OT<Computer Question

[Patti Feinberg]

What is 'spyware'??

Thanks,

Patti

[Mark Rainey]

Spyware is any program that can report back to a remote host (of which you are unaware) with information it gets from your computer, usually regarding your internet usage. It's most often used to target you for advertising -- which is its most innocuous function. A lot of legitimate vendors bundle spyware in with their programs so they can offer their product at a reduced cost, since the spyware maker is paying a fee. For example, my wife recently picked up a CD labeling program. As soon as the program was loaded, everything just about wound to a halt on her computer. An inspection of her drive showed about 8 new programs on her computer, all spyware or adware, all of which were constantly running and using her system resources. Running Ad-Aware 6.0 found a bunch of stuff, too, that I couldn't see just by examining files and folders.

In some cases, if you delete the spyware, the legitimate program it came with will stop running. It's a pretty insidious (and insulting) way for companies to try to target you as a consumer.

--Mark

[Patti Feinberg]

Thank you Mark.

If I download something off the net, is spyware included?

Also, is there anything I can do to prevent this add'l 'baggage'?

Patti

[Mark Rainey]

If I download something off the net, is spyware included?

Not necessarily, although if it's shareware or freeware, there's a better 'n average chance it includes an added "bonus." Somebody is usually paying for your ability to get software off the net, and if it's not you, it may be someone who thinks they may get something out of the deal -- i.e., spyware maker. Some very honorable people actually do offer programs for nothing, with no spyware, and ask for a voluntary donation by Paypal or something similar; Mailwasher, for example.

On the other hand, there are liars. One program, which gives you a toolbar to insert lots of clever smileys in email, certifies that it contains no adware or spyware.  My mom downloaded it and immediately started having lockup problems; I ran a check of her computer (using Ad-Aware) and found 64 data miner modules, all associated with the smiley program.

If a program contains its own toolbar for working on the internet, you can pretty much bet it's got spyware in it. (By the way, for those of you into porn on the internet, guess what...your computer is loaded with spyware.)

Also, is there anything I can do to prevent this add'l 'baggage'?

There are a number of free anti-spy/adware programs available. Ad-Aware 6.0 is probably the most common; it's not perfect, but it's a pretty good defense. A lot of new AV programs, like Norton, also apparently include anti-spy/adware/trojan software. Some anti-trojan programs, like The Cleaner and Tauscan, will pick up some spyware  as well (though not as much as a dedicated anti-spyware program), since the stuff basically is a trojan.

You can get Ad-Aware at www.lavasoftusa.com; it'll direct you to a site where you can download it for free. It's pretty easy to use. As I said, sometimes the actual program you downloaded won't run if you remove the spyware that came with it. This gives you the option of quarantining the spyware first to make sure the program will run after you've gotten rid of the offending stuff.

--Mark

[Josette]

I recently downloaded a program called Spybot - Search & Destroy which is supposed to locate spyware and let you decide about getting rid of it, etc.  When I try it - it only finds 4 problems:  2 MS files:  MS Works - Autorun Settings and MS Works Program File - for each of these it says that removing them will prevent MS from phoning home, but may also prevent the spell check in Outlook Express from working (I don't use Outlook); and Wild Tangent - Global Settings and Wild Tangent - Update Directory, which apparently have to do with visual settings in the Media Player - it needs to check one's settings, etc.

So far, neither of those sounds too bad, and I've left them alone.

But, one can then pull up a list where it has all of the files it checked, and when highlighting them it tells what they are.  It seems that almost all of these can check on what one has done from the keyboard, what sites one has visited, etc.  They all sound horrid!  I can't find any way to delete those.  And, I've gone through their help files and find nothing about that.  Those really sound like the things I'd want to get rid of.

[Patti Feinberg]

Hope it's okay if I copy/paste a reply from Panicware to me on here; it's in keeping w/this thread.

(pss...some of these mentioned programs sound vaguely familiar, unlike WinXP; I don't necessarily know how to reallllllllly delete them).

Patti

BIG PS....MIDNITE....DOM....JOSETTE AND OTHER CA COUSINS....ARE Y'ALL OKAY???

------------------------------------------
below starts Panicware reps reply to my below question:

Please take a minute to review the following information, which might help you determine why you are still seeing some ads while running a Panicware Pop-Up Stopper product, or why you are having problems with other adware or spyware issues including script errors, freezes, lockups, crashes and other browser or computer problems..

Some advertising supported programs and files, such as OddeseyMarketing, SaveNow, HotBar, Download Accelerator, Gator, Gozillia, AudioGalaxy, Morpheus, eDonkey, GAIN, Weather Bug, Kazaa, Bonzi Buddy, iMesh, etc. use pop-up advertising as part of the service they provide. If you have installed one of these products, or one similar to them, you may have agreed to view pop-up ads without knowing it.

You may not be aware you installed the product, as more and more programs are bundling spyware with their software and not disclosing this information to you when you download.

It is advised that you do both a VIRUS scan and a SPYWARE scan.

The spyware scanner is a free download from:
http://www.panicware.com/downloads/PanicwareSpywareRemover.exe

Help file:
http://spybot.eon.net.au/index.php?lang=en&page=knowledgebase/getstarted

The spyware issue is the typical reason the Pop-Up Stopper may not be working properly on your system and is the reason you may experience lockups, crashes and other browser or computer problems.

In addition, if you have problems with pop-ups or web sites such as Xupiter 'hijacking' your browser or changing your home page, click here to scan for problem programs:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/scanner.php

You can remove the ClickSpring/PurtiyScan spyware here:
http://www.purityscan.com/uninstall.html

There is also a new form of pop-up spam which looks like a Windows Messenger Window. These can be disabled by using the following link:

http://www.itc.virginia.edu/desktop/docs/messagepopup/

If you are still getting pop-up ads, especially Ads for other ad blockers, this means that programs such as NoPop and JimmySurf have found a way to install their spyware and ad-servers on your system.

Please visit this link:
http://www.panicware.com/supportdisplay.html?supportid=9

Thank you for contacting us. Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.

Jeanette
Panicware Support
support2@panicware.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Patti [mailto:pat.feinberg@verizon.net]
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2003 3:19 PM
To: sales@panicware.com
Subject: Your Products

I'm currently enjoying your free version of panicware (unfortunately, as I came to your site, TWO pop-ups happened!!) BTW, why do a few random pop-ups happen?

Anyway, I wondered if you sell/support a firewall type product.

I had a terrible experience with Norton:(

Thanks & Happy Holidays,

Patti Feinberg
pat.feinberg@verizon.net

Pps...I just noticed she mentions php!!!

[Midnite]

BIG PS....MIDNITE....DOM....JOSETTE AND OTHER CA COUSINS....ARE Y'ALL OKAY???

Dom and I are fine, thanks.  Neither of us thought to write Josette, however, since she's on the other side of the country.

[Patti Feinberg]

Thanks again.

Two more things:

Do downloads such as Linux or Mozilla have spyware? How would you know?

Next...what is/are 'skins'

Thanks

Patti

[victoriawinters]

Do downloads such as Linux or Mozilla have spyware? How would you know?

MB will have to answer Linux.  But Mozilla is not as vulnerable to spying as is IE 6.  You still should have a firewall, spyware detector and virus scanner installed and up to date on your computer at all times.  It doesn't matter which browser you are using.

Next...what is/are 'skins'

Skins or themes change the appearance of what you in the background to the status bar, tool bar, search and address bar at the top and bottom of your browser.  Here is an example of some Mozilla Firebird themes (aka skins) Mozilla Firebird Themes.  Some of these are not updated for the latest release and it will tell you that before you download them.  IE 6 does not allow you to skin it without getting a spyware program. 

[Patti Feinberg]

Victoria Winters...thank you very much (but, since I'm in super-idiot mode, can someone please re-explain....I don't understand

Patti

[victoriawinters]

Let's try some visuals instead.  Sometimes people are visual learners and not word learners.  It doesn't mean you are stupid at all Patti.  In fact, you have more then demonstrated your willingness to learn time and time again on this board.  I commend you for that.

The Mozilla Browser is not spyware per se.  But, it's a good idea to scan your computer with the anti-spyware software.  Also, deleting your Internet cookies will also take care of that.

Here is a demo of a skin or theme within a browser - notice the middle part is the same on both illustrations for the Avant Brower (Mozilla would work the same way):

[Patti Feinberg]

Okay (not that I should be messing w/this, but I've got to).

On XP, does anyone know how/where to access ?Registry Editor??

I'm trying to unistall something called nCase (which who knows how it got there). (and you can't just go in install/unintall programs, it won't go.)

I downloaded instructions from I think Panicware, and they say at the run key, type in regedit.

When I do this, for a split second, I see something called Registry Editor (but it instantly disappears).

So I typed in search for registry editor, no dice.

Anybody know more about this?

Thanks,

Patti

[Midnite]

On XP, does anyone know how/where to access ?Registry Editor??

It's launched just as your instructions said--

• Click Start
• Click Run
• Type regedit

I don't know why it would be disappearing, but I recommend you back up the Windows Registry before you try to edit it and for that matter that you understand how to restore it before doing anything just in case. (!!!)

[Connie]

Patti,
I wouldn't touch the Registry with a ten-foot pole.  Too scared to use regedit, don't know how to restore with a backup, too scared I'll crash the system, etc.

I recently downloaded a program called Spybot - Search & Destroy......
But, one can then pull up a list where it has all of the files it checked, and when highlighting them it tells what they are.  It seems that almost all of these can check on what one has done from the keyboard, what sites one has visited, etc.  They all sound horrid!  I can't find any way to delete those. 

Josette,
I use this program at least once a week and there's always a ton of garbage to get rid of.  Where it all comes from I'll never know.

After you've run the scan of your system, it shows you a list of things it found.  If there's anything on the list you DON'T want to get rid of, just uncheck the box.  Then along the bottom there's a row of buttons.  Just click "Fix selected problems".

You said you're pulling up a list where it has all the files it checked.  You might be pulling up the "Excludes" list.  This is just a list of every type of spyware the program scans for and gives you the opportunity to put a "check" next to one if you DON'T want the program to check that particular spyware.  This list is NOT what was FOUND on your computer.

Also, in the settings, make sure you have the thing checked that tells the program to make backups.  THAT way, if you've deleted something that you find you needed - perhaps something that was installed along with a program you use and without it, the program won't work anymore - you can just use the recovery button and it will put everything back the way it was before you used "Fix selected problems".

Hope this helps.

Now, I need some help.   :-
What do people think is the best browser to use??  I am so fed up with IE.  Settings keep changing, things come in and actually change my start page sometimes, at the moment something's happened with cookies and they disappear or something,.........
like say on Ebay.  It doesn't show the things I've already looked at, or what messages I've read on a yahoo board, etc.  IE drives me absolutely nuts.  I've checked settings, and it's set to accept cookies. 
I tried using this Ghostsurfer program the other day.  It's supposed to help keep all the spyware away, and help with all the browser intrusions, but I don't think it works very well.  Maybe I don't know how to use it right, but it really seems to bog down the system and surfing is WAY too slow.

Tried Netscape awhile back, but it seemed like a pain.  Was constantly getting pop-up boxes asking me pain-in-the-ass questions I didn't even know the answer to -- stuff about encrypted pages, do I wanna accept THIS, do I wanna accept THAT....blah, blah.   Huh?  How the hell should I know?
IE doesn't do that, but it really seems to suck as far as vulnerability goes.

-Lost in a sea of browser hell

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Tried Netscape awhile back, but it seemed like a pain.  Was constantly getting pop-up boxes asking me pain-in-the-ass questions I didn't even know the answer to -- stuff about encrypted pages, do I wanna accept THIS, do I wanna accept THAT....blah, blah.   Huh?  How the hell should I know?
IE doesn't do that, but it really seems to suck as far as vulnerability goes.

Netscape 7.1 comes with pop-up blocking built in - though that feature won't put an end to the notices you've described because they come from the browser itself. It will, however, stop pop-up ads from coming up on the sites you visit.

As for those notices, Netscape always tells you when you're entering or leaving an encrypted page, or when you're sending unencrypted  info over the Internet. If you don't want these notifications to come up all the time, all you have to do is uncheck the box on the notification that says something like "always notify me when..."