Drive-by download

A Drive-by download is a process used to install Malware (Spyware, computer viruses and the like) on the computer of an unsuspecting visitor.

Some installers masquerade as a dialog box: the user clicks on it in the mistaken belief that it is an error report from his own PC. The supplier claims that the user consented to the download, though often the user is completely unaware that a download and installation has taken place.

In some cases, spyware can be installed even if the user chooses any button, not just the yes or accept button. Users must be careful to ensure that they use the real close window button (better still, kill at root level - Ctrl/Alt/Del on PCs).

In exceptional cases, the maliciously crafted website can exploit a bug in the browser to install the malware payload, without any user intervention whatsoever. To purists, this is the only case that genuinely deserves the term drive-by download .