A spyware remover program that came across my desk just the other day. No Adware is anti-malware software that professes to have a solution that will:
• Perform a web bug scan... A web bug scan will search your computer for web bugs, which are either a small graphic in either an email message or on a web page. What this little piece of code will do is monitor the web pages or e-mails that you are reading. THAT is pretty scary stuff indeed! Web bugs are very small, usually 1 pixel by 1 pixel and are represented as HTML or IMG tags.
• Kill adware.... these are the little cookies and bots that put ads on your computer whenever you load up a web page.
• Stop dialers.... the unauthorized use of your Internet connection via dial-up.
• Eliminate Spyware... pretty self explanatory, stop people from snooping into your online and computer activity.
The makers of No Adware state that they also offer PC immunization. By that they state they have a system that will prevent those infuriating yes/no boxes that pop up asking you for permission to install adware and/or spyware.
Here is how they do it: If you just happen to install an item that is in No Adware's list of blocked items, that spyware or adware will be prevented from being installed on your computer.
Here is a neat feature: Many slimy web site operators will try to wiggle their way into your favourites list, hoping for that ever valuable click to their site.
A Recent study shines a light on Internet Explorer... should you drop it?
A new study found that one of every 67 webpages exploits a vulnerability in Internet Explorer. One in 62 domains contained at least one scripted drive-by download attack.
The study, by a group of researchers at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington, also found that Firefox was significantly more capable of blocking spyware attacks.
A small number of infectious domains are responsible for the majority of infectious links and can infect a computer whether or not a user responds "yes" to a security prompt. In 0.4% of the URLs examined, drive-by downloads were attempted and 0.2% of URLs that exploit IE browser vulnerabilities.
Comparatively, only 0.08% of URLs were able to get by Firefox security and those required user consent in order to succeed.
The study also showed high concentrations of spyware at gaming, screensaver, and celebrity sites.
Conclusion? Cease using Internet Explorer! I know you may be shocked, but Microsoft’s internet browser has more holes in it than your spaghetti strainer! One alternative is Mozilla’s Firefox, available for free download at Mozilla.org.
After installing the browser, it will automatically transfer your bookmarks/favorites and settings over to Firefox. Also, please make sure Firefox is your default browser. Using Firefox will reduce the amount of spyware and adware on your computer by 75%.
What No Adware does is allow you to stop that cold just by clicking on a PROTECT IE (Internet Explorer) FAVORITES button. In fact, No Adware will alert you and ask for your authorization on all 'Ad to Favorites' requests, both yours and the unauthorized ones.
Scheduled Scans for Malware.
With over 35,000,000 downloads of their free malware scan software, coupled with the mostly positive reviews, I would venture a safe guess that No Adware is software worth giving a try in the fight against all computer pests.
By: Dwight Brown
Spyware Remover... A Cautious Review
Spyware Protection - Five reasons why it is essential
Spyware, or software that is used to track your every move online, is one of the most serious threats that we face when using the internet and unfortunately it is all too easy to un-knowingly become a victim of it. That last piece of software that you downloaded, or that last download of mp3 music may also contain software that can display unwanted advertising, track your movements as you surf the web, collect personal information, and even change the configuration settings of your computer. These changes can include your home page and search page selection being altered and additional components being added to your browser. The speed at which your computer runs can also be affected or even worse spyware has been known to cause computers to crash altogether! Apart from the obvious, here are five good reasons why you need adequate spyware protection:
Number One - Personal details being used for identity theft. This one is scary and all too real. Un-authorized credit card charges, loans being taken out under your name, I'm sure you've heard the stories of what a mess this can make of people's lives.
Number Two - Ninety percent of all computers with an internet connection are infected with some sort of spyware. Ninety percent! That is one heck of a lot of computers. Even if a low percentage of this number are infected with spyware that can report back your private information how do you know your computer isn't one of them?
Number Three - Pop Up ads appearing without your consent, sometimes hundreds of them and almost impossible to get rid of. The content of these ads can also be of concern, as there is no way of knowing what will come up next, not pleasant for yourself and not the sort of thing that minors should be exposed to.
Number Four - Your computer systems speed can be greatly reduced once infected with spyware. This can be not only frustrating but when time equals money it can also be costly, very costly. The level of sophistication in today's programs means even a slight loss in computer processing speed can affect some programs immensely.
Number Five - If you have read this far and haven't cancelled all your Internet Connection Plans then you've done well! Seriously though I think the last and not least good reason to have adequate spyware protection is the pure inconvenience of what spyware can do to your computer. Literally hours can be spent trying to remove it once it takes hold and sometimes the removal cannot be done without damaging some of the installations already on your system. Removal would also be particularly hard if you are like me and have very little programming knowledge. I know I wouldn't like to fork out for someone to come and fix something that could easily have been prevented in the first place!
With more and more internet users becoming aware of potential threats when online, let's hope they all do their bit to stamp out this nuisance by being adequately protected and then everyone can have an enjoyable experience surfing the web.
By: Craig Wilson
Spyware and Microsoft Windows
The largest target of spyware is without a doubt Microsoft's Internet Explorer.
It is the most widely used web browser and it has a long history of weak security. Its deeply integrated into the Windows operating system and its scriptability make it very susceptible to intrusion by malicious software. Browser helper objects can easily attach to Internet Explorer. These helper objects redirect traffic and add toolbars.
The most common cause for users of the Microsoft Windows operating system to seek technical support from internet service providers or computer manufacturers is the infestation of spyware. In most cases the user has no comprehension of spyware and thinks that the system’s stability, performance, and/or connectivity issues relate to Microsoft Windows, hardware, or to a virus. Occasionally, owners of seriously infected systems end up purchasing an entire new computer system because their existing system "has become too unreliable or slow". Extremely infected systems sometimes require a clean re-install of all their software to allow the system to function properly. This is a highly time-consuming chore, even for accomplished users.
Normally, a single piece of spyware does not make a computer unusable. However, an infected computer almost always has more than one piece of spyware installed. AOL did a study in 2004 and concluded that if a computer has any spyware at all, it will be infected by dozens of different pieces. Its the cumulative effect of the different spyware components that cause the problems reported by users. The computer slows down to a crawl, overpowered by the many power-draining processes running on it. Similar to an immune deficiency disease, some kinds of spyware disarms anti-virus software and firewalls, and/or lowers browser security settings, which subjects the system to additional infections. In addition, there have been cases where a spyware program has disabled a competitor’s spyware program already installed on the computer.
There are some forms of spyware that modify system files to make themselves very difficult to remove. For example, Targetsoft changes the "Winsock" Windows Sockets files. Removing the spyware infected file "inetadpt.dll" will interfere with networking usage. For the sake of convenience, a Windows user generally has administrative-level system privileges. Because of this, any program which the user runs, intentionally or not, will have full access to the entire system. Spyware, along with other various dangers, has caused some Windows users to change to other platforms such as Apple Macintosh or Linux, which are less frequently targeted by spyware authors.
The most common complaints about spyware are Pop-up advertisements. Displaying and/or downloading ads can overwhelm a system. Its very rare for an infected system to have only one spyware program running. More typically, the system will be infected by dozens of applications. So, while one of the programs may display ads infrequently,the cumulative effect on the system can become overwhelming.
Most web users dislike offensive or irritating advertisements. Just like banner
ads, some spyware advertisements use flickering banners or animation designed to get the user’s attention — because of this they are very distracting. Pornography Pop-up ads often display indiscriminately, this even includes when children may be using the computer which is in violation of many anti-pornography laws.
By: Leif Wheeler
Protect Yourself from Viruses
No matter what you do, you are bound to run into a computer virus at some point. These are nasty little customers, and can leave your computer running at a snail’s pace, or can crash it altogether. The very bad ones can erase your data and render your machine useless. Even worse than this, they can get hold of your passwords and credit card details.
There are great antivirus software packages out there, but at times, even they can fail to protect your computer. This is why you need to keep an eye on things, and always remember to run a virus check.
If you have software like Norton’s, you should get automatic updates. Always make sure you take the time to download these. This information may be vital to protect your computer from a newer type of virus.
Computer viruses are always evolving, and those who produce them are always looking for new ways to infect your computer. If you have broadband Internet service, you should know you are at the highest risk for getting a virus.
If you don’t have virus software on your computer, you can find a free virus check on the Internet. There are quite a few that will scan your computer for viruses, but most of them stop there. I remember spending two days looking for a virus check that found the viruses and then took care of them. Most places will scan your computer, show you what you have, and then tell you that you must buy the their software to get rid of them.
This trick is quite common, and also happens with many free spyware and malware scans. You might want to read the fine print before you put your computer through a lengthy virus check only to be told you must then buy the product. Some come with a free trial period, and if they offer that, you may want to do it. In many cases, you may like the service so much that you buy it. This is the best way to find out if a virus check is worth your money.
Another thing to remember when running a virus check is to look into customer support if you choose to buy. You want a company that offers you online support if you run into trouble. Many viruses can be removed by software, but on occasion, some may need to be manually removed. This is often a long and complicated procedure. When you have to do this, it is nice to know help is at your fingertips.
Spyware Programs Protection
Spywares are software that are kept hidden, deployed secretly and executed transparently in your system. These spywares collect data from your computer, and send it to a remote database using your own Internet connection. Spyware creators are constantly changing their applications to avoid detection. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers.
Spyware includes keyloggers, backdoor Trojans, password stealers, and botnet worms, which cause corporate data theft, financial loss and network damage. Protection from spyware is an integral feature of our integrated security solutions, and is detected in the same way as viruses, Trojans and worms. Spyware Secure uses an extensive spyware definitions database and technically efficient spyware detection process. Settings can be adjusted to run scans as frequently as necessary. Spyware is a common term for files that are installed on your system without your knowledge that allow companies to monitor your Internet activity. What they don’t tell you, however, is how these files can be extremely dangerous to your PC and could cause major problems with your PC.
Spyware agents may be buggy (it’s hard to publicly beta test them!) and may cause unexplained system crashed. Other examples include what may appear as random crashes, responsiveness issues and general feeling that your system is unwell. Spyware may be sent to you within a virus. While spyware and viruses may have similar effects on your computer (such as slowing down your system), they have different purposes. Spyware can be used for collecting information about your computer’s hardware and software configuration, your web surfing and online buying habits, your passwords, your email address and personal information including your name, age and gender. If you are wondering “what’s the big deal?”about spyware, think about this: When you have these elements in your computer, you are very easily traced by these unscrupulous companies that are trying to exploit you.
Spyware can compromise your privacy because your personal information may be gathered and distributed to others. You may become a victim of identity theft or fraud. Spyware is often hidden alongside other programs, and you may unknowingly install spyware when you download a program from the Internet or install software from disks. You usually need a specialized anti-spyware program to remove spyware from your computer.
Spyware blacklist has been heavily updated! Go check it out now. Spyware Nuker XT users can play an important role in staying one step ahead of a new adware and spyware by voluntarily participating in ‘SpyShield’. Users that join SpyShield help identify new threats by submitting anonymous scan results. Spyware devices can be used to track your Internet behavior or can be employed for more threatening activities like recording your keystrokes to obtain passwords or pulling information from your personal files.So what can you do to avoid spyware?
Spyware is like a virus in that it is an unwanted program that runs on your computer. However, it does not try to replicate itself to other machines. Spyware could very well be the root of your problem. Get a free spyware scan right now to see if you are infected.
Spyware can be a very good marketing tool. Companies which produce spyware gain lucrative contracts from many companies for the service they provide. Spyware is largely (though not exclusively) an Internet Explorer problem. And like it or not, Internet Explorer, the Swiss cheese of the Internet, commands about 80 per cent of the world’s browsing. Spyware distributors often rely on security holes, clever cons, opaque “bundling” arrangements and other unsavory practices to spread their unwanted payload. As the threat has grown, so has the need to mount a coordinated defense against these unwanted programs and their adverse effects.
Spyware can cause data corruption and pop-up ads. Worse yet, spyware can also result in personal profiling, spying and even identity theft. Spyware can exist in the form of legal (and acceptable) commercial applications that give network administrators a great deal of power both over what they can affect, and see happening on managed systems.
By: kaleb