Pirates of the Dead Sea: web search hijackers’ investigation

Type: Public company
Traded as: Nasdaq: PERI, TASE: PERI
Industry: Internet
Founders: Yaron Adler and Ofer Adler
Headquarters: Holon, Israel
Area Served: Worldwide
Key People: Doron Gerstel (CEO) and Maoz Sigron (CFO)
Revenue: US$478.5 million (2020)
Net Income: US$38.7 million (2020)
Number of Employees: 500 (as of March 14, 2021)
Website: perion.com

Brief History and Acquisitions:
Originally known as IncrediMail, an email company founded in 1999 by cousins Yaron and Ofer Adler.
The company went public on NASDAQ in January 2006 and was listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in 2007.
In August 2011, Perion acquired the Redmond-based Smilebox for $32 million.
The company name changed to Perion in November 2011.
In November 2012, Perion purchased Israel-based SweetPacks (or SweetIM) for approximately $41 million.
In January 2014, Perion acquired Conduit’s ClientConnect business in a deal valued at $660 million.
In June 2014, the company acquired San Francisco-based Grow Mobile.
In December 2015, Perion acquired the digital advertising company Undertone for $180 million.
Josef Mandelbaum stepped down as CEO in September 2016, and Doron Gerstel took over as CEO in April 2017.
In January 2020, Perion acquired Content IQ, a New York-based startup.
In July 2020, Perion acquired the assets of a digital publisher-focused ad-tech company called Pub Ocean.

Perion is an Israel-based technology company that provides digital advertising products and services. It has a global presence with offices in cities like Tel Aviv, Paris, New York, London, Chicago, Boston, Kyiv, Barcelona, and Seattle.

The company has undergone significant transformations and acquisitions over the years, expanding its product portfolio and enhancing its market positioning.

Perion Network Ltd. is a software developer located in Tel Aviv, Israel*. The company is a primary distributor of potentially unwanted software. Perion (now merged with Conduit) distributes both a combination of potentially unwanted software products (toolbars, etc.) as well as some legitimate products such as incrediMail. However the company has merged with Conduit, a toolbr distribution and monetization network and has taken over its toolbar business (Client Connect). Additionally the company runs several websites (FileParade) that distributes bundled installers of its toolbar products.

ClientConnect LTD is a software developer located in Ness Ziona, Israel*. The company is a primary distributor of unwanted software. ClientConnect is the division of browser toolbars and web browser extensions that was formed out of the merger of Conduit and Perion. Perion effectively took over Conduit’s toolbar development and distribution business now named ClientConnect (“Conduit will spin off its Client Connect business, which includes its monetization and distribution platform for publishers and developers.”). ClientConnect is the current distribution source of various bundlers including Search Protect and SweetPacks Toolbar.

SweetIM Technologies Ltd is a software publisher located in Ra’anana, Israel*. The company is a primary distributor of unwanted software. Montera is a private label producer of web browser extensions and toolbars for companies such as Zone Alarm, Funmoods, Softonic and Calrio. These toolbars are typically bundled with freeware as well as other potentially unwanted programs.

Somoto Ltd. is a software developer located in Tel Aviv, Israel*. The company is a primary distributor of unwanted software. Somoto uses a monetization platform known as the ‘Better Installer’ to provide the ability of 3rd party developers to bundle various adware packages through an affiliate pay-per-install program.

Conduit Ltd. is a software publisher located in Israel*. The company is a primary distributor of potentially unwanted software. Conduit distributes customized toolbars through its Client Connect division (Perion). These toolbars, also know as a ‘Community Toolbar’ is designed to modify the user’s web browser home and search page in order to monetize search revenue for its publishers (more than 260,000 publishers and 250 million end users). “Community Toolbar is simple to build, and even easier to use. Leverage our powerful SaaS platform to quickly and easily customize, personalize, promote, and manage your toolbar.” (toolbar.conduit.com)

Domains owned by Conduit Ltd:
conduit.com
getu.com
conduit-services.com
greattoolbars.com
communitytoolbars.com
forumtoolbar.com
myblogtoolbar.com
mycitytoolbar.com
mycollegetoolbar.com
myfamilytoolbar.com
myforumtoolbar.com
myradiotoolbar.com
toolbar.fm
ourbusinesstoolbar.com
loyaltytoolbar.com
media-toolbar.com
qasite-services.com
installldownload.com
trovi.com
tbccint.com