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Spyware affects only one kind of computer, Windows PCs.
 technofile
Al Fasoldt's reviews and commentaries, continuously available online since 1983

T e c h n o f i l e
Spyware reaches epidemic levels, could be worse than viruses


May 9, 2004


By Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2004, Al Fasoldt
Copyright © 2004, The Post-Standard

   Viruses? Spam? You ain't seen anything yet. Make way for spyware, the latest scourge to strike PCs worldwide.
   Programs that spy on your computing habits and and push advertising in your face are spreading so fast that they've become a major cause of computer breakdowns. Experts believe most PCs that have Internet access have been infected, and companies that track computer problems say the typical home computer has an average of 30 such spyware infections.
   In addition to the obvious problems of security, safety and privacy, computers infected with spyware have added troubles: They often run poorly or refuse to start up once infections reach massive levels.
   Only a small proportion of the users I've talked to are aware that spyware even exists. Yet some computer repair technicians say most of the computers that have been brought in for repair in recent months have been disabled not by viruses or other software problems but by spyware.
   Spyware is not new. I've written about it since the late '90s. But it represented only a minor threat until late last year, when companies that create spyware adopted many of the surreptitious techniques of successful spammers. Spyware is now flooding the Internet, borne by e-mail and Web pages that trick unsuspecting users into clicking on links that lead to downloads. In many cases, spyware is delivered alongside seemingly legitimate games and entertainment programs.
   Spyware affects only one kind of computer, Windows PCs. Computers running Apple's popular Macintosh OS X operating system and PCs running the Linux operating system do not have the problem.
   Spyware has three characteristics:
   Spyware installs itself on your computer without your knowledge or permission. This can be done by sneaking the software onto your computer the same way viruses work. Or it can be accomplished through a subterfuge in which you're shown a long, difficult to read "legal agreement" that you must approve before installing what seems like legitimate software -- a game or a cute set of novelty mouse pointers, maybe. The "legal agreement" supposedly gives your approval to the installation of tracking or marketing software in addition to the game or novelty item. (Such "agreements" are absurd and have not been tested in court.)
   Spyware usually gives you no standard way to remove it from your computer system. It does not place an entry in the "Add-Remove Programs" section of the Control Panel in most cases, for example. The most persistent spyware programs sometimes install a hidden, secondary program that monitors whether the main program is still running or still installed. If it finds that you've removed the main program, this secondary spyware helper downloads the main program again and reinstalls it without any telltale signs. Spyware that reappears after it's been thoroughly removed is a major problem.
   Some spyware tracks what you do on your computer so that it can report on your activities to a marketing company. It might track what Web sites you go to or what music you play on the computer so that the marketing company can target advertising to you or similar users. Other spyware might display fake error messages that say that your computer is "unprotected. " A link within the fake error messages opens a Web page that sells "protection" software.
   Many people who fall for this spyware trick might not realize that the software touted in the fake error message might actually be spyware itself. You also should note that clicking on any link reveals information about your computer unless you use a good firewall and manage cookies properly. In other words, personal information can be passed to Web sites even if you click on a link and then decide that the offer is a fraud.
   Windows users cannot afford to ignore spyware. Next week I'll tell you how to try keep it out of your computer and how to get attempt to get rid of it.