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Support:
Basics:
Spyware
The vast majority of "average" PC users
have computers that are already infected by
spyware. The purpose of this document is to provide
a very simplified overview and give you some tools
to test your system or cleanse your system, if need
be.
"Spyware" is basically any software that obtains
information about you or your system and relays it
to advertisers or other parties without your
knowledge and without your explicit permission or
consent. Software that is used solely for
advertising purposes to track your surfing habits
and preferences is often referred to as
"adware."
Spyware programs may be installed on your system
as the result of a computer virus or trojan that
you've been tricked into opening, as a consequence
of you having downloaded a free program or file
that has the spyware attached, or as a result of
you having innocently clicked on a popup window.
Some games come bundled with spyware, and if you or
someone using your computer or on your network is a
gamer, you should be sure to also install some
preventive programs that will alert you to
potential spyware installation or better yet, block
it.
Spyware can interfere with the operation of your
system, causing your browser to "hang" or
freeze.
In other cases, simply visiting a site may lead
to "hijacking" (see below), and in yet other
cases, someone may have intentionally installed
software that will track your every keystroke and
activity on your computer (keyloggers).
Adware programs that track your surfing habits
usually claim that they collect no personally
identifiable information and are only looking for
aggregate data. In some cases, these claims have
found to be false. The article, The
Trouble With Spyware & Advertising-Supported
Software may also give you another perspective
on adware is truly harmless.
Browser Hijackers:
Some forms of spyware may disable your own
browser controls and insert their own. As
consequences, your home page may be changed, your
Favorites folder may have new urls inserted that
you are automatically redirected to (like porn
sites), you may find yourself barraged with popup
ads.
Attempts to remove browser hijackers are often
frustrating because not only are the programs not
listed in your control program's ADD/REMOVE
programs, even when you think you've uninstalled
the program, it may keep reappearing due to changes
in your registry settings that will need to be
addressed.
As if the above wouldn't be bad enough, browser
hijackings can also lead to system instability or
significant performance slowing. But perhaps the
worst part is that your privacy and online security
will be compromised because the malicious code will
be sending back data to its controllers about the
sites you visit and/or data you enter on those
sites.
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