Edafio - Webinars: Detecting and Removing Spyware

Detecting and Removing Spyware

Little Rock, AR (July 29, 2004)

Introduction
This article is designed to help you identify the symptoms and effects of spyware on your system and offer suggestions on how to remove and protect your system from spyware. This article is designed to be used with Microsoft Windows Operating Systems (98 - XP).

What is Spyware?
Spyware is any type of program that executes on your system without your knowledge. It is often included in free software in order for the developer to be paid by basically selling ad-space while giving their software away for free. Spyware and other similar programs perform various activities ranging from displaying pop-up ads to collecting personal information. Not only does spyware invade your privacy, it also effects how your system performs.

Where does spyware come from?
Spyware can come from various sources. Most spyware comes bundled with software that you load onto your system or with web components you may install. Spyware is often bundled together with file-sharing software or internet toolbars.

Symptoms
Detecting spyware on your system can be difficult, but there are some symptoms to alert you that spyware is running on your system:

Your system slows down (programs take longer to load, it takes longer to startup or shutdown your system)
When you click on a link or shortcut to a program, the program does not load
Components of programs fail to perform correctly
When you browse the internet new windows appear with advertisements related to various web sites
New toolbars are added to your web browser
Your web browser opens up displaying advertisements for web sites when your system is idle
Web pages or folders are added to your favorites/bookmarks
Your web browser suddenly closes
Your web browser does not respond (locks-up)
The home page on your web browser is changed

Other types of Spyware may not be detected by the symptoms above. Undetected spyware could be collecting personal information that you may not want someone to get a hold of such as financial information and a list of where you go on the internet. Spyware can have major effects on businesses as well. Spyware can diminish a company‘s resources by slowing down workstations, taking up large amounts of bandwidth, adding to the IT department‘s workload, and lowering individual productivity. Therefore it is recommended that you take steps to regularly check your system for spyware and that you set up a defense against future spyware invasion.

Removal
Spyware can be removed in multiple ways, it all depends on how hidden on your system the unauthorized program is. Windows has various tools that can help you remove some forms of Spyware. For information on how you can remove spyware by using Windows tools visit the link below:

http://support.microsoft.com/?id=827315

Another method of spyware removal can be found in some antivirus software suites. Since spyware is technically not a virus, there are some virus protection programs that will not remove spyware from your system. The vendor of your antivirus software can provide you with information on how their specific product handles spyware. For a list of antivirus vendors visit this Microsoft site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=49500

A third way to remove and prevent spyware on your system is by using software specifically designed to deal with spyware. There are multiple spyware removal programs available but the following are some of the more popular choices available.

Ad-aware
http://www.lavasoft.de/ms/index.htm

Pest Patrol
http://www.pestpatrol.com/

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org/microsoft.en.html

Spyblocker
http://www.spyblocker-software.com/spyblocker/index.shtm

Spysweeper
http://www.webroot.com/wb/products/spysweeper/enterprise.php

Prevention
How can I prevent spyware from loading onto my system?
As mentioned above spyware is often bundled with add-ons, file-sharing software, web games, web assistants, and other programs that you can load onto your system. When you are installing software that you think might contain spyware, try installing using the Custom Installation option rather than the Automatic Installation method when possible. If the software has a Custom Installation option, you can choose which components of the software are loaded (including the bundled software that may be or contain spyware).

Another prevention method is to purchase the full versions of spyware removal software rather than using the basic free versions. One thing that the free versions lack is real-time protection from spyware that acts much like real-time virus protection. By purchasing the full version of software such as Ad-aware, you can have real-time protection against spyware, and in some cases, pop-up blocking.

Click Here to walk through an installation of Adaware