Just imagine our surprise when I personally received a phone call from a friend who told me he'd been the victim of a "spyware" attack that left him shaking at his loss of privacy.
I personally listened to his horror story with a sympathetic ear, however I personally felt secure since I personally bear anti-virus programs and a firewall (both by Norton).
At his suggestion - and to our surprise - I personally ran a program called "Spy Sweeper" and uncovered a veritable minefield of dangerous and harmful programs lurking on our computer.
"Spyware" is programs that gets onto your computer and literally "spies" on your activities.
The spying can range from relatively harmless apply of cookies tracking you across multiple websites... to very dangerous "keystroke loggers" which record passwords, credit cards, and more individual information. That information then gets relayed to the individual who put the programs on your computer.
3 primary varieties of spyware exist to complicate your online life, including:
one. "cookies"
two. "adware"
three. malicious programs like "keystroke loggers"
Cookies represent mostly a danger of misplaced privacy.
In theory, someone may utilise a "cookie" to track you across multiple sites, combine that information with many databases, and figure out a lot even more information about you than would produce you comfortable.
"Adware" tracks even more than just your movement across sites, it spies on your installed programs and computer habits to then help higher advertising, modify websites prior to you see them, and normally do things without your knowledge with the intention of trying to get you to purchase things.
"Keystroke loggers" and more malicious programs exist for 1 purpose: to cause private mayhem and financial damage.
Spyware gets on your computer in 1 of many different ways.
1st, it rides along with programs you download from the 'Net and install on your system.
2nd, they come as email attachments (much like viruses) and automatically install themselves on your computer when you open the email message.
Third, hackers find an open port on your computer and utilise the "back door" to install basically anything they desire.
And for, the even more malicious varieties, like keystroke loggers, can even get installed by someone with direct physical access to your computer like an employer, suspicious husband, business competitor, or even someone who wants to know exactly what you're doing.
Currently, believe you shoulder an up-to-date anti-virus program and a firewall - should not that represent potent protection?
In a word: NO!
I personally can personally attest that even the virtually all up-to-date anti- virus programs and firewalls will not (repeat, WILL NOT) catch all the spyware that can infest your computer.
You require a program that specifically scans your system for the tens-of-thousands of existing spyware programs along with the new ones appearing daily.
Test "Spy Sweeper" from webroot.com - this is the program I personally utilized to discover the spyware on our computer.
1 thing I personally found, however, is that this program is a memory hog, so when I personally scanned, I personally turned it off and then apply it 2-3 times 7 days... not the best strategy, however I personally wish to give you the "whole" picture.
I personally as well got the following recommendations from many subscribers about two programs to specifically help identify and dislodge spyware from your system (PC):
one. "Ad Aware" from lavasoft.de
two. "Spybot Lookup & Destroy" from safer-networking.org
The overwhelmingly recommended firewall suggested by readers was Zone Alarm Pro from Zone Labs => http://www.ebookfire.com/zonealarm.html
The key thing seems pretty basic (but lengthy) if you wish to protect yourself against this growing threat.
~ Keep your anti-virus program current
~ Install a firewall
~ Carefully screen programs prior to installing it
~ Read for specifically for spyware weekly
~ Stay current on this growing threat.
(c) Jim Edwards - All Rights reserved
http://www.thenetreporter.com
About the Author:
Jim Edwards is a syndicated newspaper columnist (http://www.TheNetReporter.com) and is andy skinner of many best-selling ebooks, information products and programs programs.
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Article source: http://www.topiccenter.com/Internet-and-Businesses-Online/Security/