Spyware

Posted on 29 Aug 2006 at 11:56

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Since last year, the US Federal Trade Commission has been acting against this type of code. It has levied stiff fines and shut down offending companies, but the problem persists.

KNOWING YOU HAVE A PROBLEM

Spyware can be easy to spot, depending on its type. Pop-up generators and software that either changes your homepage or web favourites is instantly obvious. You should also run a scan if you try to visit one website, particularly a search site, and are redirected to another page.

You may also notice a slowdown in your PC's performance if you are heavily infected, and more frequent crashes. If you suspect this, press Ctrl-Alt-Del, click on the Processes tab and see what software is running. Click on the CPU button to see what's using the most processor power.

The System Idle Process and applications such as Explorer, Firefox and Taskmgr (Task Manager) will naturally take up a fair amount of processor run time. Windows is fairly good at not letting you shut down processes that are vital to the safe running of the PC. However, if you are unsure about another program that is taking up power, make a note of the name and search for it with Google for more information.

Another good tactic is to pay close attention to your firewall. Some spyware, particularly recorders, communicate the information they have gathered and you can pick this up in firewall logs, which you'll find in the application control part of your firewall program.

reinforced windows

You need to check the security settings of your computer and make sure that security weaknesses in individual programs won't let in infections. For Windows XP users running Service Pack 2 (SP2), this has been made easier by the inclusion of the Security Center in the Control Panel. If you aren't running SP2 you should upgrade before 10th October, when Microsoft stops supporting Service Pack 1.

The Security Center allows you to configure three key areas: the internet connection, the firewall and updating. You can alter the settings of the browser and firewall independently using their own controls as well.

Configuring your internet security settings should be your priority. Open the Security Center and click on the Internet Options link in the 'Manage security settings for' section. This opens the Internet Options dialog box. The first tab you need is Security. On this page you can rely on the four preset security settings or create your own custom rules. Windows XP defaults to the medium security setting, which is good enough for most situations.

MAKE YOUR OWN RULES

To make life even harder for spyware programs, click on the Custom Levels button (Internet Properties, Security tab), and manually go through each security function. Some are obvious, such as disabling the installation of unsafe ActiveX controls, but others are less so. If in doubt, choose the Prompt option where available. This will let you make a decision each time and you can reset your choices whenever you like. When you've finished, click OK.

Next, go to the Privacy tab, which gives you six default security settings, ranging from blocking all cookies to very limited protection. You can also block certain websites and import lists of blocked sites from others. Click on the Advanced button on the Privacy tab to manage first- and third-party cookies more delicately.

FORTIFY THE FIREWALL

A firewall is still important in the fight against spyware. Even the firewall that comes with Windows will help stop unwanted programs from loading themselves on your computer. Other firewalls go one further by making sure that any requests to use the internet by a program are authorised by the user.