# AIM Ad Hack

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/AIM_Ad_Hack
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/AIM_Ad_Hack.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM_Ad_Hack
> Source revision: 1301475050
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

**AIM Ad Hack** was a free third-party add-on for [AOL Instant Messenger](/source/AOL_Instant_Messenger) (AIM) created by Cuban-Aftermath Software. The add-on removes advertisements from the [GUI](/source/Graphical_user_interface) of AIM.[1] AIM Ad Hack can also be used to remove spyware such as [Viewpoint Media Player](/source/Viewpoint_Media_Player) and [WildTangent](/source/WildTangent), which are commonly included in AIM installations.[2] Unlike add-ons like [DeadAIM](/source/DeadAIM), AIM Ad Hack actually modifies AIM itself to remove advertisements and spyware, making it unnecessary for the program to load every time AIM is started.[3] [4]

## Operation

AIM Ad Hack may be run as a stand-alone program or as an add-on to an existing installation of AIM. When AIM Ad Hack is run, it downloads the AIM setup files if AIM is not already installed, and it prompts the user which components of AIM should be blocked or removed. It also provides the option of downloading plugins from AOL and various third-party plugins from AOL Greenhouse. If there is any [malware](/source/Malware) or [spyware](/source/Spyware) found on the computer from a previous installation of AIM, such as [WeatherBug](/source/WeatherBug) or [WildTangent](/source/WildTangent), AIM Ad Hack will remove it as well.

## See also

- [AOL Instant Messenger](/source/AOL_Instant_Messenger)
- [DeadAIM](/source/DeadAIM)

## Notes

1. ["Aim Ad Hack Review and download"](http://www.webtechgeek.com/Windows-Software-Review-Download-111-Aim-Ad-Hack.htm). WebTechGeek.com. Retrieved 2007-04-22.

1. Finch, Steven. ["AIM Ad Hack 5.57: Removing Ads from AIM 6.8 and Above"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090424032426/http://crenk.com/aim-ad-hack-557-removing-ads-from-aim-68-and-above/). Crenk. Archived from [the original](http://crenk.com/aim-ad-hack-557-removing-ads-from-aim-68-and-above/) on 2009-04-24. Retrieved 2009-09-08.

1. ["Aim Ad Hack 5.48 download - TechSpot Downloads"](http://www.techspot.com/downloads/419-aim-ad-hack.html). TechSpot. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20070817133202/http://www.techspot.com/downloads/419-aim-ad-hack.html) 17 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2007-08-04.

1. Morrone, Megan & Guilfoyle, Nicole. ["Free File: Kill AIM Ads"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120523175708/http://www.g4tv.com/articles/37839/Free-File-Kill-AIM-Ads/). G4 TechTV. Archived from [the original](http://g4tv.com/articles/37839/Free-File-Kill-AIM-Ads/) on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2009-09-08.

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [AIM Ad Hack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM_Ad_Hack) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIM_Ad_Hack?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.