We are almost to an end for our series on Spyware. In this series we covered:

1. An overview of spyware

2. What it does

3. How you can get infected

4. How to fix it

5. How to tell if you have been infected

Before we get on with the final article in this series I would like to let everyone know that in keeping with our current theme of computer and network security, we have the below available for Small Business Advantage members. If you are not already a member, feel free to JOIN HERE.

Available now for members is a collection of videos, software, graphics and more, that we have spent lots of time collecting from around the Internet. Here is a sample of what we currently have available with more to come.

-Free Videos related to Windows Vista and Apple security basics

-Free E-books related to computer security and operating systems

-Free anti-spyware tools and anti-virus tools

-Free Security seals and graphics for your website

-Our featured and highly recommended Small business IT security products

Hope you enjoy, but before you can take advantage, you will need to become a member of the Small Business Advantage.

Now back to the final article on Spyware: How Do We Prevent Spyware?

Spyware is software that infects computer systems and monitors all Internet and browsing activities of the user. Be keeping a record of the same, the software collects a plethora of personal information regarding the user of the PC and relays it back to the individual/ organization that has released the Spyware on to the PC. By doing so, the sender of the spy virus is able to keep a track on the person’s activities and is able to garner a wide range of information about the person which can be used in a number of ways. Apart from the obvious threat that is caused to the identity and the associated security of the person, the Spyware programs are also known to tamper the functioning of the computer by attracting viruses, slowing down the performance speeds and meddling with the computer settings.

As the rise of the treat posed by Spyware has augmented vastly in this last decade, methods to take action against it too have come up. While fixing Spyware infiltrations and removing the program from an infected computer with the help of ant-Spyware programs has become possible, the best way of protecting your computer is by preventing an attack in the first place.

As the adage goes, prevention is indeed better than cure, and in this article we shall discuss some tips and techniques the users can inculcate into their routines in order to be able to avoid any Spyware attacks.

The first common principle is to be aware of the links and pop-ups that you are pursuing. Mindlessly clicking on all that is offered to you on the World Wide Web is the worst possible course of action to follow. A majority of the offers for “free stuff” on the Internet can be revealed to be large scale scams that actually carry Spyware programs that once installed onto the computer track and record your every move. One should only accept download offers from trusted and reputed sources that are known for ethical conduct and have strict policies. This rule should also be applied to the process of opening attachments in e-mails.

The next tip is to regularly update your Browser and Server to keep all the entry holes into your system tightly shut.

The next step is to install a reputed and effective firewall on to your computer system. Some of the firewall programs available are the Spybot Search and Destroy which is available free of charge and also the ZoneAlarm, which too is free of cost. These programs can be used to scan the computer and record all the activity taking place on the system. If the presence of some objectionable program is detected the programs can be used for eliminating them. It is advised to use the services of there programs on a regular basis.

The most important tip and perhaps the most helpful one is to maintain caution at all times while using the Internet and its many services. It is important to be wary of all the products and services being offered on the World Wide Web as many of them are merely fronts for elaborate scams that could damage your computer system irreparably. Hence, whenever you encounter a program or a pop-up that seeks permission to store files on your PC or to download material, it is important to ensure that it is from a trustworthy source. Being alert and aware about the material you are transferring onto your computer can make all the difference in the world when it comes to safeguarding your computer.

The next tip is to ensure that all the aforementioned safety practices are put into practice by all the people using the computer. If it is a personal system, you can take the responsibility of being careful about the various threats and dangers. However if you are sharing the computer with a colleague or it is a family computer, make sure that everyone involved is informed about these principles and follows them effectively.

There are several ways of detecting a Spyware virus in the computer system. Some of these are described as follows:

When pop up advertisements that are unrelated to the websites that the user is visiting, appear every time the user surfs the web, his computer system may be infected with Spyware or any other unwanted software. These advertisements are usually promoting adult material or other objectionable matter.

The user may notice that his homepage as well as his search page settings are changed every time he restarts his computer. This means that a third party is tampering with the system and changing these settings. Even if the user changes them every time he logs on, they ultimately revert back every time the computer restarts.

The user’s web browser may contain additional toolbars that have not been downloaded by the user himself. Again, even if the user removes these toolbars, there are no changes when he restarts the computer.

When a Spyware virus is placed onto a computer system, it tracks the web activities of the user. The resources used by the creator of the virus slow down the computer and hampers the basic functioning of the system. Therefore, indications of an infection may be that a certain program crashes continuously at an increasing rate or if the system is slower than usual.

In order to detect Spyware at an early stage, the user must check the computer’s cookies on a regular basis. Every computer system builds up cookies which make the internet run much slower than normal. Cookies also allow advertising companies to identify which pop up ads must be sent towards the user. These cookies must be deleted on a regular basis in order to avoid Spyware.

Every website will prompt the user to download something or the other. However, the user should not click on any dialog box that looks suspicious. Every user must know exactly what he is installing onto his computer system. Here, the user must be sensible enough to realize that dialog boxes which announce that he has won a million dollars, is a Spyware which will ultimately destroy the computer system. The user must know what to click on and what to avoid, in order to prevent a Spyware infection. Therefore, the user can detect a Spyware even if he opens an email that is sent by an unknown email address.

In today’s day and age, it is recommended to run a personal firewall in order to detect a Spyware infection. Firewalls have the ability to sound alerts for both inbound as well as outbound activities. Every user must be on a look out for those unfamiliar programs that try to send out data from his computer system.

Currently on the market are software programs that will log every installation that occurs on your machine. It is best to leave these hidden on the system. It is possible to catch the installation of many spies in this way.
Anti-spy programs are those software that search for specific traces that are related to particular Spyware. Text string scanning is an effective way to detect Spyware. X-Cleaner is another software which not only detects the virus but also attempts to remove it.
Ironically, users can detect Spyware infections in their computer system by installing a spy software onto the system first. Since spy software is capable of screening all keystrokes, it can detect the existence of another spy software as well.
Running virus scans are secondary. If a computer system is infected by Spyware, the user must look for the above mentioned subtle warnings before the virus irreversibly harms the system of the computer permanently.

This week begins a series of posts on the little nasties that can hinder your computer systems at home and in your small business computer netowrking environment.

Virus:

A computer virus is a program that replicates itself and infects a computer without the user’s permission. A virus extends to another computer system when the host is transferred to it, for instance, if the user sends it through a portable medium such as a floppy disk, CD, DVD or USB. Most computer systems are connected through local area networks which increases the chances of the spread of a virus. Some recent viruses are known to affect a personal computer over networks such as Instant Messaging, Websites or even through a simple email. Viruses generally affect the computer system in a number of ways, depending on the nature of the virus and its degree of destruction. It can severely hamper the basic functioning of a computer or it may remain dormant in the system, without the user ever experiencing any serious connectivity problems.
Anti- virus software is capable of identifying and removing viruses
but is only effective when they are updated regularly.

Spyware

Spyware is a software that not only has the ability to collect all kinds of personal information picked up from the user’s activity with Internet surfing, but can also create obstacles in the functioning of the computer by installing new software and redirecting activity concerned with Web browsing. It changes settings of the computer system which leads to a slower Internet speed, special home pages and loss of proper functioning of other programs. Spyware usually tricks the user into installing it onto the system by presenting it in such a way that makes it seem like a useful and desirable service. Other ways in which Spyware is transmitted is through the installation of shareware, in which the virus is attached to the desired software. Spyware is also transmitted onto computer systems through a manipulation of the security features which are designed to curb unwanted installations on websites.
Over the years, due to worsening of Spyware threats, various products such as Steve Gibson’s OptOut, Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware SE and Patrick Kolla’s Spybot- Search & Destroy- have been created which are dedicated towards eradicating or blocking Spyware.

Adware:

Adware is software which intrudes on the user’s privacy. However, while Spyware is designed to hamper with confidential information, Adware usually aims at marketing. Adware tracks the user’s web browsing habits, the nature of advertisements he clicks on, the bookmarks he makes and other routine online functions. A more serious form of Adware forces the user to look at certain websites or adverts. This kind of Adware is designed with the purpose of directing us towards the installation of Spyware. Some programs which effectively remove this virus are Ad-aware and Spybot- Search & Destroy. However, sometimes Adware may have to be removed manually. For this, the user must first disconnect the Internet connection. Surprisingly, most Adware applications have a fully functioning de-installation option which can effectively remove the virus. Next the user must run a complete scan of the computer- which allows the user to clean quarantine or delete as required.

Malware:

Malware is a virus which tampers with the browser, redirects searches and leads to undesirable pop-up ads. Malware usually leads to a slowing down of the speed of the computer. Even after removal of the virus, it has the ability to reinstall itself- making it very difficult to permanently remove it. Like Spyware, Malware is usually attached to preferred software such as Kazaa and iMesh. The virus also presents itself to be a useful feature which will benefit the computer system, in order to deceive the user into installing it. Anti-virus firms hardly pay any heed to Malware. Regular anti-virus programs are used to remove Malware. However this is not entirely useful and a dedicated anti-Malware remover is required. The only precautions that users may take in this context include running regular virus scans and avoiding the virus altogether by being careful while surfing the Internet 

Please enjoy this brief 5 minute video on detecting virus, spyware, malware, and adware.

To our subscribers, I apologize for being absent for so long from this website. However, we have been adding some things in the background and have much more on its way. So please check out the new design, the new additions like the Small Biz Advantage Membership and more.

Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing articles realted to PC security. Specifically spyware, adware, malware, viruses and other little nasties.

So we ask you stay with us, enjoy the read when we post, enjoy the free tools and downloads along with much more.

Please, share us with your friends and any small business you think may benefit from us.

by Etienne A. Gibbs

Back in October of 2005, Microsoft, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Action, a public watchdog and education group, joined together to launch a campaign aimed at helping consumers prevent their computers from getting turned into zombies.

Hacking was real then as it is real today. Hackers always manage to stay one step ahead of authorities. Today they have managed to come up with a whole new way to hack into your home and business computers. Because wireless Internet access points have become popular for homes and businesses, hackers have now become a major target for hackers. In this new phenomenon, called “dive-by hacking”, hackers simply take their laptop computers in their cars and drive through business parks or residential neighborhoods remotely scanning for open wireless networks. (This is similar to the old version of the drive-by garage door remote theft where criminal would use universal remote controls to open garage doors without arousing the suspicions of neighbors, police, or home security companies.)

Today millions of businesses and homes have implemented wireless networks for their convenience, and, sadly, for the convenience of the cybercriminals. And hackers don’t even have to open your garage door to enter your home or business. Now hackers can simply pull up outside, up to 600 feet away, and gain access to the network, the Internet, and every computer on the network. This kind of hacking has become so popular that you can even find public websites around the globe that sell maps to all the known “open” wireless networks.

According to Tim Cranton, director of Microsoft’s Internet Safety Enforcement programs, “The only way to slow the spread of zombies and other online threats is by going after them as resolutely and in as many ways as possible.”

People who use the Internet but don’t properly protect their PCs from cybercriminals may never know that their computers have been compromised – even after their infected machines begin causing problems for other people and, potentially, themselves.

As government agencies and email providers have cracked down on ways of exploiting consumer and business PCs, many computer criminals have turned their attention to creating zombies. They do so by tricking people into loading malicious code by hiding it in e-mail attachments or in music, video or other files that people download online – or even within data transferred when clicking on an infected Web site.

As more people sign up for high-speed Internet connections at home, computer criminals have set their sights on a growing population of potential zombies that never sleep. “High-speed connections are an extremely convenient and powerful way to access the Internet, but people need to realize that their connections don’t turn off when they walk away from their computers,” says Aaron Kornblum, Microsoft’s Internet-safety enforcement attorney.

Because the potential threat is so great, the anti-zombie campaign stresses prevention as the best defense against spam and zombie attacks. All three partners, Microsoft, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Consumer Action, continue to urge consumers to ensure their computers have the latest software for detecting and preventing computer viruses and spyware. The partners also stressed the importance of installing a software firewall, programs on a computer or network of computers that examine e-mails and other incoming information to determine if they pose a threat before they are delivered within the computer. (Download the PowerPoint presentation from Microsoft, How Zombie PCs Operate: A Graphical Presentation, to get a better understanding.)

So, what can you do to protect yourself? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

* Use a firewall to protect computers from hacking attacks while connected to the Internet.

* Get computer security updates or use the automatic updating features to shield computers from viruses, worms and other threats.

* Use up-to-date anti-virus software to help protect against the latest threats.

* Get anti-spyware software and beware of tricks designed to get people to download and install unwanted and sometimes destructive software. This software is sometimes distributed in non-commercial music downloads, file-sharing programs and free games

* Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files in emails from unknown senders.

To protect yourself, you need an Internet security team of experts making sure that you, your family, and your business computer are always safe and secure. The best protection you can have in today’s rapidly changing world of cyber-attacks is to have expert support for all your Internet security needs that will provide technical support without any hassles and without charging you extra fees. It will become even more critical than it is today as time goes on. You need to find your own personal team of experts to rely on. If you ever have a security problem, you will want to have a trusted expert you can call for professional help, without any hassles and extra costs!

Because cybercriminals are becoming smarter and more sophisticated in their operations, they are real threats to your personal security and privacy. Your money, your computer, your family, and your business are all at risk.

These cybercriminals leave you with three choices :

1. Do nothing and hope their attacks, risks, and threats don’t occur on your computer.

2. Do research and get training to protect yourself, your family, and your business.

3. Get professional help to lockdown your system from all their attacks, risks, and threats.

Remember: When you say “No!” to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don’t, we all lose!

© MMVII, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, The Internet Safety Advocate

About The Author: Etienne A. Gibbs, Independent Internet Security Advocate, consults with individuals, small business owners, and home-business entrepreneurs regarding online protection against spyware, viruses, malware, hackers, and other pc-disabling cybercrimes. For more information, visit www.SayNotoHackersandSpyware.com/.

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