What Is Spyware?

Spyware has become a growing problem that threatens the stability and performance of your PC. Statistics indicate that more than 20% of PC's have some sort of spyware active in memory, stealing CPU cycles, using up system resources, delivering unwanted advertising, and often creating system instability. Worse yet, spyware can threaten your privacy. So why do companies make this kind of software? Because it makes them money. This is the worst news of all; your loss is their gain, which means they'll keep trying. More and more companies are entering the market to exploit this alarming trend. The job is getting tougher as makers of this software adapt their tactics to avoid detection and hide their true intent.

Here are some of the "features" you get from spyware. Some spyware may only use one or two of these tactics, while others do quite a bit more.

• Deceptive Functionality. Spyware often uses a classic "trojan horse" tactic--like a virus. It offers to synchronize your PC's clock or keep track of forms, but it is also doing other hidden things while you browse.
• Home Page Hijacking. Did you ever find that your home page was changed, or discover new sites in Favorites that you didn't add? It might be spyware.
• Loss of Privacy. Some spyware keeps track of the web sites you visit and sends that information back to the spyware vendor. Do you want to tell everyone?
• More Advertising. Did you install a popup stopper but you are still getting popups? The ads you are getting may not be from the web site you are on, but from spyware.
• Stolen Advertising. Instead of showing the ads that should appear on a web site, some spyware substitutes its own ads which can rob a web site of revenue.
• Broken Web Sites. Spyware sometimes changes the actual content on a web page, and in the process it "breaks" the page. The page may not look correct, or you may get Javascript errors.
• Reduced Performance. Spyware uses up system resources, CPU time, memory, disk space, and Internet bandwidth, making your system run slower.
• System Instability. Most spyware isn't very well tested or debugged, and there is no way to report bugs or obtain tech support. The result can be system crashes, hangs, or other strange behavior.
• Security Risks. Some spyware has a built-in update feature that lets the spyware maker download and install new code to your system without your knowledge or approval.

Everyone knows that a virus is bad news and spyware can be just as bad for the performance and reliability of your PC. It's not just computer users who are affected by spyware. Many advertisers are not fully aware of the tactics that spyware makers use to lure users into installing the software, and they don't realize their ad money is encouraging even more aggressive tactics.

Why don't most antivirus utilities block spyware?

The short answer is "spyware is not a virus." Webopedia defines a virus as "A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes." Spyware takes advantage of the fact that people click “I Agree” to most software licenses without actually reading them. So technically, spyware is loaded with your knowledge and permission if you read the license, so it's not a virus. Of course, if your teenager uses the computer and installs spyware without your permission, that's your problem too.

This tricky use of software agreements puts the antivirus companies in a tough situation. It is possible that you really did agree for some of this software to be on your system. If antivirus utilities flag these programs as viruses and remove them, the antivirus companies could find themselves in a legal battle with spyware makers who claim they were given permission to install.

Dirty Spyware Tricks

If you had a complete knowledge of what most spyware was doing to your system, you would never agree to install it. So how does it end up installed on so many PCs? Here are some of the dirty tricks that spyware uses to worm its way onto your system and stay there. (Not all spyware uses every technique.)

• Hide inside another program's installer. You will often see this technique in peer-to-peer programs like Kazaa. Hundreds of "freeware" programs install some form of spyware along with the main application. In some cases the spyware is relatively innocuous, but in others it can crash your system or invade your privacy. The only hint you may see is a short sentence or two in the end user license agreement (EULA) to the effect of "third party software may be installed along with the application."
• Use confusing legalese. The license agreements don't just come out and say "we're going to collect information and screw up your browsing" since that wouldn't get them a lot of customers. Instead, the licenses are full of vague and confusing prose.
• Keep asking until you say Yes. This is particularly common with drive-by downloads. Some spyware is delivered by an ActiveX control that tries to load each time you visit a web page where the spyware is present. As a security measure, the browser will ask if you want to install. If you say No it's only good until the next web page you load, where you'll again be asked the question. After a few pages of this, some people will give up and say Yes. (A better move would be to give up and leave that site.)
• Create a false pretense for needing the software. You get this email message rom a friend: "I've just sent you a greeting card, go to this web site to read it!" When you get to the web site it asks you to install a "greeting card viewer" that turns out to be spyware, and it sends a similar card to everyone in your address book. In the license agreement you didn't read but agreed to, you gave it permission to do that!
• Look essential, or be invisible. Some spyware will use an official-sounding name like "winstartup" so that you'll be less likely to disable it if you see it running. Others maintain a low profile by using dozens of different file names and locations, or even generating a random file name to escape detection. To further mask its existence and reduce your awareness of it, many spyware packages will even install software updates without your knowledge.
• Don't uninstall, even when asked. Whether by design or mistake, a lot of spyware does not remove itself when you uninstall the application that originally installed the spyware. In many cases the only way to completely remove spyware is with a utility like Spybot.

Fighting Spyware

How can you protect your PC and help eliminate the spyware threat?

There are several elements that will help you keep your PC spyware free.

• Be wary of what you download and install on your PC. Make sure you read the license agreements and take notice of any “bonus” software that wants to install as well. An example is the Kazaa file sharing software. Kazaa will not install unless you agree to install the spyware add-on software. Avoid such software.
• Install a pop-up blocker. Many spyware programs get installed through pop-up windows. Some of them install even if you click the X to close it. I recommend the Netscape pop-up toolbar for Internet Explorer. It can be downloaded at http://www.netscape.com. This blocker gives you the ability to turn it on and off at will. Some browsers have pop-up blocking built in like Netscape.
• Use a secure browser. I recommend using Netscape, Mozilla, or Firefox browsers. Internet Explorer has been proven to be insecure. There are many security holes in IE that have been exploited in the past. Use IE only when a certain web site requires it.
• Keep anti-virus software updated and running. Make sure you have an Antivirus package installed on your PC and it is updated and scanning. This will help keep viruses and spyware off your PC as some Spyware can be installed by a a virus.
• Install and maintain anti-spyware software. There are many tools that have emerged to help you the user keep spyware off your PC. There are two tools that I recommend you use to help fight spyware. SpywareBlaster and Spybot: Search and Destroy are shareware programs that can be downloaded and installed on your PC to fight off spyware.

SpywareBlaster by JavaCool. This program is not a spyware removal tool. Instead, it prevents spyware from getting on your PC in the first place. Once installed SpyWareBlaster does not run in the background, it sets up registry entries to prevent spyware from installing. It is very slick indeed!

Spybot: Search and Destroy. This is a spyware removal tool. Once installed on your PC you can run it like an AntiVirus tool to find and remove spyware.

Both of these tools can be downloaded from http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads31.html.

Keep in mind that you will need to update the spyware database in each of these programs on a regular database just like your antivirus software.

Spread the word about spyware and its cure. Tell your friends, neighbors, business colleagues, and tell your family. Let them know about this threat, how to detect it, avoid it, and eliminate it. Together we can win the battle against spyware. And your PC will thank you.