperReports. Hotbar also installs "skins" that make Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Outlook Express look different.

It may be installed on your computer alongside other software, or you may have downloaded it from a website that mimics another one, such as those seen below:

PinBall Audacity website	Legitimate Audacity website
PinBall ARES website	Legitimate ARES website

Microsoft security software detects and removes this program.

This adware program displays ads as you browse the web.

It can be downloaded from the program's website, or it may be installed when you install other software.

We detect this program because it opens advertisements that appear independently and outside the context of the program, website, or other source the advertisements are promoting. Our evaluation criteria resource page has more information on how and why we identify unwanted software.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.1834.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.1834.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.1915.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.1915.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.2037.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.2037.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.2424.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.173.405.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.240.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.1210.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.173.2011.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.173.2540.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.578.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.

This program was detected by definitions prior to 1.175.1915.0 as it violated the guidelines by which Microsoft identified unwanted software. Based on analysis using current guidelines, the program does not have unwanted behaviors.