Damn, they're all over the internet. What's new that's causing a burst of so many?
Lamer programmers who want to be hax0rz....
Well, why weren't there as many prior to now? Maybe there was but the programmers weren't stupid, and made them do things you wouldn't detect without a virus scanner. Most current ones change your profile or something stupid.
I find this kind of interesting.
A stab at the dark...
Adaware detects files or program on your computer which are used to collect information about you/your computer, and are not really considered viruses (which is why your norton doesn't detect it). These are generally harmless, I've never heard of anyone's computer going bogus because of them, but they aren't good none-the-less.
Microsoft is getting into anti-virus and security now, after they take over the market they will probably implement anti-autodownloading-files-onto-your-computer-to-steal-your-information into IE, and this will be a problem of the past.
Well, have you seen those things that reset your homepage, and change your AIM profile? They install without you authorizing them. I consider that something more than adware.
Keep your browser more updated; mine asks me before it changes homepage/download crap/etc.
Yeah so does mine, I have never had that happen to me.