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Computer Gremlins

Computer Gremlins. How to Avoid Spyware, Popups and other Annoyances. Is Your Computer Watching You?. New Threats. Most users are unaware Attacks can come from many sources Anti-virus software doesn’t protect you. The Flavors of Spyware. Dialer. Hijacker. Malware. Trojan Horse. Malware.

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Computer Gremlins

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  1. Computer Gremlins How to Avoid Spyware, Popups and other Annoyances

  2. Is Your Computer Watching You?

  3. New Threats • Most users are unaware • Attacks can come from many sources • Anti-virus software doesn’t protect you

  4. The Flavors of Spyware Dialer Hijacker Malware Trojan Horse

  5. Malware • Modifies your PC’s settings • Performs undesirable tasks • Without your knowledge or permission!

  6. Hijacker • Takes you to Websites that you don’t want to go to! • Resets your start page in your web browser

  7. Dialer • Dials a phone number that may be billed to you at a rate as much as $25/minute • Usually connects to a porn site or foreign country

  8. Trojan Horse • Internet downloads that are activated from programs you run • They take control of your PC

  9. Spyware • Automatically starts each time you start your computer • Runs in the background where you can’t see it

  10. Spyware Symptoms • Delivers Pop-Up Adds to your PC on a regular basis (even if you aren’t browsing the web) • Sends you customized spam to your e-mail address • Slows down your Computer sometimes to a crawl • Crashes your Computer and/or causes major damage • Changes the Home page of your Internet Browser

  11. Gator CoolWeb Toolbar My Search Toolbar N-Case E-Zula Comet Cursor Bonzai Buddy Jupiter Double Click Alexz Hotbar SaveNow Today’s Top Spyware

  12. Statistics • 20 Million users have Spyware on their PC’s • 45% of files downloaded through Kazaa contain malicious code • There are more than 15,000 spyware programs • The growth of Spyware is exponential • The number of malicious code attacks used to steal sensitive information rose 50% in 2003

  13. Hidden Costs Free Software • Loss of Productivity • Repair Costs • Identity Theft

  14. How do you get Gator? • E-Wallet software • Date Time Precision Manager • Weatherbug

  15. Spyware Facts • 50% of all Free Sofware is bundled with spyware • “Data Mining“ companies pay a lot of $$ to the smaller developers to include spyware with their products • This offer is very enticing for small companies, it helps them survive

  16. Some People Like It • Some people believe that Spyware has advantages, like delivering “wanted“ advertisements to you while you are surfing the net sort of like TV • Data analysis of Spyware data (your personal information) is now a big thriving enterprise

  17. Gator • Gator tracks the sites that users visit and forward the data back to the company’s servers • Gator then sells the use of this information to advertisers who can purchase the opportunity to make ads pop up at certain times, such as when specific words appear on your screen

  18. Gator (continued) • It lets companies launch a pop-up ad when users visit a competitor’s Web Site • Gator has 300 clients as of 2003, including 4 of the top 6 automotive companies • Gator clients include everything from mortgages to diapers • It sends an average of 100 ads per week per person to more than 15 million people

  19. Hotbar • Here’s what the company says Hotbar does • Hotbar is an add-on that instantaneously converts your email and browser applications into powerfully personalized instruments of enhanced functionality and visual appeal. The Hotbar Browser Toolbar presents buttons on your Internet Explorer browser that change while you surf to relate to the website you visit. These buttons also provide you instant access to Search, Yellow Pages and more! The Browser toolbar also spices up your Internet Explorer with your chosen image (skin) picked from a huge variety of skins numbering into the thousands found in hundreds of galleries at www.hotbar.com.

  20. HotBar (continued) • Here’s what it really does • Tracks web site visits • Has an autoupdate feature that updates automatically. • There are both privacy and security concerns with this add-on program

  21. Coolsavings &Free Coupon Offers Online • Installs software on your PC • Collects your information • Email it back to other companies

  22. They told you so! • Most EULA’s or End User License Agreements would take you the rest of this evening to read! • The EULA is where they ask you for permission to install their spyware so they can steal your personal information and change settings in your PC and by checking “OK” - you have given them permission to do this and often more.

  23. Kazaa • Popular File Swapping Program • The terms of service contract states: “Brilliant might tap the unused computing power and storage space of your Computer”

  24. Do You Know What Your Computer is Doing? • Some Spyware can actually can turn your company into a node and run a peer to peer network which is controlled by another company. • They can use your PC to help them analyze and store other people’s data! Kazza and AudioGalaxy are just a few that do this!

  25. Are You Scared Yet? • You should be!!!!

  26. Keyloggers • Will keep track of all your keystrokes and can record credit card information, passwords, addresses, etc. • Organized Crime is now starting to take advantage of malware like keyloggers to steal from you • ARE YOU SCARED YET???

  27. Summary of Effects • Collection of Data from your PC without your consent • Execution of Malicious code without your knowledge • Collects data pertaining to your habitual use and sells it to marketing companies • Makes it impossible to remove their software by standard methods and sometimes not at all •Performs other undesirable tasks on your PC such as using your PC as a go between other PC’s and their servers

  28. Damage Your PC – How? • Control Panel will not open up or take 5-10 minutes to open • Internet Explorer can stop working or not access particular websites. • Some even keep you from accessing Microsoft.com • You change your Home Page and when you reboot it has changed back to an Adult Links Pornographic Site

  29. Damage Your PC – How? (continued) • Badly written programs often corrupt windows system files. • Your computer will have too many processes running on it to be operational. In this case it is often necessary to wipe it clean and start new. This can range between $100 - $250 depending on where you take your PC to be fixed. • Many simply buy a new PC thinking there PC is not working

  30. What Can I Do? • Fortunately there is software out there that can aid you in : • Removing your existing Spyware • Keep Spyware from Infecting your PC in the first place

  31. How Much Is It Going To Cost? • Fortunately for you and me there are some companies out there that actually think that Spyware is very wrong! • They ask for donations but their software is free and it is good.

  32. Detection and Removal Tools • Spybot – Search and Destroy (recommended) • Adaware – Lavasoft (recommended) • Spywareblaster (haven’t tried this one yet) • HijackThis – (not recommended for beginners)

  33. Options for Cox Highspeed Users • Activate Cox spam filters • Install Spyware and Popup blockershttp://cox.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/cox.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=283&p_created=1093746760&p_sid=EvBVbAmh&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD02NyZwX3BhZ2U9MQ**&p_li=

  34. Don’t Forget Virus Protection • New versions of anti-virus program are including spyware and malware dection and removal • Symantec – System Works Professional http://www.symantec.com/sabu/sysworks/pro/features.html • McAfee – Personal Firewall Plushttp://us.mcafee.com/root/package.asp?pkgid=103

  35. Where Do I Get It? • Adaware www.lavasoftusa.com • Spybot Search and Destroywww.safer-networking.org/en/index.html • Hijack Thiswww.hijack-this.net • Yahoo Toolbarhttp://toolbar.yahoo.com/

  36. Read More! • http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/twc/privacy/spyware.mspx • http://www.pcmag.com/search_results/0%2C2426%2C%2C00.asp?qry=spyware&filterapp=&site=3 • http://cis.cuyamaca.net/draney/library/spyware.asp

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