GhostSurf Guide

Just like in dealing with viruses, there are a number of easy steps you can take to make it harder for spyware to get onto your computer in the first place. These are:

• Don’t install free software, or software from people or companies you don’t know or trust
• If your browser opens a window asking you to install a plug-in, say “No” unless you absolutely trust the company that made the plug-in
• If you get an e-mail with an attachment in it, don’t open the attachment unless it’s safe (e.g. a document or a spreadsheet, not a program)
• Use a Anti-Spyware software in case the spyware gets through such as SpyCatcher or Vipre Anvivirus AntiSpyware.

These steps are very important for anyone, because they will protect against most viruses in addition to most spyware. Unfortunately, they don’t protect you from spyware that other people install on your computer and they don’t get rid of the spyware you already have.

For spyware (unlike most viruses), there is a small hope that you can actually uninstall the software. If you have spyware made by a reputable, large company (like Alexa), it will sometimes allow you to uninstall it using the Windows Add/Remove Software feature in the Control Panel.

Unfortunately, this applies to a very small minority of all spyware and it doesn’t apply to any of the dangerous forms of spyware. To get rid of most spyware, and certainly all the most dangerous spyware, you’ll need an anti-spyware product. Anti-spyware products work just like anti-virus — they search your computer for known spyware, and whenever they find spyware they disable or remove it.

Given the current danger spyware poses to computer users, it’s a good idea to treat spyware as seriously as viruses, and use anti-spyware software as proactively as you do anti-virus software.

Until next time
Peter – your Ghostsurf Guide

Spyware is a large and growing threat to Internet users. In 2003 the National Cyber Security Alliance reported that 90% of all broadband users have spyware installed on their computers.

One spyware/adware maker, claims to have its advertising software installed on over 40 million computers. And that’s just one company — many of the most popular free software today are packed with spyware and adware from many different providers, and beyond the major companies there are tens of thousands of small programs that violate users’ privacy in every imaginable way.

The issue has become so large that the United States Congress is now investigating it. In late April 2004, senators Barbara Boxer, Ron Wyden and Conrad Burns introduced a bill to give the FTC the authority to force companies to tell users more about what their software does. And until that bill becomes law, spyware and adware are totally legal.

There is nothing preventing this software from ravaging your computer and your privacy, and indeed there are many companies and even hackers taking advantage of this dismal opportunity.

But what is spyware after all? The name certainly sounds menacing. What can it really do? How dangerous is it in reality? And what is adware, so often mentioned in the same breath? In this article, we’ll answer all of those questions as well as the most important one of all: how do I protect myself from spyware?

Although spyware is a serious problem on the Internet today, it shouldn’t make you afraid to go online or use your computer. Learning more about it, and how to stop it, is a great step towards being rid of spyware completely.

Recommended Spyware Removal
/ Spyware Blocker