How to be a responsible computer user, Part Two
Some types of spyware are fast becoming the worst thing,
including viruses, that can invade your computer. Spyware can send your most
confidential information to a site that can use this information to steal your
money, your good name and your identity. Some spyware can use your email address
to send spam to thousands of other computer users. In connection with some virus,
spyware can turn your computer into a 'Zombie' and
can even cause you to lose your Internet connection. If an ISP receives
complaints about your computer (it can!) or determines that your computer is a
zombie, they can cut your internet connection until you prove to them you have
cleaned the spyware from your pc.
The AOL/NCSA study showed that -
* 80% of Home Computers Infected with Spyware/Adware
* 49% of Broadband Users Lack Any Firewall Protection
* The average infected user has 93 spyware/adware components on their computer,
and the most components found on a single computer during the scan was
1,059.
* Majority of users (89%) who were infected with spyware/adware said they
didn’t know the programs were on their computer.
* Nine in ten infected users (90%) said they don’t know what the programs
are or do.
The only way to be sure you don't have spyware on your computer is constant
vigilance. There are free programs you can download that will check your computer
for spyware, but you must constantly update them and run at least once a week as
there are new and worse spyware applications being released on the Internet every
day. The two most popular spyware removal programs are Ad-aware and
Spybot Search and
Destroy. They can be downloaded and updated free. These programs have been
recognized as the best by many sources, including ZDnet,
AARP and many technical forums. You also need to use a good firewall that
will alert you if something is trying to 'call home'. A good free firewall is
Zone Alarm. There are other free firewalls as well, you can read about firewalls
here.
To sum it all up, a responsible computer user can no longer just assume their computer is safe because they have a virus scanner installed, they don't open attachments and they 'don't go to bad web sites'. There are so many ways viruses, worms, trojans and spyware can come on to a computer. It can be on a site that is opened by mistake and quickly left. It can be in an email from a well meaning friend. It can sneak in on a 'safe' download. A responsible computer user is one who knows that what they do on their computers can and does affect other computers that connect to the Internet. This user will make sure their computer has all of the Windows critical updates have been applied; that an updated virus scanner is constantly scanning; they have checked for spyware on a weekly basis and best of all, they keep informed of new and dangerous malware that is being inflicted on computer users by unscrupulous individuals. There are scams, hoaxes and other evils on the web and a responsible user will check sources and not add to the spreading of these scourges. A responsible computer user will also help new computer users be aware of all the dangers on the www (World Wide Web) or make that the Wild Wooly Web!
Sources for spyware information include newsletters and sites dedicated to this type of information. A great source is Spyware Info and (of course) Spyware!
Next, How to be a
responsible computer user, Part 3
