Can Spy-ware Infect Your Computer? Keep away spy-ware

[drk002 0]

What is spyware?Spyware is malicious software that invades your computer without your consent. Spyware has several unpleasant effects. It can degrade the performance of your computer, deliver unsolicited pop-up advertisements, and report on your web-browsing activities. More maliciously, spyware can be used to steal your personal information, such as IDs, passwords and financial information.How do you get spyware?There are several ways spyware can be downloaded to your computer. It could be attached to another piece of software that you have download intentionally (e.g., a software program, a music file, etc.). Spyware could also be installed when you click on a link within a website. Finally, it could be installed by clicking a button on a pop-up ad, even the "do not install" or "exit" button options. Although the new version of almost all antivirus softwares contain anti-spyware software, you should continue to follow these best practices: 1- Ensure a good antivirus is running on your computer. 2- Ensure virus definitions are up-to-date. 3- Ensure the Antivirus/OS gets automatically updated from time to time.4- Install software really necessary for use . Spyware is often included with games, media players, non-standard "security" or "performance tuning" software and file sharing software. 5- Do not click on links or buttons within pop-up advertisements. Instead, navigate away from the ad by clicking the "X" button in the top right corner, or close them using Task Manager in Windows. And most important, share your knowledge as much as possible to help others fight spy-ware.

[heavensounds 0]

I think that spyware is not so much an infection, but more a sort of tool for hackers to spy on your data and collect valuable information. Yeah you stated the best ways to prevent it but i think the one and only method to be really safe is: Use a very good antivirus strictly UPDATED (NOD32 is my recommendation) and DO NOT enter weard sites that just call for spyware! Greetz

[Lyon2 0]

Yes, it can infect, as you may be well aware of.But one thing i must say, and not only concerning spyware but also adware, virus, worms, trojans, root-kits, exploits, dos, ddos, pishing, spam, et cetera, today, there are no antivirus or the so called security suite programs supposed to have all kinds of protection for all kinds of threats, that can protect you 100 %, not even 70 %, especially when a cracker wants to get inside your PC OR Network, it is just a matter of time untill he/she cracks "you".Today, most antivirus and firewalls and anti-adware and anti-spyware, can only protect you for about 60 to 70 %, the most advanced and dangerous spyware, worms, virus and trojans are almost impossible to escape, malware creators are and are getting much more evolved then the "goodware" developers, that is a fact.I know this for a fact, not just only by reading top quality ebooks and articles, no, mainly by testing software and operative systems.The main point i got from testing so many software and operative systems is that the problem resides on the operative system, mainly, and not on the antivirus or firewalls or whatever protection software you have.If the operative system were secure, at least 90 to 95 % secure, virus, worms, trojans, spyware and so on, woldn't work.Another important point with windows operative systems is that they are very unsecure, but highly used, why people don't go for unix or linux? Why? Because they do not want, they want cool functions, they don't want to insert a command for almost any action you want to make, problem that is always inside very secure systems like unix/linux.And i got to admit, i also use windows operative system, windows xp to be exact, soon i'll go for windows vista, but i know that windows don't care much about safety, and to tell you the truth, i am tired of caring too, know one gives a sheet about this, at least the men with power to do something!

Edited August 11, 2006 by Lyon2 (see edit history)

[kdr_98 0]

The problems with spyware and virussen is that they can make your computer unusable.To protect it you need some programs that are not built-in windows XP.Some examples : Anti spyware, Anti virus , Spam filter , Firewall.When you install all those they take CPU time and make your computer slower.The better they check the slower the computer becommes.So you need to take a compromise between safety and computer speed.When you install a basic firewall and Anti virus programm your computer is safe for 60%.I also make a backup of the system (ghost or an other image program) and a backup of the data.When my computer gets infected I just place the image back on my computer.I think a 100% safe sulution doen't exist , except your computer is not connected to the internet and there is no floppy or CD-rom drive. But then your hard disk may crash and you need also a backup to restore your system.So 1 advise : make from time to time a backup of your system.When your computer is infected you can restore your system easy and fast.

[Reaper 0]

yeah i think it not a "virus as such" it is more of a program that gives outside parties access to your computer to do what they want with it . Where as a virus infects the computer and then prceeds to start doing what it was programed to which is to ussaally mess up systems files or something to that effect. where spyware can normally just sit on your computer and not do anything until someone uses it to access your computer. but they do use some resources so if you have enough on your computer they will affected quite badly by slowing it down to the point where it might look like the computer is hanging but it is acutully just working really slowly with all of the spyware using up rescources. the good news is that normally just updating your virus protection will normally help the problem with spyware clean it all off and it will run like normal with no problems. just get something that has a real time protection to prevent these spyware things getting onto the pc in the first place. make sure it is keep up to date with latest pattern files or whatever it will use to keep it updated. and then you should not have aa problem with these things as they can get really inratating if not fixed.

[garbage 0]

yes it can, i dont see why it would be able too.

[drk002 0]

If your computer is not connected to Internet , dont worry, nothing is so risky.But if you are connected to internet, an anti-spyware(or let me say anti-malware) is worth installing.Any way let's think what's there that the spyware would love to capture.Let's assume that the spyware is not from a person who knows you. Then only option is that it came from a site.And believe me, the website it not interesed in bugging you personally. They do it to masses so that they may get a credit card detail somewhere or capture an e-mail ID to send spam.So let's re-visit the rules:1-DO NOT WORRY AT ALL if there is nothing to steal from you.2-Keep an anti-virus/anti-spyware in place.(I'm sure must of us do have)3-Better keep an isolated(maybe on a separate OS) browser for secure online transaction and don't browse other sites on it.4-Do an online spyware scan before doing any online transaction.5-DO NOT store credit card data on computer.

[arnz 0]

I would suggest installing a anti-spyware/malware program such as Ad-Aware. After installing such a program, I'd suggest updating the database regularly!You'd be suprised at how much crap some of the spyware can cause, ie popup ads, and even some programs go into your registry files, and so forth to change the code (and to make it quite difficult or a pain in the *bottom* to remove) so it shows a advertisement every couple of minutes.

[peo 0]

Spyware can affect your computer, and I believe you have already got the answer from previous posters, however, id like to inform you about the new type of hacking which will be introduced in 2007. It is "meant" for educational purposes only, however, it is the anti-virus companies who created it, and obviously it will?get "out of their hands". Its called Rates - This program can be used for administration at different companies, which is totally legal if you got license and own all the computers. Rates also got negative aspects which will be abused a lot! By this program you can hack directly to someones IP - No proffession is needed, this program is VERY user friendly. From pc corruptions to spy tools - This program will dominate your computer if you wont purchase the "creaters" anti-virus system.

[rapidget 0]

A few of them:

-The homepage of your browser is changed suddenly, and you have no clue as to how it happened. This is commonly called a browser hijack, and one of the most notorious of these infections is CoolWebSearch.
-You suddenly notice an 'extra' toolbar on IE and once again you didn't install it. Toolbar infections are of a wide variety, coming in many forms and names.

-Your firewall alerts you to an unknown program trying to access the Internet. This usually means something has already gotten by your defenses and you need to take action, and in many cases most infections rarely travel alone. Another firewall indicator is that it is actually turned off by the malware. Many aggressive malwares target multiple av\anti-spyware applications.

-New shortcuts appear on your desktop or your task bar, or even your system tray that you didn't put there nor know what they are.

-New entries appear in your favorites folder that you didn't put there.

Notice from serverph:

COPIED CONTENT from http://temerc.com/sympsinfctn.html
RAPIDGET already BANNED for PLAGIARISM. to others, please review Xisto forum rules & TOS so you don't get banned yourself.

[uiop 0]

It's fairly hard to get spyware if you have a decent firewall and computer knowledge.Just use common sense, don't download/open suspicious files or ActiveX controls.

[AnGeL KiSS 0]

A good program to delete spyware would be "Spybot - Search and Destroy". Me and my brother use it, he's the one who installed it for me. Alot of people use it too, and alot recommend it. I recommend people with spyware and those who want to kill the spyware download that program.