Internet Help

Spyware

Software that is installed without the user?s knowledge by misrepresenting itself or tricking the user. It is very common to find spyware injected into pirated software, movies, or games found on P2P file sharing sites. Software provided for free, clicking a pop-up ad, or injected into pirated software, movies, and games found on P2P file sharing sites. Spyware is installed without the user?s knowledge. Spyware can:

• Create pop-up ads
• Change computer settings
• Redirect you to Websites you did not type in your address bar
• Evade detection and removal by changing its filename and location
• Open back doors and install other malicious programs like keyloggers or trojans
• Make money for spyware creators by controlling the traffic you see when you do searches
• Hide itself in your computer?s Registry (basic instructions for how your computer should work)
• Inhibit installation of other software like installing an anti-spyware program to fix the problem spyware created
• Slow down your computer - hackers want to be transparent so a fast computer does not always mean a spyware free computer
• Record every keystroke made on your computer and send it to a hacker to be used for fraud or sold to others (passwords, logins, banking information, etc.)
• Keep track of searches made on your computer and send that information to a server. the server then decides what ads to display on your screen

Adware

Usually installed with software provided for free or at a reduced price. By using advertising the developer of the software can recover development costs. Keeps track of what Internet sites the user visits and presents advertising related to your surfing style. Adware can:

• Be annoying
• Slow down your computer
• Redirect you to Websites you did not type in your address bar
• Make money for creators by controlling the traffic you see when you do searches
• Keep track of searches made on your computer and send that information to a server, the server then decides what ads to display on your screen.

How Anti-spyware works:

Anti-spyware scans the files on your computer looking for bits of code called signatures that can be signs of a compromised PC.The suspected code is compared to a database to figure out if the code is truly compromised. If the flagged code is found in the database, the Anti-spyware program treats the code as a piece of spyware then follows the pre-defined rules to handle spyware. Examples: Clean, Quarantine, Delete. Spyware may need to be removed from several files, directories, and/or from the Registry. Due to the complexity of these tasks, sometimes anti-spyware cannot delete the spyware that is found. Sometimes you need to download a specific removal tool to fix the problem.