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Symantec’s Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition provides essential protection from viruses, hackers, and privacy threats. This edition includes powerful new Norton Spyware Protection, which automatically detects and removes both spyware and adware. The all-in-one protection of Norton Internet Security also helps prevent email fraud and keep confidential information safe.
*Twelve months of protection updates included with purchase of Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition; annual subscriptions available for subsequent updates.
- Outbreak Alert lets you instantly verify that your PC is protected against high-level Internet threats.
- LiveUpdate downloads new protection updates automatically.*
- Automatically removes existing spyware and prevents new spyware from entering your PC.
- Helps you identify adware needed to run programs you want.
*Twelve months of protection updates included with purchase of Norton Internet Security 2005 AntiSpyware Edition; annual subscriptions available for subsequent updates.
Introduction
In the first of a series of articles to explain & suggest guidelines to protect yourselves online. We want to explain what Spyware is, and why we all should be protecting ourselves against it & why you should be telling everybody you know with a computer.
Most people are aware of spam & viruses yet not enough take precautions ....However SPYWARE is more sinister.
It is estimated that a majority of PC / Computers are infected with Spyware without the user knowing, with varying articles suggesting it could be as high as 90%.
Are you one of them? Are you actually going to do something to help protect yourself? ... or ... Are you performing an ostrich impersonation by simply burying your head, shirking your responsibilities and hoping it doesn''t affect you when it is a strong possibility is it?
Protect Yourself...Help Yourself
We obviously appreciate & understand that most people are unsure of how to really prevent it or understand the concepts, but to help yourself you do need to take the necessary measures to protect yourself ... in order to safeguard your viewing pleasure and use of the WWWW (Wonderful World Wide Web).
Don''t make the mistake & assume you are unaffected ... be sure ... I''s time to say "No More!" Enough is enough!
The guideline below will hopefully explain the basics of Spyware, and to the right you can see links to extremely useful Spyware Removal Software, which you should consider for your serious perusal & implementation.
Definitions of Spyware:
Spyware is a generic term for technology used on the internet, usually a software program or code hidden on a users computer that surreptitiously monitors your actions without informed consent, mostly they are very sinister, which covertly transmits or receives data to or from a remote host like a remote control program used by a hacker. Unscrupulous software companies utilise spyware to gather private & confidential information about a person or organisation without their knowledge or consent.
Basically your privacy is being invaded. This could be anything from:
the list is literally endless...
This secretly gathered data about a user, meaning YOU, is relayed to advertisers or other dubious interested parties with generally ominous intentions.
As such, spyware is cause for serious public concern about invasion of your privacy on the Internet, whereby neither the Government or industry organisations including retailers are adequately protecting your concerns as they are probably more interested in their own sales & profits margins.
Spyware is also commonly referred to as Adware or Malware, but there are subtle differences.
All of which are more prevalent and dangerous than Spam, Computer Viruses or Phishing.
We do not see this trend reversing itself. In fact, it is getting worse at an exponential rate.
Adware
Adware (advertising supported software) is a form of spyware which installs secret advertising software on your computer by transmitting or receiving data to or from a remote host for the primary commercial purpose of delivering unwanted / unrequested advertising content or performing other advertising functions to or on that computer. These generate on-screen adverts, often seen as pop ups or through a bar that appears on a computer screen, which can be really annoying!
This practice has been dubbed spyware and has prompted an outcry from computer security and privacy advocates, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
The worst forms of adware ''hijack'' links in web pages. So, instead of taking you to the correct website they take you to a different site - who have often paid the adware makers, these include many brands & retailers we all know. Often these links do take you to the desired website you wanted to visit but through several redirects.
Unless you are technically savvy, it''s difficult to ascertain which are legitimately generated by the website & which is generated by adware, but you can be rid of both. The spin doctors of adware companies are extremely clever with the use of vocabulary & colloquism, falsely suggesting it improves your viewing pleasure, don''t be gullible, don''t tolerate it.
For personal internet users for yourself, adware can inhibit your viewing pleasure of the wonderful world wide web. For businesses which we shall come onto later, there are further ramifications of stealing revenue & trademark infringements. It is important to read the privacy policy when downloading Adware, if you are presented one at all.
Malware
Malware is another form of spyware. It''s an abbreviation for "malicious software" and is often designed to cause damage to your computer system just like a virus does.
Other forms of malware can do other horrible deeds like reveal the keys you press (keyword strokes) on the keyboard or your password to potential hackers.
That''s why having spyware on your computer is like having somebody rummaging through your drawers & private belongings to some people!
Don''t Confuse With Cookies
Don''t confuse cookies with spyware as there are various types of cookies. Albeit some Web sites and commercial organisations track users'' online activity through the use of what is called ‘spyware''. Sometimes coming in the form of ‘cookies'' - these enable the cookie writer to build-up information about what you do and where you go on the Web. Software is available that checks for and removes spyware. However cookies are generally harmless.
How Did It Get There
Spyware is often downloaded onto your PC in many ways for example when you download free software or are downloading peer-to-peer file swapping programs like MP3 music downloads.
Spyware companies pay these file swapping services to bundle the spyware into their downloads.
In the unlikely instance you see a license agreement, EULA (End User Licence Agreement), for any software you download from the internet read it carefully.
Often buried in the deliberately lengthy licence agreement, which you must always read thoroughly as a matter of habit, should be a disclaimer saying that information about you and your browsing habits will be sent to the software company''s website. However, due to the unethical nature of these companies and associated software these are often omitted or veiled in allegory.
More often than not as you''ll soon find out either the information is not available in the EULA or it downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge or consent, commonly referred to as a "Drive by Download", yep sinister as it sounds, like a "Drive by Shooting"
Many free utilities that you download from the Internet will install hidden software that sends details of the websites you visit and other information from your computer (which can include your email address) to advertisers so they can target you with pop up ads and spam.
Children using home computers without the parents present or unsupervised are particularly vulnerable as these spyware companies know they are easy targets whether playing games or downloading music files, an automatic action by a child if presented with a Yes / No dialogue box would be to press "Yes", then before you know it spyware is on your computer. Basically what is happening is that these spyware companies are coercing your children by entering them into an illegal contract .... What are your thoughts on that?
Drive by Downloads
A drive-by download is a program that is automatically downloaded to your computer, often without your consent or even your knowledge. Unlike a pop-up download, which asks for assent (albeit in a calculated manner likely to lead to a "yes"), a drive-by download is carried out invisibly to the user, it can be initiated by simply visiting a Web site or viewing a HTML e-mail message. Frequently, a drive-by download is installed along with another application. For example, a file sharing program might include downloads for a spyware program that tracks and reports user information for targeted marketing purposes, and an adware program that generates pop-up advertisements using that information. If your computer''s security settings are lax, it may be possible for drive-by downloads to occur without any action on your part.
These programs can also replace the user''s home page, change browser settings, and use redirection to take all searches to the another Web site. Many of these programs are extremely difficult to actually uninstall or remove from your computer, even for technical experts
Lack of Privacy
It is reassuring to some people to know that any information that is sent back to legitimate ''marketing'' companies is supposedly ''anonymous''. However, you have no control whatsoever on what data is being sent to the company. Honest marketing and advertising companies must disclose information on the data they are collecting & abide by the rules.
As you are now aware, Spyware just does so much more than collect anonymous data.
How Deep is the Rabbit Hole?
"How far down does the rabbit hole go", you''ll be unpleasantly surprised how many well known brands are knowingly associated with spyware, it will question if you want to shop with them or use their services again, By the same token they can actually unknowingly be the victims too, just like you. Even one or two of your favourite search engines earn £''s millions by close allegiances with companies which have been deemed spyware.
What a majority of the UK public don''t realise is actually how prolific this problem actually is. It is estimated 9 out of 10 home & business computers are infected. Yep that''s 90%. Unfortunately, because Spyware can also be an invisible beast, most people don''t realise it''s actually on their computer. Where adware displays uninvited ad pop ups or steals website traffic, spyware runs in stealth mode operating covertly on your computer without your knowledge relaying information to the mothership.
Unfortunately knowingly or unknowingly many recognised retailers, gambling firms, pornographic sites, mp3 music download (Peer to Peer), financial service companies & travel companies are either in association with these unscrupulous companies directly, have their ads displayed by them or are actually victims themselves.
Something the Government may have been either been turning a blind eye to or more interested in economic growth rather than internet privacy issues. Hopefully this can be brought to their attention in a national petition which we will be forming very soon so that the governement can act more swiftly to eradicate the problem.
In the first of a series of articles to explain & suggest guidelines to protect yourselves online. We want to explain what Spyware is, and why we all should be protecting ourselves against it & why you should be telling everybody you know with a computer.
Most people are aware of spam & viruses yet not enough take precautions ....However SPYWARE is more sinister.
It is estimated that a majority of PC / Computers are infected with Spyware without the user knowing, with varying articles suggesting it could be as high as 90%.
Are you one of them? Are you actually going to do something to help protect yourself? ... or ... Are you performing an ostrich impersonation by simply burying your head, shirking your responsibilities and hoping it doesn''t affect you when it is a strong possibility is it?
Protect Yourself...Help Yourself
We obviously appreciate & understand that most people are unsure of how to really prevent it or understand the concepts, but to help yourself you do need to take the necessary measures to protect yourself ... in order to safeguard your viewing pleasure and use of the WWWW (Wonderful World Wide Web).
Don''t make the mistake & assume you are unaffected ... be sure ... I''s time to say "No More!" Enough is enough!
The guideline below will hopefully explain the basics of Spyware, and to the right you can see links to extremely useful Spyware Removal Software, which you should consider for your serious perusal & implementation.
Definitions of Spyware:
Spyware is a generic term for technology used on the internet, usually a software program or code hidden on a users computer that surreptitiously monitors your actions without informed consent, mostly they are very sinister, which covertly transmits or receives data to or from a remote host like a remote control program used by a hacker. Unscrupulous software companies utilise spyware to gather private & confidential information about a person or organisation without their knowledge or consent.
Basically your privacy is being invaded. This could be anything from:
- Delivering unwanted and invasive pop up advertisements
- Recording your credit or debit card when you shop online.
- Accessing your banking details and passwords.
- Accessing your passwords when you visit or sign into sites by monitoring your keyword strokes.
- Scanning your pc hard drive reading documents on your computer.
- These Spyware / Adware / Malware applications can also seriously use up system resources and can cause your PC to crash or freeze or perform slow & sluggishly.
- Your internet browsing / user habits and history of websites you visit to 3rd parties
- connect your modem to expensive toll numbers
the list is literally endless...
This secretly gathered data about a user, meaning YOU, is relayed to advertisers or other dubious interested parties with generally ominous intentions.
As such, spyware is cause for serious public concern about invasion of your privacy on the Internet, whereby neither the Government or industry organisations including retailers are adequately protecting your concerns as they are probably more interested in their own sales & profits margins.
Spyware is also commonly referred to as Adware or Malware, but there are subtle differences.
All of which are more prevalent and dangerous than Spam, Computer Viruses or Phishing.
We do not see this trend reversing itself. In fact, it is getting worse at an exponential rate.
Adware
Adware (advertising supported software) is a form of spyware which installs secret advertising software on your computer by transmitting or receiving data to or from a remote host for the primary commercial purpose of delivering unwanted / unrequested advertising content or performing other advertising functions to or on that computer. These generate on-screen adverts, often seen as pop ups or through a bar that appears on a computer screen, which can be really annoying!
This practice has been dubbed spyware and has prompted an outcry from computer security and privacy advocates, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center.
The worst forms of adware ''hijack'' links in web pages. So, instead of taking you to the correct website they take you to a different site - who have often paid the adware makers, these include many brands & retailers we all know. Often these links do take you to the desired website you wanted to visit but through several redirects.
Unless you are technically savvy, it''s difficult to ascertain which are legitimately generated by the website & which is generated by adware, but you can be rid of both. The spin doctors of adware companies are extremely clever with the use of vocabulary & colloquism, falsely suggesting it improves your viewing pleasure, don''t be gullible, don''t tolerate it.
For personal internet users for yourself, adware can inhibit your viewing pleasure of the wonderful world wide web. For businesses which we shall come onto later, there are further ramifications of stealing revenue & trademark infringements. It is important to read the privacy policy when downloading Adware, if you are presented one at all.
Malware
Malware is another form of spyware. It''s an abbreviation for "malicious software" and is often designed to cause damage to your computer system just like a virus does.
Other forms of malware can do other horrible deeds like reveal the keys you press (keyword strokes) on the keyboard or your password to potential hackers.
That''s why having spyware on your computer is like having somebody rummaging through your drawers & private belongings to some people!
Don''t Confuse With Cookies
Don''t confuse cookies with spyware as there are various types of cookies. Albeit some Web sites and commercial organisations track users'' online activity through the use of what is called ‘spyware''. Sometimes coming in the form of ‘cookies'' - these enable the cookie writer to build-up information about what you do and where you go on the Web. Software is available that checks for and removes spyware. However cookies are generally harmless.
How Did It Get There
Spyware is often downloaded onto your PC in many ways for example when you download free software or are downloading peer-to-peer file swapping programs like MP3 music downloads.
Spyware companies pay these file swapping services to bundle the spyware into their downloads.
In the unlikely instance you see a license agreement, EULA (End User Licence Agreement), for any software you download from the internet read it carefully.
Often buried in the deliberately lengthy licence agreement, which you must always read thoroughly as a matter of habit, should be a disclaimer saying that information about you and your browsing habits will be sent to the software company''s website. However, due to the unethical nature of these companies and associated software these are often omitted or veiled in allegory.
More often than not as you''ll soon find out either the information is not available in the EULA or it downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge or consent, commonly referred to as a "Drive by Download", yep sinister as it sounds, like a "Drive by Shooting"
Many free utilities that you download from the Internet will install hidden software that sends details of the websites you visit and other information from your computer (which can include your email address) to advertisers so they can target you with pop up ads and spam.
Children using home computers without the parents present or unsupervised are particularly vulnerable as these spyware companies know they are easy targets whether playing games or downloading music files, an automatic action by a child if presented with a Yes / No dialogue box would be to press "Yes", then before you know it spyware is on your computer. Basically what is happening is that these spyware companies are coercing your children by entering them into an illegal contract .... What are your thoughts on that?
Drive by Downloads
A drive-by download is a program that is automatically downloaded to your computer, often without your consent or even your knowledge. Unlike a pop-up download, which asks for assent (albeit in a calculated manner likely to lead to a "yes"), a drive-by download is carried out invisibly to the user, it can be initiated by simply visiting a Web site or viewing a HTML e-mail message. Frequently, a drive-by download is installed along with another application. For example, a file sharing program might include downloads for a spyware program that tracks and reports user information for targeted marketing purposes, and an adware program that generates pop-up advertisements using that information. If your computer''s security settings are lax, it may be possible for drive-by downloads to occur without any action on your part.
These programs can also replace the user''s home page, change browser settings, and use redirection to take all searches to the another Web site. Many of these programs are extremely difficult to actually uninstall or remove from your computer, even for technical experts
Lack of Privacy
It is reassuring to some people to know that any information that is sent back to legitimate ''marketing'' companies is supposedly ''anonymous''. However, you have no control whatsoever on what data is being sent to the company. Honest marketing and advertising companies must disclose information on the data they are collecting & abide by the rules.
As you are now aware, Spyware just does so much more than collect anonymous data.
How Deep is the Rabbit Hole?
"How far down does the rabbit hole go", you''ll be unpleasantly surprised how many well known brands are knowingly associated with spyware, it will question if you want to shop with them or use their services again, By the same token they can actually unknowingly be the victims too, just like you. Even one or two of your favourite search engines earn £''s millions by close allegiances with companies which have been deemed spyware.
What a majority of the UK public don''t realise is actually how prolific this problem actually is. It is estimated 9 out of 10 home & business computers are infected. Yep that''s 90%. Unfortunately, because Spyware can also be an invisible beast, most people don''t realise it''s actually on their computer. Where adware displays uninvited ad pop ups or steals website traffic, spyware runs in stealth mode operating covertly on your computer without your knowledge relaying information to the mothership.
Unfortunately knowingly or unknowingly many recognised retailers, gambling firms, pornographic sites, mp3 music download (Peer to Peer), financial service companies & travel companies are either in association with these unscrupulous companies directly, have their ads displayed by them or are actually victims themselves.
Something the Government may have been either been turning a blind eye to or more interested in economic growth rather than internet privacy issues. Hopefully this can be brought to their attention in a national petition which we will be forming very soon so that the governement can act more swiftly to eradicate the problem.
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