BeAware

BeAware, also encountered as BeeAware, is an adware application that is spreading through the Apple ecosystem.BeAware exploits dubious distribution strategies to install itself onto the users' devices without them being aware of it. The most popular technique of this type is called 'bundling' - it sees the installation of the adware application being hidden as a preselected option in the installation process of more popular freeware programs. Adware can also be spread by fake software installers of updaters. The misleading techniques employed by these types of applications also classify them as Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs).

In general, PUPs cannot cause any damage to the system they are installed on as that is not their purpose. Instead, they will attempt to monetize their presence by running intrusive advertising campaigns, taking over certain browser settings to promote a sponsored address or a combination of both functionalities. BeAware can indeed perform both activities. It will generate unwanted advertisements that could redirect to untrustworthy locations on the Internet such as phishing pages attempting to harvest all information entered by the user or tech support tactics. Domains dedicated to the distribution of additional PUPs are also a common redirect destination. At the same time, BeAware will modify the settings of the user's browser to allow it to cause forced redirects, inject hypertext links into the viewed text, as well as displaying intrusive pop-ups, banners and coupons.

It is not recommended to keep PUPs such as BeAware on your computer system as most of them possess at least some degree of data-harvesting capabilities. The PUPs might try to log the user's browsing activities and then exfiltrate them to their creators.