Safe Internet Blog

Most individuals on the internet do not realize they have spyware on their home computer. Many think, viruses are more to be concerned about.  Everyone has heard about viruses because they are so wide spread and spoke of so often in the news. These days, spyware blockers are remarkable and can prevent infections from ever getting installed onto your computer.

The best way to hold off malicious software from being installed on your computer is to have the proper defense. You should learn how to recognize malicious content and the proper form of prevention. Don’t be afraid of spyware, adware, and malware. It can be removed!!!

It’s usually easier to recognize a spyware infection than it is a virus infection. Many times viruses go unnoticed.  Spyware is easily detected by spyware blockers and by the effects the spyware will have on your computer. Not always, but more often than not spyware will team up with adware. These adware programs will show you unwanted ads and attempt to get you to click on these ads.  Once clicked, it will redirect you to a certain malicious website in hope of infecting your computer more or stealing your information.

Here are some common questions regarding whether or not you have spyware software on your computer:

Q: There is an increased number of in pop-up advertisements such as text ads, picture ads, and sometimes adult advertisements.  Do I have spyware on my computer and can I remove it?

A: Yes – More often than not the signs mentioned in this question relate to spyware tied in with adware.  Spyware and it’s cousin, adware, can be easily and safely removed with Spyware Doctor, one of today’s leading spyware blockers.Spyware Doctor can also defend against spyware from getting installed on your computer in the future.

Q: My browsers home page defaults have been changed, why?

A: Sometimes spyware will change your browser settings.It does this so that the main “home” page is now the malicious software’s website. This “malicious” site can then in turn cause more undesirable programs to be downloaded onto your computer.  It can allow for attacks against your computer without you even knowing these attacks are taking place.It’s very likely that you have spyware on your computer.

Did you know you can get a free scan using PCTools Spyware Doctor?

Q: I’ve noticed recently when I try to go to one of my favorite websites I have problems. I get redirected to a website I’m not familiar with.  I thought the site I’ve been going to had moved but I’m not sure that’s the case.

A: This is a sign you’ve been affected by spyware; it’s one of the oldest tricks in the book.  Site redirection by spyware has been around for years, it was one of the first methods employed by spyware programs to steal and spy on your activities.  Don’t enter any information into this website you’ve been redirected to.  The information you enter could be stolen and used against you.

Q: Ok, I know I have spyware now what do I do?  Can I get rid of it?

A: Yes! Most people don’t realize that spyware is different than a virus. Spyware will have different signatures and are made up a little different than a virus is made up.  What this means is that a virus is written to spread to other computers or open a backdoor into yours.  These are characteristics that anti-virus programs look for.  Just like a virus, spyware will have signatures too.

Leading spyware blocker manufactures, such as PCTools, keep on top of these signatures and update their anti spy ware programs accordingly.

What does this mean for you?

It means you get the same industry level protection from a spyware blocker manufacture, as you get from industry leading anti-virus manufactures.  Spyware blockers, such as Spyware Doctor, can not only get rid of spyware spyware that is already on your computer but block new spyware from ever being installed.

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There is a lot of advice out there in regards to what many people believe are the “best practices” of computer security and maintaining your computers health but what about the “what not to do”? What we are going to talk about here is an invented family of “What Not To Dos”.

The – What Not to Do Family

The hypothetical “What Not to Do’s” is a family that thinks they can get by without any spyware and antivirus protection and also does not update their computer with the latest patches. They follow all the best practice rules – opposite of the way they are supposed to.

They family unknowingly opens attachments from folks they don’t know, like Mother “What Not to Do” who receives an email from someone that she doesn’t know. Although the subject line says I love you, the email still comes from an unreliable source. Unknowingly, by opening the “I love you” email mother “What Not to Do” has opened a virus/worm that makes malicious changes to her computer. The virus then starts a worldwide computer virus pandemic by sending a copy of the “I love you” email to everyone in her address list. Nice! Information about her worldwide pandemic can be found by searching Wikipedia.org for “I love you virus”

Father “What Not to Do” thinks that updates are not necessary for the family’s computer. He uses a computer at work and now prides him on being a computer genius at home. Father “What Not to Do” at no time updates his computer at work so why should he at home? What Father doesn’t realize is that every night after he leaves the office, the office computers automatically update themselves with the latest operating system patches. The computer administrators at his work have set this up so the corporation will stay safe from viruses, worms and spyware that try an attack their corporate computers.

Little Jonny “What Not to Do” is a computer junkie. Jonny is always on the computer when he gets home and is constantly downloading free music to feed his nifty little mp3 player he got for his birthday. Instead of using iTunes or another esteemed program to buy his music, Jonny uses BearShare. Jonny doesn’t care that BearShare may be harmful to his family’s computer; Jonny is only concerned with downloading as much music as possible. He is also unmindful to the fact that he is illegally downloading the music because all the music he downloads is commercial music. 2500 songs at $.99 a song… That’s… $2475. Little Jonny that dollar amount counts as a felony.

In every instance of their day-to-day lives the “What Not To Do” family unintentionally does something to harm their computer. They may think that they are safe but come to realize they are not when one day they find that Father “What Not to Do’s” identity has been stolen. The culprit? A computer hacker in a foreign country who made his way in to the family’s computer through back doors left by a spyware program he designed.

The “What Not to Do” family may have been invented but everything described in their actions is true and happens every day to families and people all across the world. Operating system updates, spyware removers and antivirus programs are needed tools to keeping your family safe. Use them! It will cost you far, far less down the road than you think you’ll save now by not using them.

Below are a few ideas of what not to do:

Do not open attachments that you are not familiar with.

If the subject line looks weird do not open it. If it’s from a friend wait until you talk with your friend to make sure they themselves sent the email.

Do not use P2P or “peer to peer” sites for downloading music, video, games, software, etc.

Do not open or install files sent via instant messenger from unknown people.

Below are a few ideas of what to do:

Scan attachments with a virus scanner or anti spyware programs before downloading it.

Do not turn your antivirus or spyware blockers software off for an extended period of time.

Never turn off your firewall.

Update your computers operating system.

Don’t be like the “What Not To Do” family. Look into getting spyware blockers and antivirus protection. We are on the internet together.

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What is spyware?  Break the name down and you get “spy” and “ware” which really says everything about these noisome little programs.  They are software specifically written to spy on you and your family’s activities online and report back to a central location.  The spyware gathers information about everyone that uses the infected computer; it gathers browsing habits and details, it can gather keystrokes and this can lead to information such as passwords and credit card information leaking back to the spyware programmers.  Spyware blockers are programs that look for spyware programs. They observe patterns given off by spyware programs, restrict spyware from being installed and abolish spyware that is already installed.  Freshly installed spyware blockers go to work the minute you install them, searching out for any spyware programs that may exist on your computer.

Spyware blockers start working as soon as you install them, they go to work immediately and they are your first line of defense in stopping spyware.Once the spyware blocker is installed, it commences by scanning all files that are on your computer; it looks for patterns and signatures that spyware present.And, when it finds a match, it takes that file and disposes of it.

Spyware comes in many different varieties and accomplishes what the programmers of the spyware have designed it to do.Spyware can dig up every single action you make online.  Spyware can collect your browsing habits, search your computer for useful information, record your keystrokes, and many more undesirable functions.  Spyware can lead the victim, YOU, straight on the path to identity theft. The important aspect of any effective spyware blocker is to stop these harmful spyware programs before they are able to be installed on your computer.  Your spyware blocker must instantly detect and remove these harmful programs so that you are not vulnerable to the malicious intent it’s programmers have set it out to accomplish.

Spyware blockers have the advantage of being updated on a regular basis. Spyware blockers are specifically designed to destroy and stop spyware that is either already running on your computer or unintentionally downloaded.Spyware blockers will check your computer on a routine basis, think of spyware blockers as a patrol unit.The patrol unit moves out at prearranged times to search out undermining spyware and once found it vaporizes the spyware so you can carefully browse the internet, without apprehension.

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