How can site Admins make money without ads/sponsors?

Well, this is a real problem for us.
Yes, you can d/l and use freeware. But, BEFORE that, you would have chance to meet un-related offers, potentially unwanted installations. Technically, we security experts call 'em downware.


Let's go to today's keyword: the sponsorware I met on over-blog.com.

I d/led that setup file, upload it to VT, get the expected file analysis here; 'n then I run it on my test computer, Windows 7 -- BTW, such aggressive downware is targeting that newer Microsoft OS now. XP is dead, right... Meantime, I read about so-called Windows xp SP4.

After the virus scan, I got the following specs:

• File name:  MediaDownloader.exe
• MD5 c1fc8a2d4c158b26f46c6ef8b048109b
• Copyright: Copyright © Media Downloader

Ikarus has classified my upload (MediaDownloader) as JS.Heur.

The other ad was the download for Tuneup Pro (I personally think this utility is just the clone of RegClean Pro). That setup file was real downware. Get details below.

• File name:  tamsp_160903082910532937.exe
• MD5: 5333b712d4f8db3968598111f7691478
• Detection ratio:    3 / 55

During its sponsored install, I got the riskware MyPC Backup, Advanced System Protector.