by AITP SDSU

Spyware Frequently Asked Questions (faq)

SpyWare Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is spyware?

A: Webopedia’s definition of Spyware is as follows: Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user’s Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet; however, it should be noted that the majority of shareware and freeware applications do not come with spyware. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about your e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers. For a complete report visit http://www.virus.ca

Q: How does spyware get into my computer?

A. Spyware often arrives via an automatic download from a website you are surfing. If you download freeware or shareware software, spyware can be embedded in the installation process. Spyware can also download on to your computer through email attachments.

Q: What is a cookie?

A: They small files or are pieces of information that are placed in your web browser to track web habits. Cookies are often useful; because a web site can track that you have visited it before and let you enter the site without a registration process. Cookies are also used to keep track of your progress through a web store. They are also used to customize website ads to your likes and dislikes. Some cookies can be considered spyware.

Q: How do I know if my computer has spyware?

A: Typical symptoms of spyware include a slower computer than normal. If your computer suddenly starts to run really slow, when it never used to, then it may be infected with spyware. Spyware often hogs system resources including the memory and hard disk space, so your computer slows down. Another symptom is if you get popups on sites where you didn’t get them before. To find out, do a Google search. If you get a pop up then you probably have adware or spyware because Google does not have popups. Another symptom is when your web browser’s homepage is hijacked when you go online. If your browser is suddenly redirected to a strange website, it’s most likely spyware.

Q. Why is spyware considered dangerous?

A. Spyware can compromise your privacy and provide others with information about you and your computer habits without your knowledge. Keylogger spyware can capture your

keystrokes and send it to a third party. This could expose your user IDs and passwords to thieves. Other spyware include trojans which allow someone to log into your computer

remotely and use it to send spam or launch malicious attacks on other computers on the

Internet, making it look like you are at fault.

Q: What is a “jacker” or a “switcher?”

A: These are slang terms for Hijackers, or applications that will change your browser home page, your default search engine and even redirect you away from websites you try to reach. Though the term hijacker sounds like one person is behind it all, today, there are many scams involving Browser hijackers, which are malicious programs.

These programs can also produce pop-up ads for pornography, add bookmarks to Internet Explorer’s Favorites folder, and can even redirect users to porn websites when they mistype URLs.

Q: What’s the difference between Adware and Spyware?

A: Adware is an application that pops up advertisement banners or windows at random.

Adware can also be seen on your browser content in what is known as pop-ups. Spyware gathers information about your computing habits.

Q: I have a spyware remover program but I don’t think it has removed a specific spyware program on my computer. What should I do?

A. Just like your anti-virus program, you need to update the spyware signature files in your anti-spyware program so that it will catch new spyware programs. If you already have antispyware software, go into your spyware program and see if it has a method to update these files. Or you can install CyberDefender AntiSpyware 2006 for a free trial, and see what spyware your program is missing. Visit http://www.virus.ca/anti-spyware-download.asp

Q: Is there a way that I can delete spyware manually?

A. If a spyware program is very obvious, for example; if it adds itself to your menu bar and be found listed in your Add/Remove Programs list in the Windows Control Panel. Click START, then Control Panel, then Add/Remove Programs and look for a program that you don’t recognize. Sometimes it is obvious….such as “XXX dialer.” Simply use the Add/Remove Programs feature to remove it.

Q: How can I be sure that my computer never gets spyware?

A: There are many anti-spyware programs on the market today; however, CyberDefender AntiSpyware 2006 catches spyware the others miss. Plus, CyberDefender’s patented technology monitors your computer constantly, using patented early defense technology. Every PC on the CyberDefender network is on the lookout for suspicious files and reports them to Threat Central - http://www.virus.ca/anti-spyware-download.asp Lightning-quick updating ensures you are protected from new cyber-attacks faster than any other anti-spyware tool. AntiSpyware 2006 is compatible with all other major anti-spyware products.

Because CyberDefender AntiSpyware 2006 works with other spyware software, it’s easy to run a test, and let CyberDefender catch the spyware your other anti-spyware is missing. It’s like insurance and will provide an added layer of protection. Or if you do not already have a spyware program, install one of the free anti-spyware programs such as Microsoft’s free anti-spyware program. Then run scans using each program. CyberDefender AntiSpyware 2006 will most likely catch more spyware.

Q: How does the CyberDefender Threat Central work?

A: Threat Central ranks threats from one to ten according to its Universal Severity Scale Threats rated above five are considered viruses while threats ranked below five are considered spyware or adware.

CyberDefender Universal Severity Scale

Category 7-10 Very High

Category 5-7 High

Category 3-5 Moderate

Category 1-3 Low

Viruses rated by CyberDefender’s Universal Severity Scale at seven to ten are considered Very High risk and very dangerous. Typically these viruses log user activity and present a high risk of data and system damage. These types of threats are difficult to contain and extremely difficult to remove. They often use unauthorized, invisible installation, and in addition to logging keyboard activity and taking system snapshots, these Very High risk viruses have the ability to disable anti-virus and anti-virus firewall programs, open communication ports, and send confidential user data to remote servers.

Q: How do I know CyberDefender Antispyware 2006 is working?

A: To verify whether your CyberDefender program is working please look at the bottom right hand side of your computer screen. In the icon tray you should find the CyberDefender icon which is a blue circle with the alphabet C inscribed inside it. If you do not find this in the icon tray look for it on the Desktop and double click on it to start the program. If you do not see it on the desktop or in the icon tray then you don’t have the program installed. Please proceed to www.cyberdefender.com to download and install the program.

Q. Is there anything I can do to stop spyware?

A. To protect your computer from spyware, don’t download programs by companies you are not familiar with. Don’t download illegal pirated software. Avoid shareware and freeware. Set your browser security to HIGH. Use CyberDefender’s Internet Security Toolbar by visiting http://www.virus.ca/anti-spyware-download.asp Its Safe Search feature will protect you when surfing the Internet. Last, on your Internet Explorer, click Tools > Internet Options > then the Security tab and move the slider to MEDIUM or preferably HIGH. But know that you may block access to some websites you want to see. Ultimately your best bet is to get an anti-spyware program and scan your system regularly.

www.trueantispyware.com What is Spyware? A lot of people are confused over exactly what spyware is. This video aims to clear up some of the confusion and provide solutions to the most common problems.
Video Rating: 3 / 5

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by stshank

Fake Antivirus Software

Computer viruses are a major problem. If you have ever been hit with a computer virus you will know how frustrating it can be. Your whole system can become unworkable. If you get one of those viruses that take over your desktop and bombards you with pop up messages saying you have a virus it can become impossible to do anything.

The problem is this problem is not going away but getting worse. Researchers at Google have released a report called The Nocebo Effect on the Web found a large increase in cases where users are tricked into purchasing fake antivirus software. This kind of malware now accounts for 15% of all online malware and 50% of malware delivered by advertising, commonly referred to as malvertising. This is a five time increase on last year.

In the report Google recommend use of virus and malware detection to prevent being attacked by this kind of virus. If your computer is not protected read up on some antivirus reviews to ensure you get a software product that will protect you.

The problem with this fake antivirus software is often after paying the fee to get rid of the incredibly annoying pop up messages you are actually installing additional malware onto your system which is used to monitor your web activity and steal your personal information.

Fake antivirus software scams have been around since 2003. Over the years this virus software has become more sophisticated using javascript to mimic the exact look and feel of the windows operating system.

Fake antivirus software distributors maximise their reach by posting ads to sites which lead to fake antivirus distribution sites and they also use black hat seo to optimise these distribution sites for trending keywords.

Fake antivirus software can be quite lucrative for cyber criminals and easy to set up. This is why the number of domains detected by Google hosting fake antivirus software went from 93 in January 2009 to 587 in January 2010.

To protect yourself from fake antivirus software always make sure you have the latest antivirus software on your system and refrain from clicking on adverts which appear suspicious. If you are prompted to download antivirus software you can always check the authenticity of the software by looking at antivirus reviews this way you will ensure you are not scammed.

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Hey guys, this is BnS ViRuS’ montage which i have edited. Short and sweet, hope you like it :D, 100% no Sniper Lobby. Didn’t want to throw it all out the boat just yet as im saving some sick effects for the XGS Montage - Subliminal. Make sure to Sub, comment and like! BnS ViRuS - www.youtube.com ~XGS AiiR

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Question by fila: Virus!!!!!!!!?
Is it true that if u inject a rabies virus into a dog that if a dog that has rabies bites this dog the 2 same virusse will cancel each other out? And if so why can’t they do that with herpes with marmoset monkeys?

Best answer:

Answer by chetco
Developing a vaccine requires a LOT of money. There is a vaccine for mamrmoset monkeys. It may not be perfected yet..This article tells of the study> http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v249/n5457/abs/249571a0.html

What do you think? Answer below!

Question by Deadly Ghost: Anti-spyware?
Is there any free anti-spyware that can be downloaded and after scanning of files, the infected files can be deleted. Every time I download an anti-spyware and when I try to delete the infected files, it asks me to purchase it so that I can delete the files. So what is the use. Please provide me with the link of any ant-spyware website which we can download for scanning and removing the infected files without purchasing?

Best answer:

Answer by jasev
Have you tried spybot seart&destroy? It’s free and really effective.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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by atariboy

Adware And Spyware Such A Pain

Spywares and adwares are not only annoying but more often than not tend to damage your computer software and sometimes can even cause some damage to your hardware too. These annoying bugs have become a bane for internet browsers worldwide. They have become a normal occurrence that we sometimes tend to ignore but God forbid we should never accept.

Spyware is computer software that spies on your internet usage. It collects highly personal and confidential information like credit card numbers, IPs and even addresses. The spyware program gets the credit card entries as the user logs them on a web form or an online application. Some spyware are even programmed to record your usage of the internet, what sites you visit, what files you download and how long you stay online http://www.setting1.com

The information are then sent or sold to advertisers which make good use of them for advertising campaigns that targets specific markets or audience. Usually, Spyware records IP addresses and shopping habits covertly or without the knowledge or consent of users. They do that in a number of ways. Some uses logging keystrokes to get information while some access the documents found in your computer’s hard disk.

The term spyware first came to use in 1995 but the adoption of its present meaning came five years later. Spyware has been identified as the top security threats to computers using the Microsoft Windows operating systems. And Internet Explorer users were found to be the ones more susceptible to spyware attacks. Because of the popularity of IE and Windows, spyware programs were created to specifically attack and find its way from the internet into IE and into the important parts of the Windows operating system.

The threats are real and that’s why the anti-spyware industry is flourishing. For every new spyware discovered, an anti-spyware program or update is created. These anti-spyware products usually disable or remove the existing spyware from the user’s computer system. Once installed, they also provide protection preventing a variety of spyware programs from installing themselves in your computer.

However, there’s a need to update these anti-spyware programs regularly. The World Wide Web is a fast pace medium. Everything in there changes quickly and even sporadically. The same goes with spyware. You never know when advertisers, web developers or even the government will come out with newer versions of spyware or adware that have improved ways of accessing your files and personal information. Some spyware program offer an uninstall option together with the program.

Most of the time, however, these uninstall options don’t work. Some even installs more spyware instead of removing that particular one. So, it is best that you rely on services of anti-spyware programs to fully remove them from your operating system.

But while it is good that there are various anti-spyware programs at your disposal, it is better that you prevent the installation of these spyware in the first place. Some of the techniques that you could use are to disable the automatic installations of programs in your internet browsers and to install pop-up blockers.

Spyware and adware attaches themselves more frequently on those rather annoying advertising pop-ups. When accessing your email, it is a good practice to ignore mails that came from persons that you do not know or those that contain a vague subject. It is best that you delete these emails without opening them. It is quite cumbersome, but you really need to take time doing these things to make sure that your computers are free from spyware.

To Remove the Worse You Need the Best (best free spyware adware removal)

Imagine yourself walking along a busy street, minding your own business. You stop by a men’s clothing store. You look at the window display, point at a new pair of shoes. After a few minutes of gawking at the window display you move on home.

As you go inside your house, you noticed a flyer on your porch. The flyer is on the exact pair of shoes that you saw in the men’s store. How did they know? Was it coincidence? If this all happened in the internet, then it’s probably not a coincidence. Your computer has been watched and your “movement” in the Web has been recorded. Your operating system has some spyware in it.

Spyware are computer programs that attach themselves in whatever things you download online. They are designed to track you wherever you go online. Spyware is a little different from adware. Adware are also referred to as freeware and are basically ads that pop-up when you open a website or webpage or open a program.

Spyware are similar in that they are also freeware, however, spyware programs have embedded tracking programs which reports your activity in the internet to the spyware agent which in turn provides the information to advertisers and web developers. With this information, advertisers and web developers and even the government can feed your computers with any information they want without your consent and even without you noticing it.

It is best, therefore that you employ some precautionary measures yourselves to stay free from spyware and adware attacks. First you need to disable auto installation of software programs in your internet browsers and you need use pop-up blockers and firewall protection.

This is your first line of defense against such spyware programs. The next thing to do is to get decent anti-spyware programs. It shouldn’t be too hard, there are a lot of them nowadays and most of them are free or at the very least have free trial accounts.

Among the most popular free anti-spyware and adware programs are Ad Aware and Active Shield. Ad Aware offers advanced protection against Data-mining, Parasites, aggressive advertising, Scumware and some traditional viruses and tracking systems like Trojans, Dialers, Malware and Browser hijackers. Active Shield on the other hand targets trojans and spyware.

Other popular anti-spyware software include Spy-Ad Exterminator Free which searches the computer’s memory, hard drives, and registry for spyware, adware, worms, hijacks, keyloggers, among others; Spy Cleaner Lite which identifies and removes programs that has been covertly installed in your systems; Spyware Doctor is an advanced adware and spyware removal program; Free Spyware Scanner tells the user how their computer got infected and the best solution for spyware removal; Doctor Alex Antispyware; Spyware Begone; 1-2-3 Spyware Free; and Easy Spyware Scanner.

Most of the time, these anti-spyware scanners and removal utilities will locate spyware and adware in your computer and will delete, ignore, or quarantine each and every one of them. Some anti-spyware programs will remove spyware automatically while other provides a user interface option where you can customize specific actions the anti-spyware would perform.

Some other popular spyware removal software includes Anti-Hijacker, Spyware & Adware Removal, Max Secure Spyware Detector, and Deluxe Spy-Kill utilities. These are just some of the more popular spyware removal software. It’s up to you which one you choose, but try to look for reputable ones. Look at reviews and ask for referrals from friends.