InstallCore

InstallCore was an installation and content distribution platform created by ironSource, considered potentially unwanted programs by a number of anti-malware vendors. It included a software development kit for Windows and Mac OS X. The program allowed those using it for distribution to include monetization by advertisements or charging for installation, and made its installations invisible to the user and its anti-virus software.
The platform and its programs have been rated potentially unwanted programs or potentially unwanted applications by anti-malware product vendors since 2014, and by Windows Defender Antivirus since 2015.
The platform was primarily designed for efficient web-based deployment of various types of application software., InstallCore was managing 100 million installations every month, offering services for paid, unpaid, and free software by using the SDK version.

History

The InstallCore team introduced the first version of the SDK at the beginning of 2011. The SDK was a fork of the FoxTab installer and had only basic Installation features.
InstallCore was discontinued as part of a company flotation in late 2020.

Criticism and malware classification

InstallCore and its software packages have been classified as potentially unwanted programs or potentially unwanted applications, by anti-malware product vendors and Windows Defender Antivirus from 2014–2015 onwards, with many stating that it installs adware and other additional PUPs. Malwarebytes identified the program as "a family of bundlers that installs more than one application on the user's computer". It has been described as "crossing the line into full-blown malware" and a "nasty Trojan".