Superfish

Superfish, founded in Israel in 2006, was a visual search technology company that relocated to Palo Alto, California. The company was established by Adi Pinhas and Michael Chertok. The firm developed a visual search engine designed to identify images online and present users with similar product offerings, potentially at lower prices. This technology analyzed images contextually, without tracking or storing user behavior or personal information, treating each session independently.

Superfish's primary business model revolved around advertising-supported software. The company's revenue was generated by earning commissions on sales originating from the ads its software displayed. This business model involved partnerships, such as the one with Lenovo, where Superfish would pay to have its software bundled on consumer devices. The software, called Visual Discovery, would analyze images a user was viewing online and inject advertisements for comparable products into web pages, including search results. This was intended to help users discover products visually without needing a text-based description.

In early 2015, the company faced significant controversy after security researchers discovered a major vulnerability in the software pre-installed on some Lenovo laptops. The software installed a self-signed root certificate, which intercepted all web traffic, including encrypted SSL connections, to inject its ads. This process, described as a man-in-the-middle attack, created a severe security flaw that could allow malicious actors on the same network to intercept sensitive user data like passwords and financial information. Following the widespread criticism and security concerns, which led the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to advise its uninstallation, Superfish announced a shift in its business model in May 2015. Co-founder Adi Pinhas stated the company would shut down its existing operations and promote its visual search technology through a new entity, JustVisual, focused on developing consumer-facing smartphone apps and licensing its software.

Keywords: visual search engine, ad-supported software, adware, contextual advertising, image recognition, product discovery, Superfish controversy, Lenovo, Adi Pinhas, Visual Discovery, man-in-the-middle, SSL certificate, cybersecurity vulnerability, JustVisual, ad injection, likethatapps