Which of the following is a characteristic of adware?

Adware is a type of software that primarily serves to display advertisements on a user's device. One of its notable characteristics is that it is often bundled with free downloads. This means that when users download free software, they may inadvertently install adware along with it. The intention behind adware is generally to generate revenue through advertisements that are displayed to the user, and it usually does this as part of the terms or agreements associated with the free software download. Therefore, users might not be fully aware that they are allowing adware to be installed, highlighting how this software is typically distributed.

This characteristic is significant because it emphasizes the importance of being cautious when downloading free applications and to read installation prompts carefully to avoid unintentional installations of adware.