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 - Spyware - What the hell i spyware? One of the most widespread and annoying types of online security breach is adware/browser hijackers/trojans/etc or spyware for short. Like viruses, spyware installs itself in your system, without your consent, abusing security flaws in your operating system. Spyware is usually commercially driven and created to make money for the companies or individuals behind it. Typical ways of getting a spyware infection is from porn sites, warez sites, or peer to peer file exchange programs. How do you know if you have a spyware infection? Spyware manifests iteself in many different ways. Some are easier to spot than others. A common sign is popups seemingly loading out of nowhere, or from sites that didn't use to have any. They may even load when your browser isn't running. Some spyware redirects your browser to affiliated sites, changes your start and search pages, or adds links to your favorites/bookmarks. Others install things like dialers, search bars or different programs on your computer. The type of spyware, that originated the name, records and sends personal information about you and your browsing habits. These are harder to spot, so you should make sure your system is not infected, even if you haven't experienced any of the more obvious signs. What can you do to get rid of spyware? Thankfully there are ways of ridding your system of spyware infections. Frequently updated programs such as AdAware, which you can download here, or my favorite Spybot S&D available here can detect, remove and protect against almost all types of spyware, that are older than the last program update. Spywareinfo.com can give you more in depth information about the spyware threat and lists a large number of useful tools to deal with it. - Privacy - Who knows what you do online? What sites you visit and what you do on your computer, be it at home, work or school computers, should be your business alone. Unfortunately browsing leaves a number of traces that can be checked, purposely or by accident, by anyone else with access to your system. Some tracks are obvious and easy to cover, but many are hidden deep in your operating system or browser. How can you protect your online privacy? If you want to make sure nobody else with access to your system can check up on, or accidentially discover, what sites you visited, you should get a program like Internet Eraser, available here. The program works with all windows versions and all the common browsers. - Viruses - Are viruses really still a threat? I'm sure just about everybody, who is not a cave dwelling hermit, has heard of computer viruses. While the awareness of viruses is great, the threat is still very real because of the number and diversity of new viruses coming out. Unlike spyware, most viruses are not commercially driven but rather originate from the programmer's perverted wish to cause harm, or infect as many systems as possible. How do I protect myself against viruses? If you don't already have a program to detect and remove viruses, you should get one immediately. The few bytes that a memory resident virus checker takes up, are more than worth it to keep viruses from infecting your system, through emails or any other way. It is important to pick a tool that makes frequent updates available, because new viruses come out all the time. My choice is AVG, which you can get here, but there are many other programs that do a good job of keeping your system virus free. Have questions, comments or suggestions about this section? Email webmaster here |
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