| This week we will be focusing on Spyware. | | | | this active x control to do whatever it wants |
| | | | to your system. |
| Exactly What Is Spyware? | | | | |
| | | | If you use P2P file sharing programs then the |
| We wanted to go into a little more detail on | | | | chances of your system becoming infected are |
| this whole spyware thing because we talk | | | | substantially increased, in fact I would say |
| about it so often. Ninety-nine percent of | | | | it's inevitable. |
| what goes wrong in an internet connected PC | | | | |
| is caused by spyware, right? Wrong. Spyware | | | | Prevention |
| gets a bad press. It certainly deserves it, | | | | |
| but the term has become too generalized, and | | | | The obvious answer to free downloads and P2P |
| this can be frustrating for both technicians | | | | file sharing problems is not to use these |
| and end users alike. | | | | programs or download software that we are not |
| | | | familiar with the source. Will we do this, I |
| Spyware often manifests itself in the | | | | would doubt it. So what else can we do to |
| following ways: | | | | prevent this from happening and our systems |
| | | | becoming infected? |
| Popups appear when you're not even connected | | | | |
| to the Internet. | | | | This is going to be painful, I know. But |
| | | | keeping your system free of spyware takes a |
| Strange toolbars appear on your browser that | | | | little effort coupled with some helpful tips. |
| you did not install. | | | | |
| | | | Use a good firewall, anti-virus solution |
| Your homepage has changed and you cannot | | | | & spyware scanner. Never open email if |
| change it back. | | | | you don't recognize the sender. Install |
| | | | McAfee's free site advisor & spoofstick |
| You system crashes or takes forever to load. | | | | to prevent phising scams. |
| | | | |
| So I have Spyware. Now what? | | | | McAfee's site advisor is an excellent way to |
| | | | be alerted of potentially dangerous sites. |
| Just about everyone gets spyware on their | | | | Its quick, it's free and it works. More and |
| system at some time or another. The question | | | | more sites are being submitted for testing |
| is, 'how do you get rid of it?' Depending on | | | | every day. Just type, 'Site advisor,' into |
| the severity of the infection, reformatting | | | | Googles search engine to find the download. |
| and a clean install of the operating system | | | | |
| may be the only sure way to know it's gone. | | | | Spoof stick will alert you with just a quick |
| | | | glance to any spoof (fake)websites. It will |
| We do this for several reasons, but the most | | | | also work when clicking on any links in an |
| important is that you know the spyware is | | | | email etc. This should help you steer clear |
| gone and prevention can be used to keep the | | | | of banking scams, identity theft etc. Again |
| system clean. | | | | Google it for the free download. |
| | | | |
| If reformatting and reinstalling isnt a | | | | Make sure you have your system set to |
| desired option, then check out some of the | | | | automatically receive updates & patches. |
| free spyware scanners such as adaware or | | | | Scan your system about once a week & |
| spybot sd. Personally I use Counterspy which | | | | remove any nasties that you may find. I also |
| is an excellent scanner at a very competitive | | | | run Kaspersky's free online scanner once a |
| price. | | | | month as an extra precaution. |
| | | | |
| Free Software etc | | | | If you want to take your protection a step |
| | | | further then have a separate hard drive |
| Although there are many bonefide distributors | | | | installed in your system. Its quick, |
| of software there are also many unscrupulous | | | | relatively cheap, offers extra protection and |
| sites and programmers who attach viruses and | | | | gives us more space to store our data etc. |
| or spyware to their 'free programs.' | | | | |
| | | | Once installed then simply make sure that |
| If you consistently install software from the | | | | anything you download is stored on the extra |
| internet without checking it out first then | | | | hard drive, the one not containing your |
| it is only a matter of time before your | | | | operating system. |
| system becomes infected with spyware and or | | | | |
| viruses. | | | | Once you have it there then run right click |
| | | | your mouse and select scan with, 'the name of |
| You may have already experienced something | | | | your virus scanner,' and or spyware scanner |
| along these lines. You come across a free | | | | and scan the file you just downloaded. If the |
| program that promises all sorts of benefits | | | | file comes up clean and you want to move the |
| for you and its FREE! How can you resist? You | | | | program to your system drive, the one |
| click on the download button and if your | | | | containing the operating system then you are |
| lucky and have SP2 installed then you get the | | | | as sure as you can be that it doesnt contain |
| message asking you if you want to install | | | | any nasties thus virtually eliminating any |
| the,' active x control,' that will allow the | | | | threat to the drive containing your operating |
| software download. | | | | system. |
| | | | |
| This is where the trouble can begin. Active x | | | | Of course you should run your spyware & |
| controls without getting too geeky can of | | | | virus scanners on this extra drive whilst |
| course be good or bad and basically you are | | | | doing your weekly scans. |
| giving permission if you answer yes to allow | | | | |