 Spyware:
(a.k.a Adware, Malware, StealWare, Diallers)
anti-spyware software
Definition:
In the field of computing, the term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious
software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation
without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the
term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it
has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation
for the benefit of a third party. (src: Wikipedia)
In English:
Loosely speaking the term 'spyware' is now used to cover most forms of irritation
on your PC that are not classed as a virus. Spyware can come in many forms from
the basic 'tracking' type, which mostly just monitors your web browsing habits and
uses that information to 'pop-up' related adverts, to types which can potentially
listen into your microphone and view images from your webcam. Reports of these 'monitoring'
spyware however are very rare and you are highly unlikely to come accross one. Certainly
i havae never seen one yet.
Where does it come from?
Generally speaking spyware is installed 'alongside' other programs. As most users
will not intentionally install something that will slow down their PC or cause any
aderse side-effects, spyware 'developers' will often 'bundle' the software in with
something you do want to install. A good example includes
MSN Messenger Plus!
, a very popular add-on to MicrosoftsMSN Messenger
program. While installing this program there is a 'tick-box' option that asks if
you would like to 'install the sponsor program', if you do this a whole slew of
icons appear on your desktop, your internet explorer home page is changed and a
number a tracking programs are installed including a search bar within Internet
Explorer that is relatively hard to get rid of.
MSN Messenger Plus! is one of the 'friendlier' spyware installers in that it does
actually give you the option of not installing this software through use of this
checkbox (this also has the advantage for them of making installatiopn of the spyware
on your machine perfectly legal as they did tell you they were going to do it).
Most spyware that may arrove on your PC follows this same process but it does not
tell you it is being installed.
Installation like this is not the only way of becoming infected, spyware can also
get onto your PC by opening emails containing spyware elements much in the way you
can get a
virus, it is also possible to become infected just
by visiting a so called 'malicious' website. These have code on them that takes
advantage of any security holes in your operating system and browser to install
themselves. Often you will never know it is even happening!
Symptoms:
- PC slows down, oten to a point where it can become unusable.
- Applications
of even Windows itself will fail (crash).
- Windows can take a long time to
boot up and may show errors.
- Broadband access slows down, again to a point
where it can become unusable.
- May have trouble connecting to the internet.
-
'Diallers' change you internet access details and phone number, dialling a premium
rate number, often a user will not notice the problem until they receive their phone
bill.
- Windows crashes when trying to shut down.
- Firewall, Anti-Spyware,
Anti-Virus software fails to start meaning the spyware has managed to disable it.
Oftentimes a PC owner will not realise their PC has been infected with spyware.
Instead they will attribute it to the PC being 'old' or blame the kids installing
too many games. It is not uncommon for people to throw away the machine and buy
a new one. This is usually highly unneccesary. Almost 100% of the time the problem
can be resolved by installation and correct use of anti-spyware and related software.
If that fails and the PC is too compromised the problem can always be resolved by
backing up
your documents, formatting the hard drive and re-installing Windows and all your
software. This will always bring the PC back to the speed it was the day you brought
it home.
Solutions
 Like
so many things prevention is always the best cure. There are many tools available
on the internet that will both eradicate any spyware you already have and help to
prevent you from getting any more in the future. Here i will list some of the various
methods and some software that can achieve it.
You can find links to many of the free spyware programs and updates on
www.filehippo.com.
If all of this is giving you a headache or you plain can't be bothered there is
always the easiest and 'most guaranteed to work' solution:
Net Neighbourhood
has vast experience and specialises in the removal of spyware,
viruses
and their associated issues.
Most of the time we can remove them on site in only a couple of hours (depending
on the speed of the machine) or, if more drastic action is required, we will bring
the PC to our office, backup
all your data and restore your machine to it's former glory. If you wish we we can
also
upgrade
your machine at the same time or, if you would like to look at purchasing a new
PC anyway we can
supply name brand PCs or build them to custom specifications.
The other advantage of getting Net Neghbourhood in is that we will also remove any
viruses
you may have, install all the latest security patches and update/install anti-spyware
and anti-virus software. We will also go through how to scan for these things in
the future on your own.
Contact us
If you are interested in reading on there is more there is a far more concise descriptin
of spyware to be found on
Wikipedia's
website.
There is also a wealth of information to be found on
Microsoft's
website.
|