Spyware

Posted on 29 Aug 2006 at 11:56

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MEANS OF TRANSMISSION

In the early days of spyware, the most common way the programs would get on your PC was by enticing you to install them yourself. Then spyware designers began to write malicious programs that could lurk on webpages, and the internet is now awash with them. The code gets on your computer via your browser, usually because the browser has known security flaws that can be exploited or because the security settings are applied incorrectly.

Most spyware is aimed at Microsoft's Internet Explorer browser. Whether this is down to lax security in Microsoft's coding or the fact that it has over 80 per cent of the market is a matter of heated debate. It is also becoming less relevant, as an increasing amount of spyware aimed at Mozilla, Safari and Opera browsers is surfacing.

By far the best way to protect yourself from a browser attack is by adjusting the security settings within your browser, which we'll explain later, and backing this up by installing anti-spyware software. If you're worried about cookies, Internet Explorer 6 allows you to look at a site's privacy report to see what data is being collected (go to the View menu and select Privacy Report).

BEWARE HITCHHIKERS

Peer-to-peer file-sharing networks are often used by makers of spyware to spread their programs. Typically, they disguise their spyware as popular downloads on such networks. Increasing amounts of spyware are being spammed on peer-to-peer networks under the guise of music, video and games. When they are downloaded and run, the spyware is activated.

Some sites are quite upfront about including adware with their programs. In these cases it is a much-needed source of revenue: you want something for free but somehow it has to be paid for, and including adverts is a good way to do it. At least you're given the choice before you install the software.

The distinction between adware and spyware starts to blur when the permission to install spyware is put in a long Terms and Conditions (T&Cs) statement. Hardly any of us read the T&Cs, even though we click to say we agree and accept them. Until it was blocked by anti-virus firms, the Friend Greeting software did just that. On the surface it was a standard greetings card application; hidden in the small print, though, was a clause allowing it to email everyone in your address book.

There are also many bogus programs that contain spyware, perhaps claiming to speed up your internet connection or optimise your PC. Have you ever been surfing the web and seen a pop-up that looks like a Windows dialog box, telling you that you need to download XYZ now, or your computer could be at risk? This is a popular way for bogus programs to get on your computer. When you see one of these pop-up boxes, never click on any of the buttons in the dialog box. Instead, you should shut down the window in one of three ways; click the top right-hand corner button; press Alt-F4 or find the page on the Windows taskbar, right-click on it and choose Close.

ROGUE TRADERS

More pernicious are rogue anti-spyware products, which hide spyware in supposed security software. This is a recent tactic, but one that is proving successful against less-experienced computer users. A regularly updated list of such software can be found on the Spyware Warrior website at spywarewarrior.com.

Typically, unsuspecting users are introduced to these programs by adverts spammed via email and messaging applications. They often offer a 'free scan' of the user's computer before telling them that they need to install anti-spyware software. In fact, many of these programs are little more than spyware generators themselves and can be extremely difficult to remove.