Your PC - Personal Security & Safeguards

Use Anti-Spyware Software

What's Spyware?

What is Spyware? In easy terms, Spyware is software that transmits personally identifiable information from your computer to some place in the internet without your knowledge.

Spyware is typically not the product you install itself, but small add-ons, that you may or may not have an opportunity to disable during install. In most cases, the End User License Agreement (EULA) of software you may have installed (such as Kazaa or Morpheus) somewhere has a few lines telling you about privacy matters, but typically most users don't read the complete EULA and never know they installed the Spyware on their system.

The worst of the Spyware is the class of helper tools for your Internet Browser.  These include tools that help you remember information and perform searches.  These tools capture information entered into forms onscreen, as well as remember all of your web addresses.  Did you know that many of your private passwords, are actually passed to the web server as a part of the web address?

Another threatening sort is adware. Adware is similar to spyware, but does not transmit personally identifiable information, or at least the collector promises not to sell it. Instead, aggregated usage information is collected.  Adware is also often a side-effect of spyware, as both monitor you for a sole purpose – delivering you advertisement that is especially tailored to your habits.  But never forget they also mine your information for sale to businesses around the world!

Another kind that is included the Spyware category are tracking cookies. Cookies are used all over the internet in useful and less useful places. Advertising companies often save cookies whenever your browser loads a banner from them. Many times the company will use the cookie to track and provide them with notice about every site you visit that contains their ads.  Thus they know your browsing habits.

Other Anti-Spyware products:

• Get information about SpyCop
• Get information about SpyGuard

Checklist to Help Protect against Spyware

Which steps do you need to take to help protect your data and computer from Spyware?

1. Install one or more Spyware scanners.

Install at least one Spyware scanner (such as Ad-aware).  Because this is a new category, each vendor has some features different than others, and may catch something the others do not.

2. Run Your Spyware Scanner Weekly.

3. Inform Your Family.

Tell your family members who use your computer about Spyware, and the risk.  Help them understand that software should be discussed before it is installed, and only commercially recognizable software should be installed, or that which comes from acceptable sources.

4. Watch Those Installations.

When installing software, always pay careful attention to the installation features.  When in doubt, say NO!

• Only install the features you need and want.
• Be careful of multi-part installations where the main installation finishes, and then a new piece of software asks to be installed.
• Always make sure that before you install, that you check to make sure there is an uninstall utility.
• After installation is complete, check the Add/Remove Programs in your Control Panel, to see if new software was installed without your knowledge.
• Run the Spyware scanner to see what it can find - frequently it will find unseen software installed.

5. How to know if your computer has Spyware?

Stay alert for these symptoms:

• Your Internet Browser's tool bars have new icons or a whole new tool bar.
• Your Internet Searches now go to someplace unexpected.
• New Popup windows appear from websites that didn't have them before.
• There are new icons in your system Taskbar.
• There are new and unknown icons on your desktop or in the Start Menu.
• You have unknown programs in the Add/Remove Software list.

6. What should you do if you get Spyware?

Calling your state's Attorney General would be great if they cared.  Spyware is a crime!  However, as in most things, you are on your own.

• Get the latest "update file" from your anti-Spyware vendor's Web site. For each new threat, Spyware vendors issue updates against new Spyware and Adware.
• Run your Spyware detection scan. It will find inappropriate files automatically. It will advise whether it is able to remove them from every your system or whether you should delete those files manually.  Unlike viruses, Spyware is not known to corrupt data or change your files.
• Inform whoever might have been responsible to be more cautious.  However, keep in mind that many such programs come in right through banner ads.