Adware Spyware Anti-Virus

1. Adware SpywareAnti-Virus Presented by: Forrest Fosheim Network Coordinator Southwest Telecommunications Coop.

2. Is Malware a threat to me? • Absolutely! It can: • hijack your browser • redirect your search attempts • serve up nasty pop-up ads • track what web sites you visit • cause your computer to become unbearably slow and unstable

3. How does Malware spread? • You can get infected by malware in several ways. • It may come bundled with other programs • It can be installed from websites, pretending to be software needed to view the website • It can install themselves through holes in Internet Explorer like a virus would, requiring you to do nothing but visit the wrong web page to get infected • The vast majority must be installed by the user

4. Types of Malware • Adware • Spyware • Hijackers • Toolbars • Dialers

5. Adware • Adware is the class of programs that place advertisements on your screen. • pop-ups • pop-unders • advertisements embedded in programs • advertisements placed on top of ads in web sites • or any other way the authors can think of showing you an ad.

6. Spyware • Programs classified as spyware send information about you and your computer to somebody else. • relays the addresses of sites you visit or terms you search for to a server somewhere • send back information you type into forms in Internet Explorer or the names of files you download • search your hard drive and report back what programs you have installed, contents of your e-mail client's address book (usually to be sold to spammers), or any other information about or on your computer – things such as your name, browser history, login names and passwords, credit card numbers, and your phone number and address.

7. Hijackers • Hijackers take control of various parts of your web browser • your home page, search pages, and search bar. • they may redirect you to certain sites should you mistype an address • prevent you from going to a website they would rather you not, such as sites that combat malware. • Some will even redirect you to their own search engine when you attempt a search

8. Toolbars • Toolbars plug into Internet Explorer and provide additional functionality such as search forms or pop-up blockers. • the Google and Yahoo! toolbars are probably the most common legitimate examples • malware toolbars often attempt to emulate their functionality and look. Malware toolbars almost always include characteristics of the other malware categories

9. Dialers • Dialers are programs that set up your modem connection to connect to a 1-900 number. This provides the number's owner with revenue while leaving you with a large phone bill. There are some legitimate uses for dialers, such as for people who do not have access to credit cards. Most dialers, however, are installed quietly and attempt to do their dirty work without being detected.

10. GAIN (Gator Advertising & Information Network)

11. WebHancer • Spyware application that is commonly bundled with other programs. • Upon installation, it starts a program that runs in the background. • It collects details of your surfring, such as the URL, page size, page load time, page completion state, and network delay time of the sites you visit. • They sell the information gathered to other entities • webHancer claims to have their program installed on millions of desktops, and it's likely that most of those running the program have no idea what it's doing.

12. ISTBar • ISTBar is a combination toolbar and hijacker • installs a toolbar with search functions provided by slotch.com • the toolbar has links to various web sites and a list of "TopSearches," which include such classic keywords as "Britney Spears," "Blackjack," and "Loans." • sets your home page to www.slotch.com (which is infested with pop-up ads) and adds its own search sidebar to replace the default one. • includes the ability to download and install other software • redirects you to internet-optimizer.com when you enter a bad URL and sends the link you attempted to retrieve to internet-optimizer.com in the process

13. ISTBar

14. searchWWW • has a hijacker component and adware • will occasionally pop up ad windows • changes your Internet Explorer home page to http://www.searchwww.com • Changes the search bar

15. searchWWW

16. The importance of a clean machine • malware programs are a security risk. One can never be certain what information these programs are collecting about you from your computer. They potentially could have your name, physical address, e-mail address, credit card number, web site history, passwords, and any other information you have on your PC. • malware may be unstable, use up the majority of your PC's resources, or simply slow the computer to a crawl. • adware will bombard you with advertisements. In addition to the familiar pop-ups and pop-unders, some adware will replace ads on a web site with their own. They often contain adult content, advertise questionable products (including rogue malware removers), or link to scams and other questionable sites. • malware programs are likely to have security holes on top of their "features" which can report your personal information to the authors. Such holes could allow unauthorized access to your system. • Many malware programs also have the ability to update themselves, which not only means they can add new — possibly more dangerous — functionality any time, they can also run any other code sent to them by the author (or if there is poor security, anybody).

17. Malware Prevention • Don’t get it in the first place! • Be very skeptical when surfing the net • Use common sense • Search Google before downloading

18. Preventive Measures • Verify your browser’s security settings • Update Windows • Turn on Automatic Updates or manually perform Windows Updates • XP users install Service Pack 2 • Use a firewall • XP SP2 has a built in firewall • Kerio Personal firewall or Zone Alarm have free versions for the home user • Use a third party software for protection against adware and spyware • Spybot Search & Destroy • Ad-Aware • Use an alternative browser • Firefox • Mozilla • Opera

19. Internet Explorer Security Settings

20. Keeping Windows updated

21. Turn on Windows Firewall

22. Download Spybot Search & Destroy

33. Summary - What is Spyware, Adware and Malware? • Spyware and Adware, also called "Malware", are files made by publishers that allow them to snoop on your browsing activity, see what you purchase and send you "pop-up" ads.  They can slow down your PC, cause it to crash, record your credit card numbers and worse.  If you're like most Internet users, chances are you're probably infected with these files.  Simply surfing the Internet, reading email, downloading music or other files can infect your PC without you knowing it.

34. What's the Best Way to Eliminate Spyware, Adware and Malware? • Use a good Spyware/Adware/Malware remover.  Using one that is at least moderately popular is a good idea because it has been tested and used by many users. 

35. Free to try… • Spybot Search & Destroy http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html • Adware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/ • XoftSpy http://paretologic.com/xoftspy/lp/17/ • NoAdware http://www.noadware.net/?hop=comparets • Spyware Cleaner http://www.myspywarecleaner.com/sc/?hop=comparets • PAL Spyware Remover http://www.palsol.com/proms/spyrem_offer/?hop=comparets

36. Alternative Browsers to Internet Explorer…. • Firefox http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/ • Mozilla http://www.mozilla.org/ • Opera http://www.opera.com/ • Look before you leap! Research before trying. These are all fully functional browsers. Ultimately it is what you are most comfortable using that will be best for you.

37. Personal Firewall • Zone Alarm http://www.zonelabs.com • Sunbelt Kerio http://www.sunbelt-software.com/Kerio.cfm • Black Ice PC Protection • Norton Personal Firewall • For more information, check out http://www.firewallguide.com/

38. Antivirus - • Avast! 4 Home http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html • AVG Free Edition http://www.grisoft.com/doc/40/lng/ww • Check out http://www.firewallguide.com/anti-virus.htm for additional information, A/V reviews and comparisons, links to other free A/V software, online virus scanning, and commercially available A/V software.