Comments on: Spyware

By: Lawrence Krubner

Lawrence Krubner — Tue, 23 Dec 2003 21:01:43 +0000

I think we can all agree that scum-ware has gotten much more agressive over the last 4 years. My friends often ask me to get rid of stuff from their computers, and lately I’ve been running into stuff that Ad-Aware is unable to remove. Sometimes you have to go into the Registry and delete keys, which is always a cause for worry. Whether the real number is 2% or 18% I really, really wish some government somewhere would make scum-ware illegal. Apparently scum-ware doesn’t violate property rights (thought I don’t understand why that is), but it needs to be illegal.

By: jerry

jerry — Fri, 19 Dec 2003 14:41:57 +0000

The following websites have excellent infomation and links to helpful sites and sotware that will help you uninstall/check for malware or spyware: http://www.cexx.org/neuter.htm http://accs-net.com/smallfish/advw.htm http://www.resnet.bris.ac.uk/docs/adware.html http://www.unwantedlinks.com/spyware-info.htm Windows users beware – uninstalling the software isn’t always what your system likes. It also may affect the software it was bundled with :( Good reason to use linux… good luck

By: Chris Bertram

Chris Bertram — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 16:50:40 +0000

RAT = “remote administration tool”.

By: Anno-nymous

Anno-nymous — Thu, 18 Dec 2003 01:27:53 +0000

Is an RAT another term for a keystroke logger? It’s ambiguous in the excerpt, and it is sort of relevant for the meaning of the 18% number.

By: John Durkin

John Durkin — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 23:52:55 +0000

Besides a good antivirus, Ad-aware, a free software, is the minimum protection every PC user should download and use regularly. As I understand it, a keystroke logger works in conjunction with port scanning. So, if you use the net for shopping, banking etc, the minimum requirement would definitely include a firewall as well. Windows XP has its own.

By: Mary

Mary — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 21:12:35 +0000

One of my services rendered to my family on visits home is the application of Windows security updates. Another is the removal of spyware, adware and general malware. My understanding of spyware is that it comes with desirable programs. The well known example is Kazaa, but often the latest cool screensavers, and random websites with funny pictures install spyware or adware. If my family is a good example, almost any household with children or teenagers who regularly browse the web in search of cool screensavers, free music and funny pictures that isn’t also blessed with a Household Geek probably has some nasties, and so I suspect 18% is a low figure.

By: Keith M Ellis

Keith M Ellis — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 17:15:17 +0000

“Spyware” is not synonymous with “keystroke loggers”. Keystroke loggers are a small subset of spyware. I’ll believe 18% penetration of some form of “spyware”, loosely defined (as, for example, Ad-Aware defines it). 18% penetration of key logging programs? Not a chance. For one thing, that’s a buttload of data.

By: Chris Bertram

Chris Bertram — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 16:53:47 +0000

Sorry, I thought that was one of their free-to-web pieces else I wouldn’t have linked to it. Maybe they moved it behind their wall today.

By: cafl

cafl — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 16:42:02 +0000

Since FT is subscription-only, I can’t read the article, and the webroot.com website doesn’t have an obvious article that could have been the source of the reported information. However, the post refers to “keystroke loggers”, not to spyware in general. Keystroke loggers record what you type, by intercepting the low-level messages flowing between the keyboard hardware and the operating system. This translates into an ability to collect passwords or passphrases, which could enable an attacker to access online financial services, restricted computers, etc. Depending on whether a virus installing such a logger is doing more (e.g. recording URLs as well as keystrokes so that the use of a password can be easily determined), this could be a very efficient and targetted way to collect account information, not to spy on massive amounts of useless personal files.

By: mattH

mattH — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 16:00:16 +0000

Haha. Sponsors. That’s what I get for trying to post in multiple topics at once.

By: mattH

mattH — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 15:56:52 +0000

It might be a bit overexagerated, seeing as how both Ad-Aware and Spybot-Search & Destroy classify advertizing cookies as spyware, but if they did, I would think the numbers would be much higher than that. Anyways, it’s fun to run Spybot-Search & Destroy just to see what it finds. You might be surprised. Oh, and a firewall is another good barrier to have. I believe ZoneAlarm is free to non-corporate sponsers.

By: Mikhel

Mikhel — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 15:56:24 +0000

I agree with Jam that the number is at least correct. I would put it at much higher.

By: rea

rea — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 15:48:56 +0000

Jam and rv agnos: Are you telling me that a large percetnage of computers are infected with spyware, but probably no one is watching? I could live with that, I guess—I can’t think of anyone with a sensible motive to spy on what I do on the computer. Or are you telling me that all that spyware is actually being used? That would border on the insane. How could anyone hope to find any needle of useful information in the resulting giant haystack of data?

By: Val

Val — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 15:37:38 +0000

I am your typical paranoid PC user and always try everything I can to protect myself, but that hasn’t saved me from spyware. Besides a good antivirus, Ad-aware, a free software, is the minimum protection every PC user should download and use regularly. Users of Windows XP can disable certain administrative services that pose security risks. I have prepared a list of services and would gladly send the list to anybody who emails me.

By: Rv. Agnos

Rv. Agnos — Wed, 17 Dec 2003 15:25:35 +0000

Right. Anyone who downloads Kazaa or a similar file sharing program downloads spyware with it. I would think 18% would be about right.