2.1 Spyware, Hijackers, and Dialers

Spyware, Hijackers and Dialers are all similar in that they are only on your computer to cause harm. They either want to cause mischief by hijacking your home page or they are sending your personal information back to a third party for their own gain. You’d be surprised at how easy it is for them to gain access to your computer.

Spyware and adware are usually included (bundled) with programs you download and install. For example, many file-sharing programs require you install additional, unrelated programs that may be considered spyware or adware.

Improper Security Settings

Improper security settings are the most obvious methods of attack.  If you don’t have the correct security settings in your browser, sooner or later you will almost certainly have an infection. Internet Explorer is generally targeted the most by Spyware/Hijackers. Luckily, these loopholes are also one of the easiest to close. All it takes is knowing that it’s there. Methods to secure your browser will be discussed later.

Pop-up Scams

Beware of pop-ups offering to install a “must have” piece of software. This is another common way to get spyware or dialers on your computer. You think you’re getting their latest and greatest version of something that will help you when you are really installing something that will help them.

It’s best if you don’t accept these offers at all. Why take the risk? Besides, if you think about it, their offers don’t make sense. How would they know so much about your computer anyway?

The most common popup scams are:

·         Corrective Software: They say you have a security hole (how would they know anyway?) and to “click here” to fix it. 

·         Speedy Software: Software that makes you able to connect to sites faster. (How do they know how fast your computer runs?) 

·         Utility Fixes: You have open ports on your computer! Click on the ad to download a utility to fix it. (Again, how do they know you have an open “port”?)

·         Adware: Ads that say they can make your computer run faster. (Then how would you catch it? Okay, bad joke.)

Pop-up warnings are especially reprehensible. Read the pop-up warnings carefully.  They prey on your fear of being infected, even while they are planning to infect your system.

Involuntary Downloads

Just like with the pop-ups, you might also unintentionally download and install spyware thinking you’re downloading one thing when, in fact, it is also spyware.  For example, there’s a program out there that claims to keep your computer clock synchronized with the atomic clock.  This program may also be sending information about where you go on the internet or start sending you pop-ups when you are online.

You may also be unintentionally downloading cookies through certain advertising companies, such as Valueclick or DoubleClick when you load one of their advertising banners. These cookies allow them to see what sites you go to and what you do on these sites.  

Your first reaction might be to turn off cookies, but cookies are also used for valid reasons on other sites. So if you disable cookies, it could cause problems on other sites.

You might just want to get in the habit of deleting them from time to time. When you do go back to a legitimate site that needs them, they’ll just reinstall them as if you’re at the site for the first time.     

Viruses and worms

If you don’t think that computer viruses or worms do enough harm on their own, they can also install spyware. Your computer might be allowing someone remote access to your computer, turning your computer into a pornography or spam server, and logging  keystrokes to steal passwords or credit cards because you either didn’t have virus protection or it wasn’t up to date!

Browser Helper Objects

A Browser Helper Object, or BHO, is a small program that runs automatically every time you start your browser. A BHO is installed on your system by another software program. For example, Go!Zilla installs a BHO that tracks which advertisements you see as you surf the Web.

BHOs are generally considered to be adware or spyware because they monitor the websites you visit and report this data back to their creators.

Although BHOs are usually benign, in that they don’t want to do you harm because they’re trying to sell you things, they can cause problems in other programs you run on your computer by making page faults and run time errors.

BHODemon is a good program that helps you view and disable any BHOs on your computer.

False Error Messages

Spyware sometimes pops up as a Windows error message. If you click on it, you may be allowing spyware onto your computer. One way to tell for certain if it’s spyware is if it also suggests purchasing a product. Microsoft never suggests any purchases in its error messages.

Hidden In The Software License Agreements

Many of these free software programs ask for your permission to track you or send you those pop-ups. Just because they mention their use of spyware and adware (not called spyware and adware of course) in their software license agreement, or in their End User License Agreements (EULAs), they think it’s okay.

Not only do these agreements give adware companies the right to track you on the internet, but they might also be allowed to install additional programs, toolbars in your browser and display advertisements. Pretty sneaky, eh?

These EULAs are a long, small-type legalese statement you have to agree to before installing many programs or you won’t be allowed to download the program at all. There’s sure to be a sentence buried in there somewhere that states you know they’re installing spyware and it’s not their fault if something goes wrong with your machine.  But it’s in legalese, which is technically English, but is totally incomprehensible to most of us.

Besides, who reads that stuff? Who understands legalese? Did any of us go to law school? Even if we did, I know attorneys who don’t even read that stuff – they just check the box to agree to download with the program they want or else they won’t get the “free” software.

Many adware companies go even further than the legalese. Some of them put their EULAs in extremely small windows which you cannot increase in size and with no print or search options.

But reading carefully before downloading that software is one sure way to stop installing adware on your computer. The key words to look for are “third-party software,” “partners,” “ads,”  “advertisements,” and “install.”

These words indicate that they are poised to put all kinds of bad things on your computer. Also watch for software that claims "No spyware." Minor technicality: adware vendors don't consider themselves spyware.

Unfortunately, EULAs are in almost everything you do online – in Web pages, popup windows, even in links shown in the Microsoft Windows Service Pack 2 ActiveX security warning dialog boxes. Still, taking the time to read them carefully now can save you time in trying to get the spyware off later.

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