Try to resist the temptation

Online security company Fortinet reports that Zango is distributing adware amongst Facebook and MySpace users through a "Secret Crush" application.

Secret Crush elicits clicks by telling users a friend has a crush on them. In exchange for the person's identity, the user must at some point enter the names of five other friends, then download a "crush calculator."

The crush calculator includes Zango ad-serving software. According to MediaPost, it serves pop-up ads to users no matter where they go online.

Secret Crush informs users about the adware program. But "[Secret Crush piles] on so much extra context […] that I would argue this is a misleading, deceptive, unfair installation," said malware research director Eric Howes of Sunbelt Software.

Yesterday on its corporate blog Zango called the security advisory "completely false as it relates to Zango."

"A thorough investigation by Zango security personnel reveals no silent or surreptitious installation of any software, much less any 'spyware,' by or in connection with the 'Secret Crush' widget," Zango reports.

"Zango has attempted in multiple ways to communicate with Fortinet, all of which have been substantively unsuccessful. The Secret Crush widget is not affiliated with Zango."