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Got Spyware? Tips for detection, removal and prevention - part1.
Author:
Anna-Marie Stewart
Article:
Spyware, also known as adware or malware, is getting to be more
and more of a problem to internet users. Spyware is usually a
program or application that is installed onto your pc, often without
your knowledge or permission. It may display ads, monitor your
Web surfing patterns, steal your passwords or become responsible
for a whole range of bad stuff.
Where
does spyware come from/What does it do?
These
programs/applications can come from Web sites that download music
or offer free software, or even from certain popup ads if you
click anywhere inside the ad instead of hitting the X button to
get rid of it.
Cookies
are almost inevitable (most websites use them, and some won`t
even work without them), and rarely a problem as they are very
easy to clean up or even not accept, but the threat posed by key
loggers, diallers and Trojans is much greater.
A
key logger can record anything you type, including your passwords,
e-mail messages,and credit card numbers, and even your online
chats. Diallers will secretly hang up your Internet connection
and redial premium services that can run up your long-distance
bill. Trojans can embed programs which will open"backdoors"
into your computer to allow hackers to steal data or make your
pc unusable.
These
types of spyware can prove very costly to people unaware of them.
How
do you know if your pc is infected with spyware?
Well,
for definite, if you`ve never checked before, you can bet your
bottom dollar that you WILL have some spyware on your computer.
Here
are some common traits:
1.
Changed IE favourites.
2.
Homepage changes without you changing it.
3. Popup ads popping up even when you`re offline.
4. New desktop icons appear for programs you did not knowingly
install.
5. Some trojans will cause changes to the icons of your normal
programs.
6. Prolonged System start-up after a reboot (takes a long time
to load user settings).
7. You have to refresh a webpage multiple times before you can
see the content. 8. Your pc may seem uncommonly slow or sluggish.
9. A program may not operate correctly. Some examples of this
are Windows Media Player will not work. Notepad will not work,
Task Manager, MSConfig or Regedit may close immediately after
opening.
10. Unexplained loss of internet access (worst case scenario).
Got
Spyware? Tips for detection, removal and prevention - part1.
Got Spyware? Tips
for detection, removal and prevention - part2.
Click
here for more articles on this topic.
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