A free web browser that claims to cover your tracks when visiting pornographic sites turns out to be a click fraud engine, security firm Panda Software has claimed.

The Spanish firm issued a warning on Friday that Browsezilla installs malware which periodically connects to web pages with adult content. The pages are not visible to the user, as the objective is to fraudulently increase the number of hits on the sites, Panda Software claims. The company offers free software to remove the malware.

Browsezilla is a browser, which according to its website - "don't use history", "don't save cache" and "don't save URL". It also allows users to save their bookmarks on a remote server. The browser appears to be most popular in Italy.

Browsezilla immediately responded to Panda's press release, claiming the information is "false and puts the serious loss to reputation of our browser, and also puts the financial losses connected with significant reduction number of users, number of potential users and refusal of other sites in cooperation". It is threatening Panda with "claims for compensation".

The Browsezilla website was purportedly registered last year by a John Smith, residing at 12 Upper Woburn Place, London. However, this address turns out to be a brasserie situated in the Ambassadors Hotel, "which serves a variety of French dishes and offer a banqueting service".®

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