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Lenovo’s VisualDiscovery adware drew separate federal and multistate settlements after it was found to intercept encrypted web traffic without adequate notice and consent. The FTC’s final order required affirmative consent and a 20-year software security program; a separate agreement reported by Nevada’s attorney general included a $3.5 million payment and requirements for disclosure and removal options.
What was Lenovo Superfish adware?
VisualDiscovery was a shopping feature developed by Superfish and preinstalled on certain Lenovo consumer laptops. When a user hovered over a product image, it could display ads for visually similar products from Superfish retail partners. The FTC said Lenovo began selling affected laptops in the United States in August 2014 and that hundreds of thousands of laptops were affected. FTC announcement and complaint summary
How did VisualDiscovery create a security risk?
To deliver ads while users browsed encrypted HTTPS sites, VisualDiscovery placed itself between the browser and the website and substituted its own certificates. According to the FTC, it did not adequately validate certificates before replacing them, and it used a common, easy-to-crack password on affected computers. Those weaknesses could undermine normal browser certificate warnings and create an opportunity for an attacker to intercept communications. FTC account of the allegations
The FTC said the software could access sensitive information sent online. That is distinct from what it said VisualDiscovery collected and transmitted to Superfish, which included browsing sites and IP addresses. The complaint alleged that Lenovo did not adequately explain the interception capability or obtain informed consent, and did not sufficiently assess and address risks in third-party preloaded software. These were allegations resolved by a consent order, not findings after a contested trial. The FTC’s case file provides the complaint and decision and order.
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What did Lenovo say, and when did it respond?
In February 2015, Lenovo said it was stopping the preloads, working with antivirus providers to disable and remove VisualDiscovery, and that it knew of no actual exploitation. Lenovo also disputed the allegations. Those statements reflect Lenovo’s position, not an independent determination that no exploitation occurred. Lenovo’s February 2015 announcement described manual and automated removal measures, but it does not establish that the original removal tool remains available or is appropriate to use now. Lenovo’s statement and historical Lenovo support page
- August 2014: The FTC said Lenovo began selling certain U.S. consumer laptops with VisualDiscovery.
- February 2015: Lenovo announced that it was stopping preloads and described removal efforts.
- September 5, 2017: The FTC announced a proposed settlement; Lenovo said it had reached agreements with the FTC and a coalition of 32 states while disputing the complaints.
- January 2, 2018: The FTC announced final approval of its order.
FTC settlement announcement · FTC final approval
What did the FTC and state settlements require?
The federal FTC order and the multistate agreement were separate settlement tracks, with different reported requirements.
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| Settlement track | Timing and source | Reported requirements | Payment specified |
|---|---|---|---|
| FTC order | Final approval announced January 2, 2018; FTC case materials | Affirmative consumer consent before covered software runs; restrictions on certain misrepresentations; a comprehensive software security program for most consumer software preloaded on Lenovo laptops for 20 years, subject to third-party audits. | Not stated in the cited FTC materials. |
| Multistate settlement | Announced in 2017; Nevada Attorney General’s summary reports Lenovo and 32 states | Clearer disclosures, affirmative consent, and practical ways to opt out of, disable, or remove covered software. | $3.5 million, as reported by Nevada’s Attorney General. |
Sources: FTC final order announcement and Nevada Attorney General’s multistate settlement summary. The FTC’s case page links to the underlying legal documents for exact terms.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the case mattered
The dispute concerned more than unwanted advertising. VisualDiscovery’s method of inserting itself into encrypted browsing created certificate-validation and interception risks, while the FTC alleged that consumers had not been adequately informed or asked for meaningful consent. The resulting federal order addressed both consumer consent and Lenovo’s process for assessing software security before preloading it.
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