What’s lurking on YOUR computer?

by Anna Hahn

Maybe it’s already happened to you….you downloaded some free software or a screensaver or a song, or maybe you accidentally clicked a button on one of those annoying popup ads…..and now your PC seems to be in slow motion when you surf the net and you are getting more popup ads than ever. So what’s the deal? You may have spyware on your computer!

Spyware is software that usually sneaks onto your computer by riding the coattails of another item that you actually wanted to download and install. The problem is, either you didn’t read the fine print in the EULA (licensing agreement) for the software or they didn’t mention it in the fine print! So now the spyware is tracking your web browsing habits and using that info to send you popup ads that relate to your interests. Not only is this annoying, but it’s also an invasion of privacy and eats up your computer’s CPU and slows down your internet connection because it’s exchanging data with “home base”. Some spyware even scans your hard drive for personal information and tries to find your email address, which will undoubtedly lead to spam, spam and more spam!

So how can you prevent spyware from invading your computer? There are several things you can do:
1. Be very careful about what you download. Take the time to read the fine print in the license agreement for any software that you download…..I know this seems tedious, but it could save you a lot of trouble. I considered myself pretty immune to the spyware nuisance, being a savvy computer-type, but I must admit that just last week I downloaded an upgrade to my firewall (of all things), and apparently there was spyware riding piggyback on it! Ironically, its attempts to contact home base were blocked by that very same firewall. Ha!!!!
2. Be very careful what your kids or other family members are downloading! Kids, especially teens, are very susceptible to all the cool stuff that can be downloaded these days, which makes them easy targets.
3. Become familiar with the programs that are legitimately installed on your computer. This will help you to notice if a new icon suddenly shows up in your system tray or program menu.
4. Be sure you have a firewall protecting your computer in case spyware does manage to sneak aboard despite all your precautions. If you don’t have a firewall, you can get ZoneAlarm for free.
5. If you use Internet Explorer, be sure that your Internet Zone security is set to at least Medium on the Security tab under Tools/Internet Options. This will prevent any stealth installations of spyware, and will also result in a prompt (asking you whether you want to allow the download) any time you are intentionally installing something.
6. To prevent third-party cookies in Internet Explorer, go to the Privacy tab under Tools/Internet Options and click Advanced. Click the Override automatic cookie handling checkbox. You should accept first party cookies (otherwise stuff like shopping carts and personalized preferences on sites that you actually do visit won’t work), but block the third-party cookies, which are set by advertisers.

What to do if you suspect you already have spyware on your PC:
1. Attempt to remove the program using Control Panel’s Add/Remove Programs feature. This will not always work, because it seems some spyware is written to prevent uninstall or at least make it as difficult as possible for anyone who’s not a software engineer.
2. Often more effective, and also free, is Ad-aware 6.0, an anti-spyware program from LavaSoft (http://lavasoft.element5.com/support/download/ ). It detects the bad cookies as well as the programs that could be lurking on your PC. Just be sure to read the directions carefully before asking it to delete files. It does offer the option to quarantine files, which allows you to be sure you haven’t removed anything that you actually needed before you permanently delete the suspected offenders. Once you remove the spyware, there should be a noticeable improvement in your surfing speed. You should run a scan every time you finish downloading or installing something so you can remain pest-free.

Keep in mind that firewalls and spyware-busters do not protect you from viruses, so be sure you also have current anti-virus software running on your PC.