Adware and Spyware

By Mr. Arbogast

What is Spyware?

Spyware is software that is put on your computer without your knowledge or permission. This impacts both PC and Mac users.

Spyware secretly and continuously gathers information about you and relays it to advertisers or other interested parties.

Spyware can be installed on your computer as a result of a virus or by your downloading and installing a “free” program (like Kazaa) that sneaks the Spyware onto your computer.

Some Information Taken from Patrick Crispen’s Viruses, Cookies and Spam, Oh My! PowerPointSome Information Taken from Patrick Crispen’s Viruses, Cookies and Spam, Oh My! PowerPoint

What is Spyware? Spyware can also

be downloaded directly from Internet Explorer also. Do not EVER answer yes to this window unless you know what it is!

What does Spyware do? Spyware can also slow down your

computer Spyware can give you tons and tons of

pop ups even when you are not browsing the internet.

Spyware can change your homepage or redirect you to a different website when you type in the common website like www.yahoo.com.

Spyware might also add different toolbars and change the default search engine on your computer without your permission.

What are the Names of Some Common Spyware Programs? There are many different companies that make software

but some of the major ones are.. Gator by the Gator Corporation My Web Search Toolbar Bonzi Buddy 1080 Search Assistant Media Gateway WhenU SaveNow! HuntBar Money Tree Dialer HotBar TopSearch ToolBar Cydor CommonName BargainBuddy

Some info Taken from http://www.rescom.psu.edu/pages/p2p/pages/spyware.htm and http://www.pcpitstop.com/spycheck/top25.asp

I’m pretty sure I have Spyware. How do I get rid of it?

The easiest ways to get rid of it is to use two different programs that are designed to remove it.

Those three pieces of software are called Lavasoft AdAware, Microsoft Windows Defender and Spybot Search and Destroy.

They are available for free on www.download.com

How to Install use Lavasoft AdAware

•The most popular Spyware removal program•Please go to http://gladiator-antivirus.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=8050 for all of the instructions.

Go to http://www.safer-networking.org/en/tutorial/ for a full tutorial

How to Install use Spybot Search and Destroy

How to install Microsoft Windows Defender

Go to http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/support/howto/download.mspx for a full tutorial

How do I Prevent Myself From Getting Spyware in the Future

Do not install questionable programs – Programs like Kazaa and Limewire come bundled with tons of it.

Use alternative browsers like Netscape and Mozilla Firefox – Most Spyware is made for Microsoft Internet Explorer and other browsers will simply ignore it.