"WE MAKE COMPUTERS COOPERATE!"

SPYWARE / ADWARE - WHAT IS IT?

Spyware ~ The term spyware is generally used to refer to any software that is downloaded onto a person's computer without their knowledge. It will then "spy" on you.

Adware ~ The term adware generally refers to programs that collect general demographic information for advertisers. It is often lumped with the term spyware.

WHAT DOES SPYWARE DO?
SHOULD YOU CARE?

Spyware may collect information about a computer user's activities and transmit that information to someone else. It may change computer settings, or cause "pop-up" advertisements to appear (in that context, it is called "adware").

Spyware may redirect a Web browser to a site different from what the user intended to visit, or change the user's home page.

However, the danger that worries most people more is invasion of privacy. Spyware programs can collect all sorts of data off your computer to send back to its maker. Usually it is information that can be used for advertising/ marketing analysis, such as what Web sites you visit frequently.

However, there is the potential for spyware programs to gather almost any information stored on your computer, including financial/credit card information and personal ID information (for the purpose of identity theft), e-mail addresses of your contacts (for spamming purposes) etc.

A type of spyware called "key logging" software records individual keystrokes, even if the author modifies or deletes what was written, or if the characters do not appear on the monitor. Thus, passwords, credit card numbers, and other personally identifiable information may be captured and relayed to unauthorized recipients.

Spyware can slow the overall performance of your computer to a crawl. It may steal bandwidth from your high speed broadband connection, thus slowing down Internet access as one or many spyware programs repetitively call “home” with their ill-gotten information.

The answer to the question, "Should you care?" is rather obvious, isn’t it? You better believe it!

MOST USERS ARE UNAWARE THAT
THEY HAVE SPYWARE

Some of these software programs have legitimate applications the computer user wants. They obtain the moniker "spyware" when they are installed surreptitiously, or perform additional functions of which the user is unaware. Users typically do not realize that spyware is on their computer.

They may have unknowingly downloaded spyware from the Internet by clicking within a website, or it might have been included in an attachment to an e-mail or embedded in other software.

ALMOST EVERYBODY HAS SPYWARE

According to a survey and tests conducted by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance, 80% of computers in the test group were infected by spyware or adware, and 89% of the users of those computers were unaware of it.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a consumer alert on spyware in October, 2004.

12 SIGNS THAT YOUR MACHINE IS
INFECTED WITH SPYWARE

Detect spyware and become your own spyware detector by observing your computer for the telltale signs listed below:

1. You’re deluged with pop-up ads. One client said her machine acted as though it was "possessed." This sign makes detecting spyware a must, doesn't it?
2. Your web browser home page defaults to a page you never requested as if under another’s control even after you change it. Your browser home page has been hijacked. You may also get a new, unrequested horizontal browser toolbar.
3. Media files like .wav (sound), .avi (movie), .wma (audio and video) and others open in strange applications.
4. Your machine takes a long time to do anything—start up, open programs, shut down, etc. Most people really get motivated to detect spyware when experiencing this sign.
5. You suffer frequent, unexplainable slowdowns.
6. Your high speed broadband connection is a lot slower than it used to be. Sometimes it slows to a crawl - another motivator to detect spyware and kill it.
7. Windows seems more unstable than it was. Crashes are now an expected occurrence.
8. There are unexplainable charges or services on your telephone bill (can be malware called a telephone dialer). This program dials out to someplace in the world on its own schedule and may report on what it has found out about you.
9. Strangers/businesses seem to know more about you than they should. Check your credit report. Beware of spyware collecting your personal information, resulting in identity theft. This makes for a critical need to detect spyware.
10. Redirected search engine results. You search for apples and you get a listing of oranges.
11. Strange additions to Internet Explorer Favorites or Windows Start Up Menu/Group.
12. Kazaa, or other music file sharing program, is installed on your computer. If it is, you could have up to 2,000+ spyware programs on your computer. You will have a Detect Spyware Festival!

Bonus Sign: Your anti-spyware or anti-virus program is turned off or malfunctioning. That way you cannot detect spyware. As a self defense tactic, spyware sometimes targets the weapons designed to kill it.