"You may have spyware on your computer. Click here to remove it." There it sits. The small pop-up box that just appeared on your computer as you were surfing along, minding your own business. Do you click the button because it tells you to? Or is it just a trick: an ad designed to look like an "official" Windows message that will really load unwanted spyware or adware on your computer without your knowledge? Spyware and Adware are two variations of malicious software that circulate around the Internet and sneak their way onto your computer when you call up a web page or open a bad e-mail attachment. The term spyware refers to types of software that record things that you do or websites you visit. They even record things that you type, like usernames and passwords. Then they report this information back to the software author. This information can be used to make fraudulent charges to your credit card or access your financial institutions under your name. The term adware refers to software that bombards you with unwanted pop-up ads, places new icons on your desktop for things like gambling and adult websites, and replaces your Internet start page with another one. If your computer has slowed down tremendously all of a sudden, you might have some of this software installed. Dell Computer reports that many callers to their customer support centers are complaining of slow PCs. It's not a problem with the computer; it's just that the spyware/adware is consuming so much of the resources that it leaves little time for it to do anything else. Of course, a slow computer cannot automatically be blamed on malicious software. If your computer is over 3 years old or you're just trying to run too many things at once, that could be the problem also. It's annoying to think that people are out there always coming up with new and sneaky ways to force their software onto your computer, but there is money to be made or reputation to be earned among their peers by doing it. So we're left with having to watch our every step online. Fortunately, there are measures that can be taken to protect yourself. Here are some specific DOs and DON'Ts for avoiding spyware and adware. To avoid adware and spyware, DO these things: - Use the latest browsers - Browsers are starting to incorporate built-in features that protect you from adware and spyware. For example, version 6 of Internet Explorer included a pop-up blocker that prevents most (not all) advertisements from appearing while web surfing. It's often by clicking on a shady ad that a person winds up installing adware or spyware in the first place. Many people now recommend using the Firefox browser instead of IE or Netscape because this browser is supposed to be safer from malicious software. But keep in mind that there is no 100% safe browser, and read on...
- Install at least one Adware/Spyware removal tool - Even with a good browser, you need to install software that's designed specifically to detect and remove any malicious software that gets through. Two good choices are AdAware and Spybot: Search and Destroy. Both of these programs are FREE for personal (non-commercial) use, and having them both installed on your computer is a good idea. You may have to manually run each scanner from time to time instead of scheduling them to run on their own. Use both tools since one tool may miss a piece of bad software that the other one catches for you.
- Install a good anti-virus program - The big players in this field are McAfee and Symantec. You'll have to pay for these (and renew every year), but it's worth it to know that your computer and private information is more secure. Keep in mind that each program you install on your PC to protect you will also take up resources and slow your computer down. You may find that either McAfee or Symantec products cause your computer to slow down more than the other. It depends on your computer's age, model and brand, among other things.
To avoid adware and spyware, here are some DON'Ts: - Do not open attachments from people you don't know - If someone sends you an e-mail that you don't know, be very skeptical of it. You may not want to open the e-mail at all. If you choose to open the message, don't open the attachment unless you can confirm from the source that it's not malicious.
- Do not open STRANGE attachments even from people you DO know - Even if you know the person sending you the e-mail, don't assume that they actually sent you the message with the attachment. Many viruses get on a computer and then send copies of themselves out to everyone the person knows using their e-mail address. It may look like it came from them, but they didn't write it. These messages try to fool you into thinking the attachment is something you asked for, something funny, something they mentioned they were going to send you, etc. Many times, something is just "off" about these messages. They are too short or generic, or they might use bad or broken English. It's best to call the person to confirm that they sent the attachment to you before you open it. You can always check lists of known viruses to see if the describe similar messages.
- Do not click on pop-up boxes or banner ads telling you that you have a virus or spyware - People try to get you to click an advertisement by making it look like a real Windows system message. In reality, it's just a graphic made to look that way. When you click it, you'll be taken to the seller's website. If the website exploits certain methods, it can install the spyware it claimed it would protect you from. The best thing to do with these ads is to click the "X" in the upper right corner of the box (if it's a pop-up window) or just ignore it (if it's part of another web page you were looking at).
- Don't forget to run the anti-spyware programs you installed every week or so - In the list of DOs above, I suggested two spyware/adware detection programs (Adaware and Spybot). Don't forget to open these now and then, allow the software to connect to the Internet and download updates, and scan your computer to find and remove malicious software.
Awareness is really the best defense against this type of software. If you know it's out there, you can keep your eyes open. No matter what new spyware-blockers are produced, a new generation of spyware will eventually surface that can get around the protection. But it's important to learn how to identify what's safe and what's not on the web, just like you know safe and dangerous places to travel in your city. Then you'll have a better idea whether you should click that box that just popped up and said: "You may have spyware on your computer. Click here to remove it." |
