I haven't come across
DirectRevenue before, as I've focussed heavily on 180 solutions, but looking at their website they look like they are in the same market using a similar distribution model. From the site: -
Quote:
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For current distributors of Claria, WhenU or 180Solutions, contact DirectRevenue to see if you qualify for our Guaranteed 20% Boost contract which will allow you to earn more money distributing DirectRevenue’s software.
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This is one of the methods that highlighted 180 to many people, by paying others to distribute the software you are encouraging them to sneak it onto users machines without them realising.
I've just found an article by Ben Edelman that looks into DirectRevenue and shows that it does get installed via security holes. It was Ben's work that originally got me started on 180.
http://www.benedelman.org/news/120704-1.html
Similar to 180, they use lots of names for different parts of the business, including direct-revenue.com (core), abetterinternet.com (software install), bestoffers.bz (advertising), mypctuneup.com (uninstall - it is againsnt the EULA to remove the product in any other way).
On their home page they say: -
Quote:
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DirectRevenue’s contextual ad network – OfferOptimizer – is one among the Internet’s 10 most heavily trafficked sites according to Alexa.com.'
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When you look at offeroptimizer.com there are no crawlable pages, even the search form takes you to a different site, so all this traffic must be coming from adware. If you follow the link to keyword sales it takes you to offeroptimizer.mygeek.com and then there is a link to 'our network' which lists plenty of related companies to be aware of, including 180solutions.
In short, another company for networks to watch out for.
The following article includes more details along with 23 related domains -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6689667/site/newsweek/