http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/ Geek News Central is the technical weblog for Geeks. We Spin tech for the common man. With a twice weekly tech podcast Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:24:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/comment-page-1/#comment-1485 jd Wed, 22 Sep 2004 07:16:49 +0000 http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/#comment-1485 First I want to share a Tech Support case I dealt with last week. I had to help some friends figure out why they couldn't get to Comcast.net homepage to check email. Now my friend is computer literate, and I thought savvy, but I ended up installing Adware and removing 1100 plus critical apps, reg entries, and others. I was kindof amazed, but that might be the clueless side of me. <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> I personally use Firefox plus Adaware for my needs, plus not installing bundles, or if I must install them, I do as much as I can to remove the unwanted items. First I want to share a Tech Support case I dealt with last week. I had to help some friends figure out why they couldn’t get to Comcast.net homepage to check email. Now my friend is computer literate, and I thought savvy, but I ended up installing Adware and removing 1100 plus critical apps, reg entries, and others. I was kindof amazed, but that might be the clueless side of me.

I personally use Firefox plus Adaware for my needs, plus not installing bundles, or if I must install them, I do as much as I can to remove the unwanted items.

]]> http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/comment-page-1/#comment-1483 xenlab Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:07:02 +0000 http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/#comment-1483 i use a multi-prong attack against spyware: <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> First I use Spyware Guard and Spyware Blaster. both are available free: <a href="http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html</a> <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> They act kind of like an Anti-Virus for spyware. I love the fact that Spyware Blaster works without having to run in resident memory (SG does tho). Both block spyware from ever being installed, most of the time without ever giving you a pop-up notice (which makes it very unobtrusive). <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> I then use Ad Aware, about once a month or so, to scan and remove any spyware that might of gotten through the first two barriers. <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> The fourth prong in my attack involves one of two things: I switched to Firefox (http://mozilla.org) as my primary browser (only using IE to test sites i develop and run windows/office update). If the user doesn't want to switch, then I install: IE-SpyAd : <a href="https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD" rel="nofollow">https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD</a> <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> This handy .reg file adds a list of known spyware pushers into the restricted sites zone of IE. While a couple of sites go in there that I want back out (certain game code sites and other 'darker' corners of the web). But for the everyday user, it keeps ActiveX controls from being used on these sites, that have been identified as either providing spyware on it, or is a spyware manufacturer. <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> Using the above programs, in addition to a good pop-up blocker (such as the google toolbar on IE) - i have been able to go into some of the darkest corners of the web, and come out without an infection (or even an annoying click yes to install this activeX control window). <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> Of course the last thing is to educate the user, about what is spyware and how to avoid it in the first place. If a program they're using runs adware (spyware's, kind-of-benevolent cousin) - i usually recommend they pay for and upgrade to the 'pro' version to close the security/privacy hole that adware opens. i use a multi-prong attack against spyware:

First I use Spyware Guard and Spyware Blaster. both are available free: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html

They act kind of like an Anti-Virus for spyware. I love the fact that Spyware Blaster works without having to run in resident memory (SG does tho). Both block spyware from ever being installed, most of the time without ever giving you a pop-up notice (which makes it very unobtrusive).

I then use Ad Aware, about once a month or so, to scan and remove any spyware that might of gotten through the first two barriers.

The fourth prong in my attack involves one of two things: I switched to Firefox (http://mozilla.org) as my primary browser (only using IE to test sites i develop and run windows/office update). If the user doesn’t want to switch, then I install: IE-SpyAd :
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD

This handy .reg file adds a list of known spyware pushers into the restricted sites zone of IE. While a couple of sites go in there that I want back out (certain game code sites and other ‘darker’ corners of the web). But for the everyday user, it keeps ActiveX controls from being used on these sites, that have been identified as either providing spyware on it, or is a spyware manufacturer.

Using the above programs, in addition to a good pop-up blocker (such as the google toolbar on IE) – i have been able to go into some of the darkest corners of the web, and come out without an infection (or even an annoying click yes to install this activeX control window).

Of course the last thing is to educate the user, about what is spyware and how to avoid it in the first place. If a program they’re using runs adware (spyware’s, kind-of-benevolent cousin) – i usually recommend they pay for and upgrade to the ‘pro’ version to close the security/privacy hole that adware opens.

]]> http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/comment-page-1/#comment-1484 xenlab Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:07:02 +0000 http://www.geeknewscentral.com/2004/09/20/spyware-and-adware-out-of-control/#comment-1484 i use a multi-prong attack against spyware: <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> First I use Spyware Guard and Spyware Blaster. both are available free: <a href="http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html</a> <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> They act kind of like an Anti-Virus for spyware. I love the fact that Spyware Blaster works without having to run in resident memory (SG does tho). Both block spyware from ever being installed, most of the time without ever giving you a pop-up notice (which makes it very unobtrusive). <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> I then use Ad Aware, about once a month or so, to scan and remove any spyware that might of gotten through the first two barriers. <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> The fourth prong in my attack involves one of two things: I switched to Firefox (http://mozilla.org) as my primary browser (only using IE to test sites i develop and run windows/office update). If the user doesn't want to switch, then I install: IE-SpyAd : <a href="https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD" rel="nofollow">https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD</a> <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> This handy .reg file adds a list of known spyware pushers into the restricted sites zone of IE. While a couple of sites go in there that I want back out (certain game code sites and other 'darker' corners of the web). But for the everyday user, it keeps ActiveX controls from being used on these sites, that have been identified as either providing spyware on it, or is a spyware manufacturer. <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> Using the above programs, in addition to a good pop-up blocker (such as the google toolbar on IE) - i have been able to go into some of the darkest corners of the web, and come out without an infection (or even an annoying click yes to install this activeX control window). <span class="mt-export2wp"></span> Of course the last thing is to educate the user, about what is spyware and how to avoid it in the first place. If a program they're using runs adware (spyware's, kind-of-benevolent cousin) - i usually recommend they pay for and upgrade to the 'pro' version to close the security/privacy hole that adware opens. i use a multi-prong attack against spyware:

First I use Spyware Guard and Spyware Blaster. both are available free: http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/products.html

They act kind of like an Anti-Virus for spyware. I love the fact that Spyware Blaster works without having to run in resident memory (SG does tho). Both block spyware from ever being installed, most of the time without ever giving you a pop-up notice (which makes it very unobtrusive).

I then use Ad Aware, about once a month or so, to scan and remove any spyware that might of gotten through the first two barriers.

The fourth prong in my attack involves one of two things: I switched to Firefox (http://mozilla.org) as my primary browser (only using IE to test sites i develop and run windows/office update). If the user doesn’t want to switch, then I install: IE-SpyAd :
https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/resource.htm#IESPYAD

This handy .reg file adds a list of known spyware pushers into the restricted sites zone of IE. While a couple of sites go in there that I want back out (certain game code sites and other ‘darker’ corners of the web). But for the everyday user, it keeps ActiveX controls from being used on these sites, that have been identified as either providing spyware on it, or is a spyware manufacturer.

Using the above programs, in addition to a good pop-up blocker (such as the google toolbar on IE) – i have been able to go into some of the darkest corners of the web, and come out without an infection (or even an annoying click yes to install this activeX control window).

Of course the last thing is to educate the user, about what is spyware and how to avoid it in the first place. If a program they’re using runs adware (spyware’s, kind-of-benevolent cousin) – i usually recommend they pay for and upgrade to the ‘pro’ version to close the security/privacy hole that adware opens.

]]>