Free antispywere tools

FREE ZoneAlarm Extreme Security Scan

2009-11-24T15:30:00.000-08:00

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Avira on PC Welt test

2009-10-11T15:48:00.000-07:00

In the current issue of PC Welt (11/09), a total of eight security experts were called upon to give their best in virus detection. Security performance was not the only contributor to the excellent overall result: functionality, support, operation and system requirements also played their parts.

Avira Free Antivirus not only identified 100% of in-the-wild malware currently in circulation, but also 99.1% of the 461,187 lesser known viruses, known as zoo viruses. As the only producer that also offers a support hotline for its free product, we also managed to score highly in the support category with our German-developed software.

All of these facts, as well as the speedy updates and the satisfyingly low demand on system capacity, led the jury to offer the following summary: "Avira AntiVir Personal demonstrated the best overall scanning performance in the test. The manufacturer responded quickly to new threats. The program is also very fast, making it ideal for slower systems." So: enjoy visiting www.free-av.com for the best free virus scanner on the market.

Panda Global Protection 2009

2008-10-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

Panda Security’s Collective Intelligence works as an online, real-time database that stores the majority of signature files, keeping them at a minimum on the endpoint. Every Panda user is a sensor for new malware, sending statistical data about malware prevalence back to the cloud. This new approach reduces bandwidth consumption on customers’ PCs and provides faster and more comprehensive up-to-date protection. Here's how Collective Intelligence works:

1.

Collection of data from the community. The system centrally collects and stores behavioral patterns of programs, file traces, new malware samples, etc. This data comes from Panda users and from other organizations. This extensive capacity to collect information provides greater visibility and full traceability of new malware techniques and distribution points.
2.

Automatic leverage of data. The system automatically analyzes and classifies the thousands of new samples received every day. To do this, an expert system correlates the data received from the user community with PandaLab’s extensive malware knowledge base. The system automatically returns verdicts (malware or goodware) on the new files received, thereby protecting users faster and better. Additionally, a constantly updated white list of over 10 million files prevents known ‘good’ files from being scanned, improving and speeding up the scanning process and minimizing the resource consumption of protected systems.
3.

Making the knowledge and solution available. This knowledge is delivered to users as web services or through signature file updates and real-time queries to the cloud.

The Collective Intelligence approach allows detecting much more malware than the manual detection system that some laboratories use. Also, it can detect even threats not yet identified. Combining Collective Intelligence and TruPrevent technologies. Panda is capable to detect the most sophisticated malware.

TruPrevent 2.0. Current malware behavior changes constantly and consequently, proactive technologies need to be updated overtime. The new TruPrevent 2.0 has been improved and is now integrated with Panda's Collective Intelligence platform, increasing the detection rate substantially while decreasing the amount of false positives. The new TruPrevent 2.0 has increased the detection rate by 45%.

Improved Customer Experience. Panda 2009 products offer a better customer experience than before thanks to the new registration process and the new user interface. The new user interface has been built based on "Panda Security usability lab" in which users tested Panda products' usability. Furthermore, thousands of beta-testers worldwide have tested and complimented Panda's new user interface.

Mobile virus writer arrested in Spain

2007-06-27T05:25:00.000-07:00

Spanish police have caught their first mobile virus writer with the arrest of a 28 year-old man in Valencia.

The man allegedly wrote more than 20 different variants of the Cabir and Commwarrior worms, and sought to install them on mobile phones.

Police estimate that over 100000 phones may have been infected with the malware, and said that the damage may cost mobile operators and phone owners millions of euros.

"Mobile phone viruses are not nearly as common as the malware that strikes Windows desktops on a regular basis, but they are just as illegal in their intent," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.

"Viruses are not harmless pranks; they cause real harm disrupting business and personal communications as well as destroying and stealing sensitive data.

"The computer crime authorities around the globe are becoming more experienced at tracking down hackers and virus writers and, given this latest arrest, malware authors should be asking themselves whether it is really worth taking the risk."

The viruses were installed by users who thought they were downloading erotic photos, sports information or antivirus software.

One of the clues that led Spanish police to the arrest was the frequent inclusion of personal names, including 'Leslie' which is thought to be the man's fiancée.

Zlob malware hijacks YouTube

2007-06-24T14:35:00.000-07:00

YouTube is again being used to distribute malware, this time a variant of the nuisance Zlob malware.
According to Secure Computing, attackers are using a fake video link on the site to initiate infection with the Trojan, which bombards its victims with porn adware, before installing data-stealing code.

What makes matters worse is that the only defence against such attacks on the popular video-hosting website is the diligence of YouTube’s security personnel, who can remove attacks as soon as they find them. However, according to Secure’s Paul Henry, this still gives the malware distributors a window of opportunity of at least hours.

“The fact is, no one expects to find malware hidden in YouTube files. Yet the medium’s popularity is highly alluring as a mass distribution vehicle for malicious code. What’s alarming is that - from a security perspective - many users and organisations will be blindsided and potentially seriously exposed,” he said. “Hackers look at cost of ownership. On YouTube it [the period of opportunity] is half a day.”

The trend to compromise legitimate websites to distribute malware was the latest frontier for criminals, with a string of well-known sites having been hacked in recent times, he said. YouTube’s allure was its massive and trusting user base, which cuts across every demographic.

Secure’s solution was for companies to invest in ‘reputation services’ such Secure Computing’s own, TrustedSource. Equally, companies might choose just to block access to YouTube.

YouTube-related hacks are nothing new. Last November, one appeared on MySpace that posed as a video from the site, but which turned out to be a similar malware scam to the Zlob hack without actually using the site itself.

More recently, hacks hosted on the site itself have started appearing, or using the promise of a YouTube video as bait.

One researcher even claimed to have uncovered a nest of vulnerabilities on the site, none of which YouTube’s owners, Google, had been willing to discuss until he threatened to go public.

Hackers hit 10000 sites

2007-06-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Attackers armed with an exploit toolkit have launched massive attacks in Europe from a network of at least 10,000 hacked websites, with infections spreading worldwide.

As early as Friday, analysts reported the opening salvos of a large-scale attack based on the multi-exploit hacker kit dubbed "Mpack". The mechanics of the attacks are involved, but essentially attackers taint each compromised site with code that then redirects visitors to a server hosting the Mpack kit — a professional, Russian-made collection of exploits that comes complete with a management console to detail which exploits are working, and against what countries' domains.

Infected computers are fed a diet of malicious code, largely keyloggers that spy out usernames and passwords for valuable accounts, such as online banking sites.

"The gang behind the attack has successfully compromised the homepages of hundreds of legitimate Italian websites," said Symantec researcher Elia Florio in a posting to the vendor's security response blog on Friday. "The list of compromised sites is huge and from Mpack statistics this attack is working efficiently."

Florio says Symantec is uncertain how the sites were originally hacked, but suspected a common vulnerability or configuration problem at the hosting level. Paul Ferguson, a network architect with Trend Micro, would only guess at how sites were hijacked, but said that the 'how' is mostly moot. What's important: "The hackers seem to be able to find a lot of sites to compromise no matter where they look."

By Friday night, Symantec had pegged the number of compromised sites feeding Mpack exploits at 6,000; by yesterday, security vendor Websense said it had tracked more than 10,000. "That's a phenomenal number," argued Ferguson, who said that previous compromised-site attacks using hacker kits could be counted as "several hundred here, a couple hundred there".

Screenshots of the Mpack management console posted by Websense on Monday and Symantec on Friday illustrate the large numbers of computers that have surfed to the compromised sites, and the high success rate of the Mpack-delivered exploits.

"The lion's share of the sites we're seeing are in Italy still," said Ferguson, "but we're seeing sites all over the world as well." For instance, Trend Micro has identified hacker-controlled sites hosted in California and Illinois. The California site is hosted by a company Ferguson called "notorious", but he wouldn't divulge the hosting vendor's name.

"The usual advice we give, 'avoid the bad neighbourhoods of the web', just doesn't hold water anymore" when legitimate sites have been hacked and are serving up exploits left and right, Ferguson said. "Everywhere could be a bad neighbourhood now."

House committee antispyware effort

2007-06-16T03:44:00.000-07:00

USA House of Representatives committee on Thursday unanimously approved a pair of bills that would impose a slew of new regulations in the name of spyware crackdowns and new limits on the use of Social Security numbers.

In a meeting that lasted scarcely 10 minutes and was void of debate, the House Energy and Commerce Committee paved the way for amended versions of the controversial Spy Act and the Social Security Number Protection Act to go to the full House for a vote.

Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), the committee's chairman, said both bills "strike a blow" in a fair and balanced way against what he called the "scourge" of identity theft.

The Social Security number bill, chiefly sponsored by Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), prescribes new rules, to be issued by the Federal Trade Commission, that would generally bar the sale or purchase of Social Security numbers and allow state attorneys general to sue for civil penalties of up to $11,000 per violation.

The ban on trafficking in the identifiers would not be absolute, though: The bill asks that exceptions be considered for a number of purposes, including law enforcement, national security, public health, emergency situations and research "for the purpose of advancing public knowledge."

The bill would also prohibit display of Social Security numbers on any Web site that is generally accessible to the public or on any membership or identity cards, and it would make it unlawful to require that the numbers be used to log into accounts.

Those restrictions are a good move, albeit one that many corporations and universities are already adopting, said Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. But he said he believed the bill leaves "too many exceptions" on the numbers' sale and purchase. He also voiced disappointment that the measure would pre-empt all state laws, which, by his estimation, have been "taking the lead" on protecting privacy regarding Social Security numbers.

The newly approved antispyware bill also continued to draw reservations from online advertisers concerned it could unwittingly threaten their business models.

The Spy Act, among other things, attempts to make it unlawful to engage in various means of "taking control" of a user's computer, to collect personally identifiable information through keystroke loggers, and to modify a user's Internet settings, such as the browser's home page. It also includes a broad prohibition on collecting information about users or their behavior without notice and explicit consent.

Online advertisers and marketing groups have sharply opposed that requirement, arguing it would unintentionally threaten the viability of Web sites that rely on cookies and other tactics to target ads and to provide free content to their users. Although the bill says it exempts cookies from that notice requirement, the industry has argued that new, non-cookie technologies down the pipe could be threatened by the bill.
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The politicians refused to strip that provision in an amendment approved Thursday, opting instead to direct the FTC to study the issues it raises. (Law enforcement and national security activities, and software intended to prevent fraud would also be exempt from the notice requirements.)

Mike Zaneis, vice president of public policy with the Interactive Advertising Bureau, said in a telephone interview that the changes to the bill didn't satisfy the industry's concerns. The fundamental problem with the approach the bill takes, he suggested, is "we're not going to be able to predict and carve out all these new technologies that don't make sense to regulate."

The Spy Act is the second antispyware bill that House committees have passed in recent weeks. A dueling measure, approved last week by the House Judiciary Committee, proposes up to five years in prison for malicious spyware-related activities. It has been applauded by high-tech companies because it does so in a way that does not attempt to regulate the technology involved, but focuses instead on punishing shady actions.

Although they have won overwhelming approval from politicians in previous congressional sessions, it's not clear that either of the antispyware measures is necessary. The most worrisome forms of spyware already are illegal, as demonstrated by civil cases brought by the FTC and criminal prosecutions brought by the U.S. Department of Justice.

New suite of security products

2007-06-06T09:39:00.000-07:00

Robot Genius, an Oakland, Calif.-based start-up, announced Monday that it has created a new suite of security products designed to combat malicious software attacks like spyware, adware, and rootkits through a threefold approach of prevention, detection, and remediation. The products can be downloaded individually or used in collaboration.

The first component of the software package is RGcrawler Data, an automated Web crawler for locating and testing out potentially malicious software on the Internet; the second is RGguard, a browser plug-in that warns the user of potential attacks; and the third is Spyberus, a behavior-based security client designed to track down and reverse the effects of malicious software installed on a PC. The company claims that Spyberus has a 99 percent success rate in reversing spyware, adware, rootkits, and other forms of malicious software. Free trial versions of RGcrawler Data and Spyberus are available now on Robot Genius' Web site; RGguard is "coming soon."

Politicians press for antispyware law

2007-06-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Leaders of a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee focused on consumer protection issues said they were mystified that earlier versions of the so-called Spy Act overwhelmingly passed the House in 2004 and in 2005 but were ignored by the Senate. Politicians from both parties said they hoped the third time would be the charm.

"Spyware is simply nasty stuff that clogs computers, slows down processing power and is costly to remove," Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), the panel's chairman, said at a morning hearing here about the proposed legislation.

Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), the co-chairman of the full Energy and Commerce Committee, said that unlike some issues, such as Net neutrality, "there's 100 percent unanimity" that antispyware legislation is necessary. "This legislation ought to be an automatic-passage bill," he said.

The latest effort, chiefly sponsored by Reps. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) and Mary Bono (R-Calif.) but backed by many others, would impose extensive regulations on what types of actions software may perform.

Among other things, the proposal would make it unlawful to engage in various means of "taking control" of a user's computer, to collect personally identifiable information through keystroke loggers, and to modify a user's Internet settings, such as the browser's home page.

The bill would also broadly prohibit collection of information about users or their behavior without notice and consent, and it prescribes specific notice requirements. Exemptions from the regulations would go to Web cookies, law enforcement and national security activities, and software intended to prevent fraud.

Previous versions of the bill drew support from a number of high-tech companies, including Yahoo, eBay, AOL Time Warner, Dell, Microsoft and EarthLink, according to Rush and Barton.

But some companies have questioned the necessity of such legislation. Under current federal and state laws, the Federal Trade Commission has already brought 11 spyware enforcement cases, and four states have brought a total of 10 spyware lawsuits, according to research compiled by the Center for Democracy and Technology, which generally supports the bill.

The FTC has also lamented not having the ability to levy large monetary penalties on spyware purveyors. The Spy Act would put in place such an increase, allowing the FTC to seek fines as hefty as $3 million for the most egregious violations.

Online advertisers said they generally support the bill, but they argued that some parts of it go too far beyond combating insidious software. At Thursday's hearing, industry representatives said they remained concerned that its proposed notice and consent requirements, which ask consumers to opt in to have their information collected, could unintentionally threaten Web sites that rely on cookies and other tactics to target ads and to provide free content to their users.

"As all media advertising increasingly migrates to interactive platforms, we are concerned that this bill may unnecessarily limit business interaction with consumers," said Dave Morgan, founder and chairman of New York-based Tacoda, an online advertising company. Morgan was also representing the Interactive Advertising Bureau, of which News.com parent company CNET Networks is a member.
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Bono, one of the Spy Act's primary authors, said she "didn't really have a problem with cookies...because anyone with a slight degree of sophistication on the Internet knows how to delete the cookies. That's not hard to do."

Also on Thursday, the Anti-Spyware Coalition released final versions of "best practices" documents for makers of antispyware. The guidelines are designed to help companies identify malicious software and overcome conflicts with each other.

Later on Thursday, Reps. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.) and Bob Goodlatte (R-Virginia) reintroduced an identical version of their own spyware bill, known as the Internet Spyware Prevention Act. That bill also passed the House in two previous sessions of Congress but died in the Senate.

It differs from the Spy Act in several ways, including its shorter length. Rather than attempting to define what illicit software is, it would make it a crime to copy computer code on a machine without authorization if doing so divulges personal information about a user or "impairs" a computer's security. It also proposes criminal penalties of up to five years in prison for violators.

Sponsors said the bill is designed to combat spyware without stifling software development or issuing heavy-handed regulations. Goodlatte said in a statement that it would "punish the bad actors while protecting legitimate online companies."

Keystroke logging - keylogging

2007-05-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

Keystroke logging (often called keylogging) is a diagnostic tool used in software development that captures the user's keystrokes. It can be useful to determine sources of error in computer systems and is sometimes used to measure employee productivity on certain clerical tasks. Such systems are also highly useful for law enforcement and espionage—for instance, providing a means to obtain passwords or encryption keys and thus bypassing other security measures. However, keyloggers are widely available on the Internet and can be used by private parties to spy on the computer usage of others. Keystroke logging can be achieved by both hardware and software means. Hardware key loggers are commercially available devices which come in three types: inline devices that are attached to the keyboard cable, devices which can be installed inside standard keyboards, and actual replacement keyboards that contain the key logger already built-in. The inline devices have the advantage of being able to be installed instantly. However, while they may go unnoticed for quite some time, they are easily detected visually upon closer inspection. Of the three devices available, the most difficult to install is also the most difficult to detect. The device that installs inside a keyboard (presumably the keyboard the target has been using all along) requires soldering skill and extended access to the keyboard to be modified. However, once in place, this type of device is virtually undetectable.

The Effects of Spyware video

2007-05-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

In this great video, you just witnessed was a display of the most infamous and malicious programs on the Web.

Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Worms, Keyloggers, Toolbar Hijackers, and other harmful programs are all tracking programs that secretly install onto your computer. Once you're infected with these malicious programs, your privacy and personal information are at risk! Spyware, as well as other malicious programs, can go from dangerous, stealing your passwords and credit card information, to simply annoying you with their excessive popups.

These malicious programs can track your surfing habits, abuse your Internet connection by sending this data to a third party, profile your shopping preferences, hijack your browser, and alter important system files - all without your knowledge or permission. The security and privacy implications of these exploits should not be taken lightly.

Immediate action must be taken to rid yourself of these computer infestations.

In Reality Spyware is always a threat

2007-04-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

I received a spam email the other day and the subject said "Tired of reality shows? Make your own!"

Of course I deleted it and proceeded to go about my online chores, but later that email got me thinking, what if there was a 'Online Safety' reality show?

Hear me thru ok?

There would be contestants.... Say on a sunny south sea island beach, and each contestant has to accomplish a variety of tasks to win. You would get to vote one or more contestants off the show if they were too good or maybe a ringer. The same for the really dumb ones,after all, it would have to be exciting to keep the viewers interested.

So the basic task would be to succeed in staying safe online while surfing the web, and completeing various online challenges. For example, they would have to insure the computer given them was secure.... Ya know, updated with the latest from MS, etc. Then they would have to get online and insure their provider was also credible and choose which browser they want to use too.

Oh, don't forget their anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall programs, gotta make sure those work.

Now they are ready for the competition. They would have to send and receive, and reply to emails.

Hopefully they would know how to set up their email program to protect against attachments and pictures infecting them, and if not they would have to learn. Not only that, but in addition they would have to know weather or not to reply to a email, because in today's game it could be a phish or worse, a scam to get them to enter their personal info at a fake bank site.

Ok, on to the rest of the challenges, like buying a product and insuring the website used is safe.

If the checkout does not have that lil' lock icon at the bottom right, they could be in for trouble. Continuing on, they have to visit a variety of websites to gain knowledge about a given subject, hopefully they wont pick up a 'drive by download', resulting in a keylogger or a bot being installed on the computer used to compete.

Another task would be to register at a forum or blog and participate. Some programs that run forums and blogs are susceptible to hacks, hopefully they wont lose their personal info they gave when they registered to nefarious users set to sabotage their computers.

Then it gets tough. They have to download and install a program, something like a weather update service or maybe one that tracks favorite sports scores. A lot of these are loaded with spyware, adware or even malware.

At this point, some will have failed. They will have forgotten to update their antivirus or said yes to a popup that allowed some evil program to glean their passwords or such. The show will be down to a few who were knowledgeable enough beforehand or will have learned sufficiently while on the show to stay in the running.

After the last commercial, its only a half hour show ya know, it all climaxes with them visiting their bank to pay bills and access their account balance. If they can safely do this and not have given up their holy grail of information, the bank account info, they will be the winner.

The prize? Vegas of course. After all, not insuring your online security is gambling, and the house always wins.
By the way, who do you think they would pick to be the host of the show?

Me of course, I wrote the article! My lovely wife would be the Vanna White style woman wearing my "Spywarebiz" t-shirt, and telling the contestants what they have won.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

About the Author: Doug Woodall has a website at www.spywarebiz.com There he provides free information and recommended products to combat Spyware,Viruses and other Online Nasties.

EnGarde Secure Linux security software

2007-04-17T11:53:00.000-07:00

EnGarde Secure Linux is a highly-secure open source server operating system built on a foundation of Security Enhanced Linux SELinux policies. EnGarde Secure Linux incorporates security at all levels by drawing on best-of-breed open source tools like Postfix, BIND, and the LAMP stack.

The WebTool, created by Guardian Digital, is the front-end configurator used to simplify the administration of an EnGarde Secure Linux Server. It is a remote administration tool with multiple language translations that allows for a secure configuration of many of the most common secure open source programs.

EnGarde Secure Linux offers simplified and secure remote management through a custom browser-based system of administration, the Guardian Digital WebTool, and provides free access to updates and security notices through the Guardian Digital Secure Network.

EnGarde Secure Linux Community Edition 3.0 is community-based and GPL-licensed software. EnGarde Secure Linux Professional Edition 1.5 is the commercially-supported version of EnGarde Secure Linux. Both editions are sponsored, built and maintained by the development team of security specialists at Guardian Digital, Inc. of Allendale, NJ.

Internet Safety Tips for Kids

2007-04-13T05:01:00.001-07:00

Internet Safety Tips for Kids (and Parents, Employers, and Managers!)
By: The Internet Safety Advocate

Nowadays, staying safe online has become a never-ending battle – for children as well as adults. 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.

However, with a little common sense and some knowledge about what to do and not do, one can surf the 'net unscathed. Here is a great set of rules for kids while they are online. I found these rules at safekids.com. Parents, Employers, and Managers, you can take some notes from these rules, too:

1. I will not give out personal information such as my address, telephone number, parents’ work address/telephone number, or the name and location of my school without my parents’ permission.

2. I will tell my parents right away if I come across any information that makes me feel uncomfortable.

3. I will never agree to get together with someone I "meet" online without first checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure that it is in a public place and bring my mother or father along.

4. I will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with my parents.

5. I will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do I will tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.

6. I will talk with my parents so that we can set up rules for going online. We will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can be online and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas or break these rules without their permission.

7. I will not give out my Internet password to anyone (even my best friends) other than my parents.

8. I will check with my parents before downloading or installing software or doing anything that could possibly hurt our computer or jeopardize my family’s privacy

9. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.

10. I will help my parents understand how to have fun and learn things online and teach them things about the Internet, computers and other technology.

Although you may follow the rules religiously, you, your computer, and your family might still be at risk because 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!

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

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 cybercrimes and pc-disabling issues. For more information, visit www.SayNotoHackersandSpyware.com/.

What Are Internet Hoaxes and Chain Letters?

2007-04-10T12:03:00.000-07:00

What Are Internet Hoaxes and Chain Letters?

Internet hoaxes and chain letters are e-mail messages written with one purpose; to be sent to everyone you know. The messages they contain are usually untrue. A few of the sympathy messages do describe a real situation but that situation was resolved years ago so the message is not valid and has not been valid for many years. Hoax messages try to get you to pass them on to everyone you know using several different methods of social engineering. Most of the hoax messages play on your need to help other people.

Who wouldn't want to warn their friends about some terrible virus that is destroying people's systems? Or, how could you not want to help this poor little girl who is about to die from cancer? It is hard to say no to these messages when you first see them, though after a few thousand have passed through your mail box, you (hopefully) delete them without even looking.

Chain letters are lumped in with the hoax messages because they have the same purpose as the hoax messages but use a slightly different method of coercing you into passing them on to everyone you know. Chain letters, like their printed ancestors, generally offer luck or money if you send them on. They play on your fear of bad luck and the realization that it is almost trivial for you to send them on. The chain letters that deal in money play on people's greed and are illegal no matter what they say in the letter.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

Related story: Index of Hoaxes
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 cybercrimes and pc-disabling issues. For more information, visit www.SayNotoHackersandSpyware.com/.

Spyware software symptoms

2007-02-28T03:46:00.000-08:00

If your computer is acting strange and have one of the following symptoms – it's possible you have some spyware software on your system.

I have pop-up ads jumping up all the time

Some spyware software can force popup ads that are not in any connection with any website you are visiting that time. That's usually some adult pop-up ads or some other you don't want to see. If you have pop-ups even when you are not connected on internet, than you probably have spyware on your computer.

My setups changed and I can't get them back to normal

Some malware software can change your browser homepage and some other browser settings. When you open your web browser you see some strange webpage and you have no idea where it gets from. When you change it, on next browser opening, you have same problem. This problem is more common if you are using Internet Explorer. This kind of spyware is rare if you're using Opera or FireFox.

My web browser have some plug-ins or toolbars I didn't installed

Some spyware software can add toolbars or even some plug-in you without you knowledge. If you try to remove them and succeed, they will get back after next browser opening.

My computer works slower

Many spyware programs are using many RAM memory while they track your activity. That can slow your system very much. That can make some of your normal software or whole system breaks sometimes. If you are experiencing this problems often, try antispyware.

Antispyware prevention

2007-02-06T18:12:00.000-08:00

What is important for Antispyware prevention

To avoid spyware software, first you need to install few antispyware programs. The best combination is at start - some regular antispyware like: BitDefender Antivirus v10is a powerful antivirus and antispyware tool with features that best meet your security needs.
(contains antivirus, Web Scanning, Peer-2-Peer and IM Applications Protection, Real-Time Antispyware, Anti-Dialer, ...), Kaspersky Anti-Virus Products
(including protection from viruses, spyware, Trojans, worms, spam and hacker attacks), Panda Software
(antivirus, Antvirus + Firewall, Panda Internet Security 2007). If you have some of those software inclooded firewall, you don't need another firewall software (also, it's not recomended to mix two firewalls in same time). Besides that, you need
Ad-aware SE Plus
and Spybot Search & Destroy .

Don't use Internet Explorer. Use Opera or Mozilla Firefox. It's free and secure.

Opera and FireFox can't be 100% secure, but Internet Explorer is the worst solution for browsing, when we are talking about spyware. Lot of spyware installs as plugin on Internet Explorer (like Browser Helper Object or toolbar). Also, bad advertisers use many Internet Explorer wholes to install spyware on user computers.

If you decide to use IE anyway, than at least install patches regularly, and unable ActiveX.

You can get spyware with some shareware software you download from internet, too. So, don't download software from anywhere. Cleensoftware website is good example for secure Windows software checked for spyware. Download.com also offers only software tasted on spyware with Ad-Aware and Spyware Doctor.

Some software contains spyware inside and there is one more thing where you must be careful. Here is a list of software contained some spywere in past. It's possible some of them are still dangerous, so check before download or install on your computer. Bearshare, Bonzi Buddy, old DivX (except paid version, and standard version without encoder), Dope Wars, Download Accelerator Pro, ErrorGuard, FlashGet (free version), Grokster, Kazaa, RadLight, WeatherBug, WildTangent, AOL Instant Messenger, EDonkey2000, LimeWire (Windows free version before 3.9.3).

Tipical spyware types

2007-01-29T07:50:00.000-08:00

Tipical spyware types – groups

Spyware software can be grouped into several types. Of course, everyday with new spywere we can redefine groups, but generally here are some types where that sort of malware can be sorted:

Caveat

Like for viruses, name that spywares get from researchers, no matter how people who made a spyware named it. Researchers group spyware into classes, based on similar behavior, or on money tracking. For example, many programs distributed by Claria are known like «Gator».

CoolWebSearch

CoolWebSearch is software group installing through Internet Explorer hole. Spyware redirects traffic to websites advertising including coolwebsearch.com. Also, there are pop-up advertising, mess with search results and change hosts data to redirect DNS.

Internet Optimizer

Internet Optimizer is also known as DyFuCa. It redirects Internet Explorer error messages to advertising. When user click on unexisting link, or type unexisting url, he gets advertising. Anyway, Internet Optimizer don't allow access to password protected pages for user because password protected pages (Http basic authentication) uses same thing like HTTP errors.

180 Solutions

180 Solutions gives many information to advertisers. Info about web pages user visits, and that sort of things. 180 solutions also change HTTP calls for advertising and that way it makes big profit to 180 Solutions company. It opens pop-up ads to cover other websites.

Hunt bar

This spyware group have many names: Hunt bar, WinTools, AdWare.WebSearch, ... That's small spywere group distributed by Traffic Syndicate. It installs by ActiveX drive-by download way with other webpages or with ads showed by other spywares. This software adds toolbar in Internet Explorer, tracks browser acting, redirects user and shows ads.

Storm Worm

2007-01-27T12:29:00.000-08:00

F-Secure company experts announced there's one of worst Trojans over past few years, on net these days. New Trojan is named Storm Worm and it is hiding in email messages. That messages supposedly offer more information about big storm that was in Europe recently. Mail usually have following title: «230 dead as storm batters Europe». Dangerous virus is in attachment. If recipient opens message attachment, he will accidently open exe file, which will make computer accessible from hackers computer over net. Following problems is known. F-Secure virus, spyware and malware experts describes «Storm Worm» as very offence and dangerous.

Antispywere Or Spywere

2006-12-05T12:58:00.000-08:00

Spyware has become the most prominent computer security problem. How do you choose a good spyware removal tool? Beware of antispyware software which installs spyware/adware to your computer.

Spyware is a hidden software program. It is often used to monitor the browsing and shopping habits of computer users. Spyware can also be a remote control program that steals confidential banking and personal information.

Spyware has quickly become the most prominent internet security problem. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, spyware infects more than 90% of home PCs. Recent survey shows that spyware is also sneaking into the network of corporate computers.

Spyware is often coupled with free downloads, such as free music, game and software downloads. Spyware may slow down computer, hijack homepage and create uncontrolled pop-up advertisements. Some spyware programs can remain unnoticed, secretly gathering information from the computer. Once installed, spyware is difficult to remove without the help of dedicated antispyware software.

Due to the rise of spyware activity, antispyware programs are in great demand these days. But are these spyware removal tools the same? Do they provide the security consumers need?

There are many reports that some antispyware programs installed their own spyware and adware to the computer. One consumer was quoted saying: "It's a rip-off. I downloaded the free trial of an antispyware program, only to find out that it added its own adware to my computer." Other consumers have complained that the antispyware program they use cannot detect all spyware programs. Some even slow down the computer and create pop-up advertisements.

There are a few good antispyware programs in the market today. On the other hand, dozens of spyware removal programs are blacklisted by consumers. Beware of spyware removal tools that are heavily promoted by e-mail campaigns. Never run any free downloads and free scans from unknown software publishers. Their programs may as well be spyware programs themselves. Read independent product reviews from renowned computer magazines or reputable sources. Spending some extra time in research can save you a lot of hassles in the long run.

About The Author

Kwan Lo is the owner of http://software.4reviews.net, an online review site promoting top-rated, award-winning security and utility software.

Cant update AdAware definitions

2006-11-08T04:05:00.000-08:00

You need to update definitions every few days for all antispyware and antivirus programs on your computer. But sometimes you can expirience some problem while doing that. If you are trying to update definitions for AdAware, Lavasoft, and update freezes at some percent, you can wait forever to continue. Or the following message could appears:

The downloaded definitions file could not be read, please update again

You can work it out on 2 ways.

- You can download AdAwere definitions manually here. Than, just replace existing definitions file in C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware folder.

or
- Go to C:\Program Files\Lavasoft\Ad-Aware folder. Find defs.ref file and rename it to defs.ref.old. Then, try to update definitions again. You should succeed.

Fake anti-spyware software

2006-10-31T00:47:00.000-08:00

There are many programers in the World, developed and released fake anti-spyware programs. If you see banner warn you your computer have been infected with spyware, that could lead to one of that fake software. They will offer you free download, but that way you can only add new spyware, malware on your computer. The other way the are working is to offer you to buy cheap their softwere. You may not infected but you can through away your money.

Type of that so-called useful software can be antispyware, antivirus, registry cleaners, firewall, or some other kind.

Known offenders include:

* The Shield 2006
* Privacy Defender
* Malware Wipe
* Pest Trap
* SpyAxe
* AntiVirus Gold
* SpywareStrike
* SpyFalcon
* WorldAntiSpy
* WinFixer
* SpyTrooper
* Spyware Stormer
* Spy Sheriff
* SpyBan
* SpyWiper
* PAL Spyware Remover
* Spyware Stormer
* PSGuard
* AlfaCleaner
* Spyware Quake
* BraveSentry
* VirusBurst
* Trustcleaner Pro
* AntispywareSoldier
* Mallware

How to use Spybot Search and Destroy?

2006-09-24T06:35:00.000-07:00

How to use Spybot Search & Destroy?

Open Spybot Search & Destroy. Go to "Check for problems" button.

Now, wait for Spybot to scan your hard dick for potential spyware, malware, ... When S&D is finished, you will see list of all suspicious files that are found. Check only red files. Files written in other colors can be used by some other software on your computer, and don't do anything with them until you're shore you don't need them.

Now, when all red files are checked, click on "Fix selected problems". Spybot will delete that spywares from your disk.

Spyware – Review Stop Spyware forever

2006-08-25T03:03:00.000-07:00

In order to stop spyware forever you need to install a good spyware protection program before your PC gets infected. Spyware files get downloaded in different ways. If you enter a web site that has these types of programs on them they can get downloaded to your pc the minute you enter the site. Many times you don't know they are downloading onto your computer. In order to remove spyware from your computer, you will need spyware removal software.

Another way these programs get downloaded to your pc is when you are downloading files or software from a site that has these files in them. I spent the past 16 years as a systems analyst for a very large company. From this experience I have found that it is helpful to have some sort of spyware removal software on your computer.

It is quite common for many sites that offer free downloads to infect your PC with spyware. Once a spyware file is downloaded to your PC it monitors your activity as well as were you go on the web, all your keystrokes, and many other things. The information that the spyware file gathers gets automatically sent off to its host site without your knowledge.

Adware infections are very similar and can slow your computer down the same as the spyware. You may suspect your infected by adware when you keep getting redirected to other sites and receive tons of pop ups.

Once spyware programs are loaded on your computer can really slow your pc down to a snails pace. Sometimes they cause such problems that you can no longer even use your pc. Proper removal of the spyware is crucial in order to clean up your pc.

It is important to choose reliable spyware removal software that will effectively remove spyware and these unwanted files from you computer. It is also important to make sure you have the most up to date spyware removal software on the market.

When choosing what sites to go to on the web you should be safe and carefully choose what site you are directing yourself to. Popular big name companies and such are usually very safe sites to visit. Remember not all sites that offer free software are sites that will infect your computer. However I have noticed that many sites that do offer free stuff to download like games, movies, and free software are many times the source of these spyware files.

Surf the Internet safely and be careful what sites you surf and buy your self a good spyware protection program. One program I have had great success with over the years is NoAdware. The software will remove adware and spyware from your pc. I will post another article soon with a review of the NoAdware spyware removal software. If you would like to see the software visit my website. Remember choosing a good program to prevent spyware from getting on your PC is the first step you can take in the fight against spyware.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

For more information please visit Spyware.free-info-review.com

Getting Rid of Spywere

2006-08-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

GETTING RID OF SPYWARE
To do away with spy-ware, you need to be aware of what spy-ware is. Spy-ware is a program that is set up in your PC and it trails whatever you do, at any time you are online surfing the Internet. It then transmits info back to the starting place and displays to you banner advertisements, which are derived from what websites you surf. The majority of spy-ware is packaged in software that is free of charge, which you download from the Internet. You will be able to tell whether the software which you have has got spy-ware or not, since you will observe a banner ad in the web browser, which is not usually there, or else you will come across pop-ups presenting you services or products at any time you surf.
Spy-ware can fill up the computer’s memory and then force your computer to operate slower, and at last, will make the computer freeze. Hence to do away with spy-ware you need to locate it in your PC. A software that can assist you with this difficulty is Ad-ware. Perform a search for this software on www.Google.com and you ought to come across a website from where you can download it.
Run this software and observe what it comes across. Then start the computer once again and run the software once more and observe if it locates any extra spy-ware. If it finds a spy-ware yet again, then perform a search online on www.Google.com for “Spybot Search and Destroy”. Perform the identical steps and observe if you again have spy-ware. If you have it, then restart your PC in safe mode then start both the software once more. This time the PC will go through all the files and ought to locate other spy-wares, which could not be located previously.
After the software finishes running, reboot your PC, run them all over again, and then go online and look for up to date versions for the software. If up to date versions are obtainable, download them and re-run the software to find out and delete any latest spy-ware.
If you would like to do away with spy-ware and prevent it from coming back to your PC, you ought to purchase a spy-ware program CD from a computer store. After you have this you will be allowed to enroll to the facility that will give you up to date information. If the program deduces that a spy-ware is in the PC, it will make you aware and will delete the impostor.
You ought to make use of any of these techniques to locate and delete spy-ware since it will make your PC operate in an incorrect manner. In case you would not prefer to make use of one of these software and would not want to download programs from the Internet, then you ought to inform anybody else who utilizes your PC not to do the same thing also.

Article Source: http://www.kokkada.com

Leigh Winslow has written many reviews regarding medieval armor and weapons. For further information please visit www.putoutthatfirewall.info

D-Link to ship antivirus appliance for home office

2006-08-03T03:38:00.000-07:00

Is security software gumming up your PC? D-Link believes it has a solution for this problem. At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, the networking vendor launched its SecureSpot DI-103 Internet security device, which it is billing as an easier way to protect PCs from viruses, spam and spywere.

The 1-inch thick appliance takes up about 16 square inches of desk space, and is essentially a custom version of the company's DI-102 VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) accelerator, according to Michael Scott, technical media manager with D-Link.

The device serves as a firewall and pop-up blocker, as well as a spam and spyware filter. It also comes with licenses for the Sophos PLC Anti-Virus service, Scott said. "These types of devices, up to now, have only been available to the enterprise," he said.

LAN users can install the device between their broadband modem and router, but it can also be taken on the road and used with a laptop, D-Link said. The DI-103 works with Windows and Mac OS X clients, and D-Link expects to also support Linux PCs within the next few months, Scott said.

Users must install the antivirus and antispywere software on their PCs, and the DI-103 itself does pop-up blocking and spam filtering. The security device can also be configured as a firewall and used to control which Web sites can be viewed by computers on the network.

Expected to ship by the end of the month, the appliance will cost US$99.95. Included in that price will be a one-year software license for up to four computers. Users with more than four PCs must pay an additional US$19.95 per computer. After the first year, licensing will cost US$79.95 per year.

Spywere Removal Software – Getting Help

2006-08-01T13:37:00.000-07:00

Spyware are programs that get downloaded to your computer. These files get downloaded in different ways. If you enter a web site that has these types of programs on them they can get downloaded to your pc the minute you enter the site. Many times you don’t know they are downloading onto your computer. When this happens you will need spyware removal software.

Another way these programs get downloaded to your pc is when you are downloading files or software from a site that has these files. I spent the past 16 years as a systems analyst for a very large company. From this experience I have found that it is helpful to have some sort of spyware removal software on your computer.

It is quite common that many sites that offer free downloads infect your PC with spyware. Once a spyware file is downloaded to your PC it monitors your activity as well as were you go on the web, all your keystrokes, and many other things. The information that the spyware file gathers gets automatically sent off to its host site without your knowledge.

Adware infections are very similar and can slow your computer down the same as the spywere. You may suspect your infected by adware when you keep getting redirected to other sites and receive tons of pop ups.

Spyware programs, once loaded on your computer can really slow your pc down to a snails pace. Sometimes they cause such problems that you can no longer even use your pc. Proper removal of the spyware is crucial in order to clean up your pc.

It is important to choose reliable spyware removal software that will effectively remove these unwanted spyware files from you computer. It is also important to make sure you have the most up to date spyware removal software on the market.

When choosing what sites to go to on the web you should be safe and carefully choose what site you are directing yourself to. Popular big name companies and such are usually very safe sites to visit. Remember not all sites that offer free software are sites that will infect your computer. However I have noticed that many sites that do offer free stuff to download like games, movies, and free software are many times the source of these spyware files.

Surf the Internet safely and be careful what sites you surf and buy yourself a good spywere protection program. One program I have had great success with over the years is NoAdware. The software will remove adware and spyware from your pc. I will post another article soon with a review of the NoAdware spyware removal software. If you would like to see the software click on the link at the top of this page.

You can go to some of my websites by visiting these links Spyware removal software and remove----spyware.blogspot.com/ - Remove spywere

Source: Kokada - useful articles

How To Keep Your Computer Virusfree

2006-07-30T15:21:00.000-07:00

Somewhere out there in cyberspace are malicious vandals hard at work dreaming up new computer viruses. Eugene Kaspersky, (of Kaspersky Lab Virus Research), in a November 23, 2005 article posted in Security News, said, "The number of new viruses and Trojans is now increasing every day by a few hundred. (Our) virus lab receives between 200 and 300 new samples a day." That is Not a misprint. He said 200-300 per DAY!

The worst ones we hear about. The large majority are quiet and anonymous like termites, often doing much damage before they are detected. Like human viruses, their effects run the spectrum from mostly benign to potentially fatal to their unwilling and unwitting hosts. Also as in human viruses, there are two different approaches to dealing with them: Prevention and Cure.

Preventing virus infection begins with guarding the portals of contact. Do not open suspicious e-mails or attachments without scanning them first. Most anti-virus programs have a right-click option to scan a selected file for viruses, which makes scanning easy. Similarly, when you download software, eBooks or whatever, always save to a file, then scan the file before opening. If you bring in data or software by floppy disk, CD or other portable media, the same rule applies; scan it first!

A good firewall can help somewhat in keeping viruses at bay, but there are too many ways to hide them in regular data or software transfers for a firewall to catch them all. A firewall (like chicken soup for human flu) can help, but don't rely on that alone.

As Benjamin Franklin said, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." However, sooner or later, some viruses are going to get through your defenses somehow, and you will need to turn to cures.

If you should get hit by a really bad virus, you could lose most of your files before you know that there is a problem! The first step to enable cures is to prepare well in advance, positioning and backing up your files for easy recovery. Set up your computer with a small hard drive (4-10giga) for your C: drive and a much larger hard drive for all your data. Use your C: drive for programs only. Keep copies of your software purchase receipts, registration and activation codes and setup info in a file on your data drive. You can always download them again, if you can give the seller your purchase info to show that you already bought.

Almost all virus infections will be in the program section of the C: drive, so scan it daily. This won't take much time since you have arranged for it to be relatively small. Then scan your (larger)data drive once or twice a month.

You should still back up your data files frequently. If you cannot backup everything, at least backup the crucial information that would be difficult or impossible to replace. CD and DVD burners are a good way to do this backup, as are removable hard drives.

Finally, you will need good anti-virus programs to go after the viruses and either quarantine or (preferably) destroy them. There are many anti-virus solutions being touted and hyped out there. Some are good, most are not. Here is how to find the good ones:

1. Look for programs that offer both active and passive protection. Active protection means that part of the program remains memory-resident, actively watching for potential incoming viruses. When they detect a virus they can sound an alarm and give you a series of options for dealing with it. Passive or on-demand protection will let you ask for a scan of specified areas when you want it, but it waits for you to ask.

2. Select your anti-virus software based on the recommendations of independent testing agencies. Checkmark (by westcoastlabs.org), AV-test.org and PC World magazine are among the most respected independent testers of anti-virus software. For ratings of anti-trojan software, check with Anti-trojan - Forum. Use more than one anti-virus and anti-trojan program. Very few detect all problems, but what one program misses, another may find and defeat.

3. Keep your anti-virus programs up to date. There is a running gun battle going on between virus writer-disseminators and virus catch-and-destroy experts. New viruses are found; new anti-virus program patches to find and destroy them are usually ready within hours or days. Until your software is updated, you are still vulnerable to the new viruses.

In addition to using anti-virus software on your personal computer, consider using an Internet Service Provider or e-mail service that includes server-side anti-virus and spam e-mail filtering as a third layer of protection.

In summary, be careful, get good software, run it often and update it frequently... and stay alert to new developments! This struggle between new viruses and better anti-virus software is ongoing, and developing rapidly.

Article Source: about spyware articles - Kokkada

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Things you must do if you want to avoid Spywere

2006-07-29T13:00:00.000-07:00

Some of these adware spyware programs are harmless as they are used to track browser habits and geological location as a result are only a minor annoyances and can be cleaned from your system easily with nearly all adware remover programs. However some more infectious adware spyware programs can be potentially harmful to your pc system, your life and your bank account.

A simple solution to this is to arm yourself with an adware removal program that is capable of removing such adware spyware intrusions such as data mining, aggressive advertising tactics, Trojan's, dialers , malware ( another form of adware), tracking components, and browser hijackers.

Some survey’s recently conducted have shown that 85% of all internet users have some form of adware spyware on there computers. On average each of these computer have been infected with an average of 24 adware programs. I know I was alarmed when reading this statistic.

So what is the definition of adware, adware is considered an unreasonable advertising tactic. So how do you catch adware, it is usually installed from software that has no charge as long as you accept the adware agreement.

Adware has been typically known to install alone side such software programs as shareware and freeware. A perfect example of this is the software you install with kazaa.

When installing any programs such as these, remember nothing is for free and the supplier of the software usually has adware spyware hidden in the install file. The purpose for this is to track your movements so they can aggressively market products to you through pop-ups or browser hijacking.

Now on to spyware and this is where adware gets its bad name from. Spyware is extremely intrusive and is very similar in nature to a Trojan in this way any users installing software have no idea they have also given access to spyware.

One of the most common ways to become infected with spyware is through using peer to peer programs which are commonly file sharing or swapping programs you install on your own pc.

Spyware is an independent executable program it can monitor every keystroke on your computer, have a look at the files on your hard drives, install more malicious spyware programs and even change your home page. And while you are trying to work out what is happening all this information is being sent back to whoever created the adware spyware.

Worst case scenario is that these malicious adware spyware programs can transmit your back details and passwords back to whoever wants them.

Article Source: Antispyware articles

Ron is the webmaster and owner of Detecting adware spyware and felt the need to make every internet user aware of the growing adware and spyware threat on the internetnet today. Ron has some very simple and easy solutions to detect and remove spyware from your computer.

Microsoft antispyware download

2006-07-26T16:52:00.000-07:00

Microsoft AntiSpyware Beta1 expires at July 31st. Upgrading is to Windows Defender Beta2. If you have instalated original Microsoft windows, you can download free Windows Defender Beta 2 from Microsoft antispyware download . It protects your computer from pop-ups, slow performance, security threats from unwanted software. Real-Time Protection.
In new version:
- Spywere detection. Quickly and easily finds spyware and other unwanted programs that can slow down your computer, display annoying pop-up ads, change Internet settings, or use your private information without your consent.
- Straightforward operation and thorough removal technology. Eliminates detected spywere easily at your direction. If you inadvertently remove programs that you actually want, it's easy to get them back.
- Scheduled scanning and removal. Runs these processes when it's convenient for you, whether it's on-demand or on a schedule that you set.

Spy Sweeper

2006-07-19T05:15:00.000-07:00

Webroot Software made Spy Sweeper antispyware tool for your Windows.
Minimum System Requirements for using it are:
* Windows 2000, XP.
* 300 Mhz
* 15 MB HD free space
* 256 MBRAM
* Supports Internet Explorer 5.5 and higher.
Why choose Spy Sweeper?
* Most comprehensive antispyware solution available.
* Continuous monitoring stops spywere before it can attack.
* Advanced detection and removal capabilities for stubborn spyware.
* Automatic defense updates keep you protected from the latest threats.
* FREE customer support.
Also, on SpySweeper site, you can free download tool for free scan.

Adwere inside your computer?

2006-07-18T16:19:00.000-07:00

Adware is on of those things that most internet users don't even think about until its too late. More often than not the majority of us do not even realise the existence of spyware until the damage has been done. Each and every day thousands of hidden applications are trying to gain access to computers all over the internet.

The amazing thing is that only a small percentage of people protect themselves from this kind of adware parasite and most only seek protection once the damage has been done. There are many ways that spyware and adware can take advantage of those of us who tend to be lacking in the area of computer security. Most times it is just our internet usage details that these nasties are after but at the other end of the scale there are some adware programs that are acting in a completely sinister manner.

If we all treated our computers like our bank accounts then you would not even be reading this article. The sad fact is we do not and every day there are thousands of people that are putting their private details at risk. None of us should have anything in our computers that we do not want and did not willingly invite but I would bet my last paycheque that anyone reading this article has a few unwanted extras lurking in the depths of their P.C's.

It is absolutely essential that you be very aware of the possibilities with the latest of today's scumware. If you are not willing to purchase some internet protection on the grounds that you might be infected then you should at least take advantage of an online scan. These scans are free and easily accessed so to be honest it would be sheer madness to ignore their existence and simply carry on regardless.

Run a free adware scan and the end result will be you are either spyware free or do in fact have a computer stowaway nestling inside your computer. If you are adware free then you can carry on without a care in the world, Your money will still be in your pocket and your computer will be running safely. If on the other hand you do find an intrusion then you can simply spend a little of your cash and rid the gremlin from your computer.

There are many free adware help sites all over the internet and it is very easy to get the latest news on all the recent adware outbreaks. Listen to the experts and weigh up what you have to lose.

If your computer is clean then a free scan will cost you nothing.

If it is infected then just how much do you stand to lose should your data be accessed?

Article Source: Kokkada

To seek out the hidden horrors of adware or spyware visit Monty Cordello's adware tips and information portal Adwarefound

Who Needs a Firewall?

2006-07-15T16:22:00.000-07:00

Who Needs a Firewall?
by: Shanna Riley

You do! Read more to find out what a firewall is, how it can keep you safe, and how to get one.

A Firewall is, actually, pretty much the same as its non-tech definition. A firewall, in building construction, is set up to contain or prevent fire from traveling from one side of the wall to the other - an extra bit of protection, if you will. A firewall on your pc does, essentially, the same thing.

Seven Design Avenue describes a firewall this way:

A firewall is a safeguard utilized by many Local Area Networks (LANs) or Wide Area Networks (WANs) to protect the network from unauthorized access from the outside. They are basically gates that verify the users before they leave or enter the network by way of a User ID, Password or IP address.

bytown internet explains it another way:

A Firewall is a system which limits network access between two or more networks. Normally, a Firewall is deployed between a trusted, protected private network and an untrusted public network. For example, the trusted network might be a corporate network (ie: Queens University), and the public network might be the Internet. A Firewall might grant or revoke access based on user Authentication, source and destination network addresses, network protocol, time of day, network service or any combination of these. These settings are normally controlled by the Network Administrator.

So how can a firewall help you - the average, home user?

By giving an extra level of blocking protection against spam, viruses and other malware.

Those lucky enough to be running WinXP SP2 (that's Windows XP, Service Pack 2) already have a built-in firewall that they can use. All they have to do is turn it on. Here's how to make sure you have SP2 and your firewall turned on:

How do I know if I'm running Windows XP?

Easy enough. On your Desktop, right-click once on My Computer and choose "Properties". The little window that pops up should tell you which operating system you are running. If not, you can also open My Computer and choose Help: About Windows from the taskbar at the top of the window.

Ok, I'm running WinXP - how do I know if I have Service Pack 2?

The same way we just went through! Both of the ways listed above will tell you if you are running Service Pack 2 (or sp2).

Great! How do I make sure my firewall is turned on?

First off, go into your Control Panel (usually found on the Start menu). Find the "Security Center" and open it up. You should see the firewall as one of the security features offered - simply make sure it's switched to "On".

I don't have Windows XP or Service Pack 2 and I have no plans to upgrade any time soon.

That isn't a problem. There are other legitimate, and trustworthy firewall sites on the Internet (of course, there are some of the other kind, too!).

______________________________
From homecomputersafety.com and articlecity.com

About The Author

Shanna Riley - Professional I.T. tech & geeky-girl gamer who feels her duty to warn the average user about the dangers of the Internet. Feel free to use, please link back to homecomputersafety.com.

Free online antispywere tool

2006-07-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Trend Micro Anti-Spyware for the Web is a free online tool that checks computers for spyware, and helps remove any infections found. When the detection process is complete, the tool will display a report describing the result including which if any, spyware were detected, and prompt you before the removal process.

online antispywere tool

McAfee AntiSpyware users reviews

2006-06-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

- This program functions no better than the free lavasoft software, yet it costs money. Both programs found the same spyware programs. Furthermore, this program does not find winfixer or winantivirus, even though I can see them right there in my cookie file. When I delete them, this program doesn't stop them from coming back, even with maximum protection settings. It is not worth the $$.

- With room for improvement and McAfee's reputation for it's other products, I see only improvement and a hope for them.

Pros
+ Attractive user interface

Cons
- Annoying registration process
- Poor protection against spyware

Microsoft Windows Defender users reviews

2006-06-30T01:21:00.000-07:00

1. -I'm not really sure if this program has as good detection capabilites as Ad-aware or Spybot SD...they both detected objects after scans, even though this one didn't...
Bottom line: get this program for the real time protection features and the virus detection, but also get Ad-aware and Spybot SD

2. Dont get me wrong..spyware needs to be dealt with and it is GOOD Microsoft is stepping up to the plate... It is fast at scanning your system.

3. I used MS ANTISPYWARE it was great...but this "new" version now handles things differntly. It now has 2 more running processes going on in your computer with high memory pulls! (even with the 'on time scanning' off). Also the updates are automatically with no way to do them manually (I hate automatic, calls- 'home' programs).

4. they got rid of a lot of extra features that were in the beta 1 that were useful to use. its to simple theres nothing but a scan button basically. theres no taskicon which i dont like cause i like have a reminder that its running. and even after u shut it down the process is still running.if u end its process in the task manager windows defender wont load, and then its useless. also there is no easy way to check for updates with out automatic updates on.

5. No icon in the taskbar for quick access

6. No icon anywhere really, had to go to program files and make a shortcut and paste it everywhere I wanted it.

7. It scans and prevents some spywere/adaware

8. Hidden user interface. (like the windows firewall)

9. Spyware definition updates can be downloaded through Windows Update.

Norton Internet Security 2006 AntiSpyware Edition

2006-06-29T04:25:00.000-07:00

Norton Internet Security 2006 AntiSpyware Edition
# Detects and blocks spyware, viruses, and adware
# Automatically blocks intruders and identity thieves
# Automatically filters spam and dangerous phishing email
# Blocks Web sites you don’t want your children to visit
# Gives you control over all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic
# Automatically scans email and instant-message attachments and removes viruses, Trojan horses, and worms
# Includes Norton AntiVirus™, Norton™ Personal Firewall, Norton Privacy Control, Norton AntiSpam, and Norton Parental Control

System Requirements
Norton Internet Security 2006
Windows® XP Home/Professional Edition

* 300MHz or higher processor
* 256 MB of RAM
* 325 MB of hard disk space

Windows 2000 Pro with SP3 or higher

* 300MHz or higher processor
* 128 MB of RAM
* 325 MB of available hard disk space

Norton Internet Security 2005
Norton Internet Security 2005 for Windows Me & 98 users is included in the boxed product and available online.
Windows Me/98

* 150MHz or higher processor
* 128 MB of RAM
* 310 MB of available hard disk space

REQUIRED FOR ALL INSTALLATIONS

* DVD or CD drive
* Microsoft® Internet Explorer 5.5 or later (6.0 recommended)

Email scanning supported for standard POP and SMTP-compatible email clients.
Supported instant messaging clients for Norton AntiVirus™:

* AOL® Instant Messenger 4.7 or higher
* Yahoo!® Instant Messenger 5.0 or higher
* MSN® Messenger 4.6, 4.7, 6.0, or higher (MSN 5.0 is not supported)
* Windows® Messenger 4.7 or higher

Private information blocking supports

* Standard POP3 and SMTP compatible email clients
* Standard Web browsers
* AOL Instant Messenger 4.3 or higher
* MSN Messenger 4.6, 4.7, 6.0 or higher (MSN 5.0 is not supported)
* Windows Messenger 4.7 or higher

Microsoft antispywere screenshot.

2006-06-22T02:55:00.000-07:00

On this pic, you can see what Microsoft AntiSpyware scan summary looks like.

Gator spywere - Claria Corporation - from history

2006-06-02T16:02:00.000-07:00

In July 2005, Microsoft Corporation came under fire when it revealed that their AntiSpyware product would no longer label Claria software as "spyware". News had surfaced that Microsoft was also contemplating the purchase of Claria, which many consumers felt to be a conflict of interest. [3] Other spyware reporting agencies, such as Computer Associates and Panda Software s TruPrevent Technologies, still label Claria products as both adware and spyware.

In March 2006, Claria claimed that it would be exiting the adware business and focusing on personalized search technology.

Spyware in gif wallpapers

2006-06-01T10:46:00.000-07:00

Imagine this : You downloaded nice wallpaper and setup that wallpaper on you desktop. But you don't know man who made that wallpaper made it with spyware in it. You will say - LOL that's imposible. GIF, JPG or PNG files can't contain any spyware. Are you shore? Put yourself in situation when firs gif image was made. What would you say if someone said to you then that gif can be automatic? You wouldn't belive that, right?
There are some roumors, that kind of PNG spyware was already made. But who knows? So far, just be careful with active desktop.

What Is Spyware

2006-06-01T02:15:00.000-07:00

What Is Spyware - An Overview Of Spy And Malware
by: Matt Garrett

Spyware is malicious software that can intercept and take control of your computer without your knowledge or consent. The presence of spyware in the computer of a person is a major threat to the privacy and productivity of a person. Spyware can get very easily installed to your computer without your knowledge. There are some software which can help you in fighting off the menace of spyware. Reading spyware reviews can help you in buying the best spyware remover available in the market. For, there are different types of spyware removers available in the market.

Spyware reviews contain all the features of the spyware remover. The reviews tell the customers about all the different features of the particular spyware remover. You can come to know about the effectiveness of the spyware remover. You can find the reviews from magazines, newspapers and different online sites. Reviews are reliable as they are written by people who have already used the product. Thus you can also come to know about the negative aspects of the software as well. The spyware reviews can help you in choosing to buy the remover which best suits your requirements.

Spyware is not the same as worms and virus found in the computers. Spyware is designed to exploit the infected computers for commercial gains by the makers. The typical tactic adopted by spyware is through the use of pop up advertisements, theft of personal information and also monitoring the web browsing activity of the user. The spyware which gets installed in your computer without your knowledge monitors your internet habit and this information is sent out to a third party who can use this for advertisement purpose.

Different types of spyware exist so it becomes very difficult to remove them from the infected computers. The most common form of spyware is adware. Adware works through sending one pop up ad after another pop up ad for different products and services while you are working online on your computer. The adware maker is thus able to collect your personal information and then starts bombarding you with spam and junk emails. This can at times become very frustrating to the user. In fact at times spam and junk emails outnumber the normal emails which you receive daily in your mail inbox.

There are some online companies that give its customers free trail of the spyware removers. You can read spyware reviews and find out about sites which provide its customers with such facilities. You can visit such sites and download the software and see for your self if it is effective for you or not. Such offers will help you in buying the spyware remover that will suit your requirements.

Always ensure that you go through different spyware reviews before you actually purchase the one. If you do not purchase the proper spy remover you could end up causing damage to your computer. Spyware reviews are the best sources to help you out in buying the best spyware remover.

About The Author

Matt Garrett, http://www.xoftspy.co.uk

Different types of spyware

2006-05-28T13:12:00.000-07:00

Spyware. Different Types
by: Leif Wheeler

Spywere is more dangerous than a virus. It can steal personal data and track your internet habits. It might be concealed in a free screensaver or other software that you download. Computer safety expert Leif Wheeler advises us to be aware of any offer of free software. Many times, spyware is hidden in legitimate software. Be cautious of deals offered by well-known companies. Crooks and thieves often create web sites that resemble Adobe, Google or Microsoft, says Wheeler. They instruct you to download upgrades which secretly contain spyware. Common sense should tell you to download things like screensavers or wallpaper only from a company's registered web site. Have a safety talk with anyone who uses your computer. Run an anti-spyware application. The schemes for stealing are the same, notes Wheeler. What's changed is the technology. The rest of us have to try to stay one step ahead.

There is a type of spywere that the New York Times has labeled as “Stealware” and what spyware researcher Ben Edelman refers to as “Click Fraud”, also known as “Affiliate Fraud”. The most notable vendors of this kind of spyware are 180 Solutions and WhenU. This spyware redirects the payment of the rightful affiliate’s commission to the account of the spyware vendor.

An instance of spyware rarely "exists" alone. An afflicted computer can rapidly become corrupted with a lot of spyware devices. Frequently, users will notice erratic behavior and a decline of the system’s operation. Spyware contamination can cause considerable inappropriate CPU activity, network traffic, disk usage and the slowing-down of the legitimate uses of these resources. Stability issues, system crashes and application crashes are also very common. Spyware which disrupts the networking software normally causes problems connecting to the Internet.

A Trojan horse, by definition, sneaks in a danger-some program cloaked as something acceptable. Many spywares get spread in this way. The representative of the spyware presents the program as a suitable utility, for example, as useful software or as a web-accelerator. Users then install the software not suspecting that it could do harm to their computer. A classic case of this is Bonze Buddy, a spyware application designed to trick children, claims that: “He will explore the Internet with you as your very own friend and sidekick! He can talk, walk, joke, browse, search, e-mail, and download like no other friend you've ever had! He even has the ability to compare prices on the products you love and help you save money! Best of all, he's FREE!”

Often times, spyware programs are revealed by visibly presenting advertisements. Some spyware simply displays pop-up ads on a pre-determined schedule. For example, a pop-up may appear when the user opens a new browser window. Yet other types display ads when the user visits a specific type of site. Spywere developers use this as a selling point when pitching their wares to advertisers who want to buy ad placement in pop-ups shown when the user lands on a particular site. It is also one of the reasons why spyware programs collect and store information on user behavior.

About The Author

Leif Wheeler began marketing on the internet in 1992 and he retired in 2004. Leif’s internet-time is now spent researching and writing articles that improve everyone’s internet experience. Benefit from Leif’s vast experience at http://www.leifwheeler.com/

Article from http://articlecity.com

Antispyware history

2006-05-26T03:07:00.000-07:00

The first recorded use of the term spyware occurred on October 17, 1994 in a Usenet post that poked fun at Microsoft's business model. Spyware later came to refer to espionage equipment such as tiny cameras. However, in early 2000 the founder of Zone Labs, Gregor Freund, used the term in a press release for the ZoneAlarm Personal Firewall. Since then, computer-users have used the term in its current sense.

In early 2000, Steve Gibson of Gibson Research realized that advertising software had been installed on his system, and he suspected that the software was stealing his personal information. After analyzing the software he determined that they were adware components from the companies Aureate (later Radiate) and Conducent. He eventually rescinded his claim that the ad software collected information without the user's knowledge, but still chastised the ad companies for covertly installing the spywere and making it difficult to remove.

As a result of his analysis in 2000, Gibson released the first anti-spyware program, OptOut, and many more software-based antidotes have appeared since then. International Charter now offers softwere developers a Spyware-Free Certification program.

According to a November 2004 study by AOL and the National Cyber-Security Alliance, 80% of surveyed users' computers had some form of spywere, with an average of 93 spyware components per computer. 89% of surveyed users with spyware reported that they did not know of its presence, and 95% reported that they had not given permission for the installation of the spyware.

from Wikipedia

McAfee, Inc launches Stop Spyware initiative

2006-05-18T03:43:00.000-07:00

McAfee, Inc (NYSE: MFE), a provider of intrusion prevention and risk management solutions, announced the beginning of McAfee Stop Spyware Week, an initiative that is designed to raise awareness of the threats posed by spyware and other potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).

In a study conducted by the National Cyber Security Alliance, 53% of respondents said they had spyware on their computers, but when checked, 80% of computers were infected with spyware. Separate research by the Ponemon Institute showed that 42% of computer users infected with spyware had no idea how it landed on their computer.

In addition to increasing awareness of spyware and PUPs, the aim of the initiative is to educate people about the threats of PUPs and provide tips for avoiding potential infections. Computer users can visit http://www.mcafee.com/stopspyware to download a free trial to one of McAfee's anti-spyware software programs, the company claims.

Spy Sweeper - not free but good anti spywere

2006-05-15T03:12:00.000-07:00

Spy Sweeper detects and removes all forms of spyware, including keyloggers, trojan horses, system monitors, and more.
Spy Sweeper proactively defends your PC from new spyware infections with 16 Smart Shields.
* Recommended more than any other anti-spyware product
* Most technologically advanced spyware research system in the world
* Easy-to-use features ensure all users get maximum protection
* FREE world-class customer support
* 100% Guaranteed

FREE Spyware Scan

Find spyware on your PC now using Spy Sweeper's state-of-the-art anti-spyware technology.
The free scan is:

* Safe - won't change, or remove files on your computer
* Fast - scan your PC just minutes
* Effective - find out if your PC is infected with spyware

Download spyware scanner to see if your PC has a spyware infection, or if you're evaluating anti-spyware tools, such as Spy Sweeper.
Download free spywere scaner

Spyware history

2006-05-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

Spywere history
from wikipedia

The first recorded use of the term spyware occurred on October 17, 1994 in a Usenet post that poked fun at Microsoft's business model. Spyware later came to refer to espionage equipment such as tiny cameras. However, in early 2000 the founder of Zone Labs, Gregor Freund, used the term in a press release for the ZoneAlarm Personal Firewall. Since then, computer-users have used the term in its current sense.

In early 2000, Steve Gibson of Gibson Research realized that advertising software had been installed on his system, and he suspected that the software was stealing his personal information. After analyzing the software he determined that they were adware components from the companies Aureate (later Radiate) and Conducent. He eventually rescinded his claim that the ad software collected information without the user's knowledge, but still chastised the ad companies for covertly installing the spyware and making it difficult to remove.

As a result of his analysis in 2000, Gibson released the first anti-spyware program, OptOut, and many more software-based antidotes have appeared since then. International Charter now offers software developers a Spyware-Free Certification program.

According to a November 2004 study by AOL and the National Cyber-Security Alliance, 80% of surveyed users' computers had some form of spyware, with an average of 93 spyware components per computer. 89% of surveyed users with spyware reported that they did not know of its presence, and 95% reported that they had not given permission for the installation of the spyware.

Spywarebot - free anti spywere tool

2006-05-06T03:52:00.000-07:00

Another free anti spyware tool is Spywarebot.
It can scan your computer for hidden AdWare and Spyware, and remove them. Spywarebot can block adware and spyware before getting in your computer. And, Spyware bot notifie you when a spyware application attempts to run on your computer.

Spyware.EmailObserver

2006-05-05T03:41:00.000-07:00

After removing this spywere with anti spywere tool you have, open registry and delete :
"EmailObserver" = "C:\WINDOWS\system32\emos.exe /config"
from
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Run

and delete subkeys
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\EmailObserver
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\emos
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\emossrv.

Than, restart your computer.

Windows defender - anti spywere

2006-05-03T05:15:00.000-07:00

Microsoft made their own anti spyware tool called Windows defender.
They say good thing about it, so read their review:

Windows Defender (Beta 2) is a free program that helps protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software. It features Real-Time Protection, a monitoring system that recommends actions against spyware when it's detected, and a new streamlined interface that minimizes interruptions and helps you stay productive.

Spybot - Search & Destroy - free anti spywere

2006-05-02T00:50:00.000-07:00

Spybot - Search & Destroy can detect and remove spyware of different kinds from your computer. Spyware is a relatively new kind of threat that common anti-virus applications do not yet cover. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you didn't intentionally install, if your browser crashes, or if you browser start page has changed without your knowing, you most probably have spyware. But even if you don't see anything, you may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging that is silently tracking your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Spybot-S&D is free, so there's no harm in trying to see if something snooped into your computer, too :)

What is spywere?

2006-05-01T01:24:00.000-07:00

Spyware
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In the field of computing, the term spyware refers to a broad category of malicious software designed to intercept or take partial control of a computer's operation without the informed consent of that machine's owner or legitimate user. While the term taken literally suggests software that surreptitiously monitors the user, it has come to refer more broadly to software that subverts the computer's operation for the benefit of a third party.

Spyware differs from viruses and worms in that it does not usually self-replicate. Like many recent viruses, however, spyware – by design – exploits infected computers for commercial gain. Typical tactics furthering this goal include delivery of unsolicited pop-up advertisements; theft of personal information (including financial information such as credit card numbers); monitoring of Web-browsing activity for marketing purposes; or routing of HTTP requests to advertising sites.

As of 2005, spyware has become one of the pre-eminent security threats to computer-systems running Microsoft Windows operating-systems (and especially to users of Internet Explorer because of that browser's collaboration with the Windows operating system). Some malware on the Linux and Mac OS X platforms has behavior similar to Windows spyware, but to date has not become anywhere near as widespread.

Spywere Doctor

2006-04-30T02:51:00.000-07:00

Spyware Doctor Full Version Information
Current Version: 3.8
File Size: 7.02 Mbytes
Operating System: Designed for Windows
Release Date: April 3, 2006
Protection Against: Spyware, Adware, Spyware Trojans, Keyloggers, Identity Theft, Hijackers, Tracking Threats, Rogue Anti-Spyware, Unwanted Software, Phishing, Popups and Bad Websites.

Ad-Aware Personal

2006-04-29T16:21:00.000-07:00

Ad-Aware Personal provides advanced protection from known data-mining, aggressive advertising, Trojans, dialers, malware, browser hijackers, and tracking components. This software is downloadable free of charge.

Scans fixed and removable drives, memory and Windows registry
Detects known and unknown variants of malware by using the Code Sequence Identification (CSI) technology
Removes aggressive spyware and malicious content
Takes advantage of a fully featured quarantine support
Logs information about scans and malicious content removals

First anti spywere post

2006-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

On this blog, I will post about spyware , malware, and other virus software you can get by spam and other mails, by malicious data, or on some other way. I will write some info about it, news, tips, tricks, and other.