Spyware Programs Are Out To Get You
The US net provider EarthLink said it uncovered an average of 28 spyware programs on each PC scanned during the first three months of the year.
There are currently over 38,000 spyware and adware programs that are infecting innocent Internet users such as yourself through downloadable games, music, screensavers, pictures, pop-ups, emails, and the list goes on and on. Spyware and Adware can cause your PC to run extremely slow and even crash, and allow hackers and advertising companies to invade your privacy whenever they wish.
What Is Spyware?
Spyware is a broad term for programs that collects information from your computer without your knowledge or consent. Spyware is a software program that transmits a unique code to identify you (for tracking purposes) without your knowledge or consent. The programs collects or transmits information about your computer use, or other habits without your knowledge or consent.
This internet pest which is better known as spyware installs itself on your computer without your knowledge or consent. It performs other unwholesome duties, and continue to reinstalling itself no matter how many times you remove it.
Spyware!
It has become so pervasive that lawmakers in the US are looking into ways to prevent or regulate it. The Spy Audit by EarthLink reflects the results of scans involving over one million computers between January and March. It uncovered more than 29.5 million examples of spyware.
Why should I be concerned about spyware or adware?
Passwords, credit card details and other personal information could end up in the wrong hands.
Your computer could get unwanted viruses, worms or even Trojan.
You would receive unwanted emails.
Your computer could be used by malicious operators to do damage not only your own computer, but to other computer users too.
How did I get spyware on my computer and how do I eliminate it?
It usually happens when you visit a web site, and are prompted to download something that is said to be “necessary” to view or use features of that web site. Also, you might want or download a program that has some nice features, but also installs program code that can send information out without your knowledge.
“By tracking and publicizing the growth of spyware, we can better educate consumers of its risks and encourage them to take steps to protect themselves and their families while online,” said Christine Stevenson of Webroot, which conducted the scans.
People concerned about what might be lurking on their machine can download software such as the popular ZoneAlarm Pro, Pest Patrol, and Spybot to disinfect their computer.
Internet Security Basics
The explosive growth of the Internet has meant that thousands of people are today experiencing the joys of being online for the first time. With growth there always comes pain. Be it your growing pains as a child or the growth and development of this part of our culture called the Internet.
Firstly we need to quickly explain what the Internet is and where it came from. The Internet is the offspring of a military project called Arpanet. Arpanet was designed to provide reliable communication during global nuclear war. A vast network of interconnected computers was set up all over the world to allow the various branches of US and NATO forces to communicate with each other.
Nuclear war never came (thankfully) and the world was left with a massive network of computers all connected together with nothing to do. Colleges and universities started to use these computers for sharing research internationally. From there it grew and spread outside colleges to local homes and businesses. The World Wide Web was born and its father was a guy called Tim Berners Lee.
When you’re connected to the Internet you’re sharing a vast network with hundreds of millions of other users. This shared network provides resources that 15 years ago were never thought possible. Unfortunately when something is shared its open to abuse. On the Internet this abuse comes from hackers and virus creators. Their sole intent is to cause chaos and/or harm to your computer system and millions of other computer systems all over the world.
How do you combat this? You need an Internet security system. This might sound complicated but your Internet security system will be quite straigtforward being comprised of just 2 - 3 Internet security products. We’ll look at each of these products in more detail now:
AntiVirus Software
The first and most critical element of your Internet security system is antivirus software. If you don’t have up-to-date antivirus software on your PC you’re asking for trouble. 300 new viruses appear each month and if you’re not constantly protecting your system against this threat your computer will become infected with at least one virus - it’s only a matter of time.
Antivirus software scans your PC for signatures of a virus. A virus signature is the unique part of that virus. It can be a a file name, how the virus behaves or the size of the virus file itself. Good antivirus software will find viruses that haven’t yet infected your PC and eliminate the ones that have.
Antivirus software can only protect your computer from viruses trying to infect it via email, CD-Rom, floppy disk, Word documents or other types of computer files. Antivirus software alone will not keep your computer 100% safe. You also need to use firewall software.
Firewall Software
The use of firewall software by home computer users is a relatively new occurence. All Internet connections are a two way process. Data must be sent and received by your computer. This data is sent through something called ports. These are not physical things rather aspects of the way your computer communicates online.
Firewall software watches these ports to make sure that only safe communication is happening between your computer and other computers online. If it sees something dangerous happening it blocks that port on your computer to make sure your computer stays safe from the person who is trying to hack into your system.
An easier way to understand a firewall would be to picture your computer as an apartment complex. At the front door of this complex there is a security guard. Every person who enters the complex must pass this security guard. If the security guard recognizes the person entering as a resident he allows them to pass without saying anything. If, however, the person entering the complex is unknown to him then he will stop that person and ask for identification. If they have no business being at the apartment complex he escorts them from the building.
If you are not currently using firewall software your computer will get hacked into - that’s a guarantee.
PopUP Blocker
You can get a good popup blocker at no cost. An easy way to do this is to install either the Google or Yahoo toolbar. Both of these come with popup blockers built in. Popups are not necessarily dangerous but are a nuisance and using either of these toolbars will make your life that bit easier.
A simple rule for practicing online security is: “If in doubt then don’t”. If you don’t recognize the file, the email address, the website or if your gut feeling says “no” then don’t click that button.
What Is Adware?
Adware is one of many “malwares” or malicious software programs that are unknowingly installed on your computer when you visit online sites and download freebies. When you use share files or visit sites with free downloads of wallpaper, videos, or music, some of these sites will send along adware software with your download.
These malwares are a rapidly growing threat to all computer systems. It is estimated that in the first three months of 2005 over 80% of computer users had some type of malware software program running on their computer, without their knowledge.
Although it is much less a threat to your computer and information than spyware is, what adware will do is cause pop up banners and advertisements to appear on your computer. These advertisements are displayed on your computer no matter what program you might be using. What the people who place this type of nuisance software on you computer say is that adware advertising helps them to recover costs and allows them to offer you those freebies you want.
What you want to do to stop adware from appearing on your computer is to first run an anti-adware program. Run this program on demand regularly. Along with an anti-adware software program run your regular computer virus scan on demand also.
Check the security level on your computer. You security level setting should be at least medium to help protect you from unwanted downloads.
Do not download free files from the internet, period. When downloading any software read the end-user license agreement. Some of these agreements will state that when you download their software you are also agreeing to accept a downloaded spyware that may be placed on your computer at the same time.
Be aware of threats to your computer, and your personal information.
Why Do I Need Anti Virus Software For My Computer
If you’ve recently purchased a computer, or are just learning about using email and the internet, you may have heard about computer viruses and anti-virus software. You may be wondering if this is something that you should be concerned about, and if so, what you should do about it. This article will attempt to answer these questions for you.
First, you may be wondering just what a computer virus is. Basically a computer virus is one of many types of small programs that install themselves on your computer without your consent. Usually they enter your program through an email, or while you are browsing a website.
When these programs run, usually without you knowing, they can cause all types of problems with your computer. Some viruses can be mildly annoying, slowing down your computer as they use your computer’s resources for another purpose. Others can be very dangerous, collecting your personal information and sending it to another party, or damaging your hard-drive.
True to their name, viruses are able to use your internet connection and email program and send themselves to the computers of other people you know, spreading themselves just like a contagious disease.
Because of this, just like the health of your body, when it comes to computer viruses, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. It is much easier to prevent viruses from entering your computer than it is to get rid of them and cure your computer once it becomes infected. This is why Anti-Virus software is important.
Once you realize that you need anti-virus software installed and running on your computer, you’ll have to choose which one to purchase and install. This can be a complicated process, but here are some tips to make it a bit easier.
First, check your computer to see if it came with anti-virus software. Many new computers are shipped with anti-virus programs already to go on them, you just need to turn them on. Check your instruction manual to see if this is the case with your computer.
Check with the vendor. If you purchased your computer from a local retailer, check with them to see what anti-virus program they recommend. They should be more than willing to help you and may even be able to provide you with a discount since you purchased a computer from them.
Once you have your anti-virus installed and running on your computer, be sure to contact the software’s support if you have any questions. It is also important to keep your software updated. Many of these programs will automatically update themselves when you are online. This is very important since new viruses are always appearing and you want to make sure your computer is protected.
Wireless Networks
Wireless networks use radio waves instead of wires to transmit data between computers. Here’s how:
The Binary Code: 1s and 0s
It’s well known that computers transmit information digitally, using binary code: ones and zeros. This translates well to radio waves, since those 1s and 0s can be represented by different kinds of beeps. These beeps are so fast that they’re outside the hearing range of humans.
Morse Code: Dots And Dashes
It works like Morse code, which is a way to transmit the alphabet over radio waves using dots (short beeps) and dashes (long beeps). Morse code was used manually for years via telegraph to get information from 1 place to another very quickly. More importantly for this example, though, it is a binary system, just as a computer system is.
Wireless networking, then, can be thought of as a Morse code for computers. You plug in a combined radio receiver and transmitter, and the computer is able to send out its equivalent of dots and dashes (bits, in computer-speak) to get your data from here to there.
Wavelengths And Frequencies
You might wonder how the computer can send and receive data at high speed without becoming garbled nonsense. The key to wireless networking is how it gets around this problem.
First, wireless transmissions are sent at very high frequencies, which allows more data to be sent per second. Most wireless connections use a frequency of 2.4 gigahertz (2.4 billion cycles per second) — a frequency similar to mobile phones and microwave ovens. However, this high frequency produces a wavelength that is very short, which is why wireless networking is effective only over short distances.
Wireless networks also use a technique called “frequency hopping.” They use dozens of frequencies, and constantly switch among them. This makes wireless networks more immune to interference from other radio signals than if they transmitted on a single frequency.
Internet Access Points
The final step for a wireless network is to provide internet access for every computer on the network. This is done by a special piece of wireless equipment called an access point. An access point is more expensive than a wireless card for 1 computer, because it contains radios capable of communicating with around 100 computers, sharing internet access among them. Dedicated access points are necessary only for larger networks. With only a few computers, it is possible to use 1 of them as the access point, or to use a wireless router.
Industry Standards
Wireless equipment from different manufacturers can work together to handle these complex communications because there are standards which guide the production of all wireless devices. These standards are technically called the 802.11. Because of industry compliance with these standards, wireless networking is both easy to use and affordable today.
Wireless Is Simple To Use
If all this talk of frequencies has you worried — relax. Wireless networking hardware and software handle all of this automatically, without need for user intervention. Wireless networking, for all its complicated ability, is far simpler to use than you might expect.
You Need a Spyware Remover
If you use the internet, “There is over 90% chance your computer is infected with spyware”
Just think about it. You probably have a t least one, if not more computers in your home. Most computers today have internet access. And if you receive email from others and surf to a couple of sites can you be almost completely sure you have some kind of spyware installed in your computer.
How dangerous are spyware?
Let me give you a short list of things spyware can do,
• Spyware can run completely hidden on your computer
• It can slow down your computer a lot
• It can spy on you and send everything you type to someone else
• It can record everything you do, allowing someone to see it later
• It can spy on you and send account information, passwords, credit card numbers and similar to a third party.
• It can “steal” files, pictures, videos and more from your computer
Some spyware will do just a few things and others everything from the list above, and more.
You must keep your computer clean from spyware or risk loosing personal information, financial information or even your private photos or family videos.
Run a spyware scanner regularly to clean out any spyware that may have sneaked their way into your computer. Do note that antivirus software (even the most expensive ones) have problems to keep spyware out. So get a good anti spyware software and use it!
No matter what the spyware’s purpose really is, the bottom line is that at the very least it will cause you countless hours of problem solving and slow downs on your computer.
Scan your PC now to make sure it is clean. If you find anything, avoid using any credit cards or visit your bank until the PC is cleaned with a top anti spyware software.
To get more information and a see our Top Three list over spyware removal software with free downloads, please visit our site.
How To Remove Spyware From Your Computer
Spyware is rapidly becoming a major problem for Internet
users. It is estimated that 9 out of 10 computers are
infected with spyware or ad ware or both. Spyware may be
responsible for 50 % of all computer crashes. Spyware runs
silently and you may not be aware that your every move on
the Internet is being observed and recorded.
If a user does not detect and remove spy ware from his
computer, all his files may get infected and it may stop
working. All his passwords, credit card numbers and other
personal information may be stolen before he can realize
what is going on. Once spyware has been removed, the
computer will run much faster. It is worth while you to
find and use the best spyware removal software available.
Features Of Good Spyware Removal Software
A few features to consider, while searching for spyware
removal software products, are:
* It should offer complete protection from spyware, key
loggers, remote acess Trojans (RATS), browser hijackers and
ad ware.
* A good spyware program will offer automatic updates, to
provide protection from the latest spy ware threats.
* The spyware product should offer technical support, so
you can call or e-mail someone, if you have a technical
problem.
* A good customer service back up also shows that the
manufacturer can be trusted to look after the needs of the
customer in the long run.
How Does It Work?
It is very difficult to find and remove spyware software
from a computer manually. Spyware protection software
detects and removes spyware and ad ware from your computer
automatically. It can also protect your computer from data
thieves, hackers, malicious e-mail and other threats.
There are many free spyware protection software products
available. These programs can be used to detect and remove
spyware and adware that is already present in your
computer. Many types of spyware, install themselves on your
computer again, after you have deleted them.
Free spyware removal programs can help you to assess the
problem. A permanent solution may be to get the best
spyware solution product available.
Keeping it Clean: Virus Removal Basics
The day you learn your computer is infected with a virus or spyware is a lonely yet aggravating day. You’ll be angry that you fell victim, and may feel helpless because of your lack of knowledge about virus removal or pc repair. But don’t worry - you’re not alone! Unfortunately, you’re actually part of a club of tens of thousands of people who feel the same way every day!
According to AVG, virus protection usually doesn’t detect adware or spyware both of which can wreak havoc on a computer. Thousands of people each day are infected with malicious programs! Worry no longer and stop feeling helpless because this guide is a basic computer virus repair guide that will help you identify and remove viruses and malware.
Are You Running Antivirus Software?
If you already have virus software perform an update for the latest version and then run a system scan. If you do not have such software, download a free copy of AVG virus protection at http://www.grisoft.com/doc/40/lng/us/tpl/tpl01. This will give you free real time virus protection, email scanning and virus removal tools.
Next, download and run Ad-Aware to remove spyware, adware, and other troublesome programs http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/. Then download SpyBot Search & Destroy http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html. By using Ad-Aware and SpyBot you will have excellent protection against files that are often missed by virus protection.
To check for and eliminate browser hijackers, download and run CWShredder at http://www.intermute.com/spysubtract/cwshredder_download.html.
With the above programs simply run a scan and follow the prompts to remove any infected files or unwanted programs. Once that is done, upgrade your operating system, or download any needed patches, then reboot your computer.
These steps won’t solve every problem, but they will fix a large percentage of the things that cause your computer to act up.
Are They Watching You Online?
When surfing the Internet you probably take your anonymity
for granted, most of us do.
Tapping phones, listening to confidential conversations,
reading others’ e-mail messages seems like something that
only happens in spy movies to “other” people.
However, you probably don’t realize just how much
information about yourself has the potential to get
transmitted across the Internet every time you go online.
Every computer connected to the Internet has “ports” that
allow it to connect. A “port” doesn’t mean you have a
physical hole or opening in your computer’s case or
hardware, but it does mean you have openings through which
information passes back and forth between your computer and
the Internet.
Depending on the type of connection (dial up, LAN, cable,
DSL), you may have several openings for potential mischief
by hackers, malicious code or viruses.
Computers with dedicated connections rate the most at risk.
If someone or something gets into one of these ports and
into your computer, they can potentially watch everything
you do and see all the data you enter, including social
security numbers and credit card information.
The easiest way to defeat this problem involves using a
firewall. Firewalls, simple and inexpensive software
available at virtually any office supply or computer store,
block the most common ports hackers use to enter your
computer.
Firewalls also help you detect and block unauthorized
transmission of information from your computer to the
Internet. This adds a significant measure of protection if
you get infected with a Trojan Horse virus that tries to
“phone home” to the hacker with your sensitive information.
If you’d like to test your connection for vulnerability to
attack, log on to http://security1.norton.com and run the
various diagnostics. I would strongly advise anyone
connected to the Internet through DSL or cable to get and
use a firewall to protect against unauthorized access.
Infected with “Spyware?”
Previously we talked about unauthorized access to your
computer. But a growing problem online with people watching
you and your activities involves using programs you
willingly place on your computer.
Commonly called “Spyware,” this refers to any program that
transmits information about you to someone else without you
knowing exactly what gets sent. The main purpose of Spyware
involves tracking your surfing habits so advertisers know
which targeted ads to send you.
Most Spyware basically comes onto your computer bundled
with other software applications, as a standalone program,
or as modification to the HTML on a web page.
Regardless of how you get it, you need to understand
exactly what information gets transmitted about you so you
can decide whether to keep or uninstall the software. Plain
and simple, these Spyware programs can potentially reveal
extremely sensitive information about you and your online
habits.
If you have concerns about Spyware and whether or not your
computer currently carries any, log on to www.lavasoft.de
and check out the free PC software that will scan your
system for known Spyware.
Basic Computer Terminology
Ram? Mouse? One is an animal and one is a rodent right? Ram…that is the zodiac sign for Aries… If this is what these words mean to you than you can surely use this quick glossary of computer terminology. It would be a good idea to read through them before purchasing a computer because these are things you should know about first. If you already have a computer then these computer terms can help you know what to do if your new computer equipment is unfamiliar. Also, this computer terminology can help you if you have to call in for technical help.
Okay lets go!
Cache: Cache is another type of memory kindred to RAM. The computer uses cache to quickly move data between the RAM and the CPU.
CD-ROM Drive: Most new computers now come with a CD-ROM drive as standard equipment. A CD-ROM drive reads data from a disc. These CDs look like a music CD, but hold data instead of music. CD-ROMs also contain games, dictionaries, recipe files, and lots of other things that you can load onto your computer.
CPU: The CPU, or central processing unit, is the brains of the computer. Most new Windows based programs use a Pentium processor or a AMD Athlon XP. New Macs use a different type of CPU called Power PC.
Disk Drive:Virtually all computers come with a disk drive that can read and save information on portable diskettes, also called floppy disks. You can use floppy disks to save information or to load new software onto your computer.
Hard Drive: The hard drive is also called the hard disk. You’ll probably never see it because it is nestled inside your computer. It’s the computer’s electronic filling cabinet, and it stores the computer’s operating system, files, programs and documents.
Keyboard: Just like a typewriter keyboard, this device is the primary way of inputting data into the computer programs.
Megahertz (MHz): This is the clock speed of the microprocessor. The higher the number, the quicker the information is processed. MHz relates to how many millions of instructions can be processed per second.
Memory:This is the circuitry or device that holds information in an electrical or magnetic form. There is read-only memory (ROM), which is information primarily stored on a disk, and random-access memory (RAM), which is chip-based storage inside the computer. Memory is typically measured in megabytes (MBs).
Modem:This mechanism connects a computer to a phone line so information can be sent from one computer to another or the user can access an on-line service or the Internet. In view of the popularity of the Internet, a modem is now considered basic equipment and comes on practically all-new computers. Most modems come with fax capabilities.
Monitor: An output device that allows you to see what you are doing (it is what you are looking into right now to see this). Most computers come with 14 or 15-inch monitors. This size is good for most people’s needs. Larger 17 or 21-inch monitors also are available, but may cost more. Myself, I prefer the 17-inch.
Motherboard:The motherboard is the circuit board that everything in the computer plugs into. The CPU, RAM and cache all plug into the motherboard.
Mouse: The mouse is another input device that makes getting around in your computer easier. It is a handheld object that is good for doing tasks such as moving and pointing to objects on the screen, and can replace the function and control keys of the keyboard. (If you need a lesson on how the mouse works and how to use it click here for a tutorial.)
Printer: A printer is an essential part of the computer if you want a hard copy of your work. There are four types of printers on the market: dot matrix, inkjet, bubble jet and laser. The dot matrix is the most basic. Most inkjets and bubble jets can print color and graphics, and a laser printer offers the best resolution at the highest speed.
RAM:Computers save data in two ways: on the hard drive and in random access memory or internal memory. New computer buyers should look for models with at least 16 MBs of RAM (or more, depending on what types of programs you’ll be running). Make sure that the computer can be upgraded.
Scanner:A scanner is a useful accessory to have if you are working with lots of artwork or photos. This device can copy written documents, pictures or photographs directly into your computer. There are three types of scanners: handheld, hopper-feed and flatbed.
Sound Card: This device allows your computer to reproduce music, sounds and voices. Make sure you have a sound card if you’re planning to play multimedia games.
Video Card: The video card is the part of the computer that sends the images to the monitor.
Well there you have it, a quick course on computer terms. I hope it has helped to guide you in your purchase of a new computer; or to help you with the one you have.
