The term Pornware denotes programs which are involved in causing pornographic content to be displayed to the user.

The Pornware class currently includes Porn-Dialer, Porn-Downloader and Porn-Tool programs. Dialers connect to pornographic phone services. Downloader programs will download pornographic material to the host machine. Porn-Tool covers all types of utilities which are connected with searching for and displaying pornographic material (e.g. special browser toolbars or video players).

Pornware programs may be installed by a user deliberately in order to search for and access pornographic material. In such cases, the programs are not viewed as being malicious.

However, such programs can also be installed on the host machine with malicious intent, via operating or browser vulnerabilities, or by using Trojan-Downloader or Trojan-Dropper programs. This is usually done in order to cause advertisements for pay pornography sites or services to be displayed - sites and services that the user would not have found on his / her own.