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Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, August 2, 2009
In this Issue:
Special Feature: How Spyware Works
Question: Windows Vista: Turn Off IE Sounds
Question: Turn Off System Sounds
Question: Windows Vista: Turn Off Startup Sound
Question: Turn Off Web Page Sounds
Websites of Interest: Aging in the Know; Hoax-Slayer; Lgdtxtr; Fifteen Ways to Save Money Online: 15. Free Spyware Remover
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Special Feature: How Spyware Works
The following article appears courtesy of Dave Coustan of howstuffworks.com
http://www.howstuffworks.com/
Has your computer ever become so slow that you can fix yourself a snack in the time it takes your word processor to open? Perhaps spyware is to blame.
Spyware is a category of computer programs that attach themselves to your operating system in nefarious ways. They can suck the life out of your computer's processing power. They are designed to track your Internet habits, nag you with unwanted sales offers or generate traffic for their host Web site. According to some estimates, more than 80 percent of all personal computers are infected with some kind of spyware [source: FaceTime Communications]. But before you chuck your computer out the window and move to a desert island, you might want to read on. In this article we'll explain how spyware gets installed on your computer, what it does there and how you can get rid of it.
Some people mistake spyware for a computer virus. A computer virus is a piece of code designed to replicate itself as many times as possible, spreading from one host computer to any other computers connected to it. It usually has a payload that may damage your personal files or even your operating system.
Spyware, on the other hand, generally is not designed to damage your computer. Spyware is defined broadly as any program that gets into your computer without your permission and hides in the background while it makes unwanted changes to your user experience. The damage it does is more a by-product of its main mission, which is to serve you targeted advertisements or make your browser display certain sites or search results.
At present, most spyware targets only the Windows operating system. Some of the more notorious spyware threats include Trymedia, Nuvens, Estalive, Hotbar and New.Net.Domain.Plugin [source: CA].
How Your Computer Gets Spyware
Spyware usually ends up on your machine because of something you do, like clicking a button on a pop-up window, installing a software package or agreeing to add functionality to your Web browser. These applications often use trickery to get you to install them, from fake system alert messages to buttons that say "cancel" when they really install spyware. Here are some of the general ways in which spyware finds its way into your computer:
* Piggybacked software installation - Some applications -- particularly peer-to-peer file-sharing clients -- will install spyware as a part of their standard installation procedure. If you do not read the installation list closely, you might not notice that you are getting more than the file-sharing application you want. This is especially true of the "free" versions that are advertised as alternatives to software you have to buy. As the old saying goes, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
* Drive-by download - This is when a Web site or pop-up window automatically tries to download and install spyware on your machine. The only warning you might get would be your browser's standard message telling you the name of the software and asking if it is okay to install it. If your security settings are set low enough, you will not even get the warning.
* Browser add-ons - These are pieces of software that add enhancements to your Web browser, like a toolbar, animated pal or additional search box. Sometimes, these really do what they say they will do but also include elements of spyware as part of the deal. Or sometimes they are nothing more than thinly veiled spyware themselves. Particularly nasty add-ons are considered browser hijackers -- these embed themselves deeply in your machine and take quite a bit of work to get rid of.
* Masquerading as anti-spyware -- This is one of the cruelest tricks in the book. This type of software convinces you that it is a tool to detect and remove spyware. When you run the tool, it tells you your computer is clean while it installs additional spyware of its own.
What Spyware Can Do
Spyware can do any number of things once it's installed on your computer.
At a minimum, most spyware runs as an application in the background as soon as you start your computer up, hogging RAM and processor power. It can generate endless pop-up ads that make your Web browser so slow it becomes unusable. It can reset your browser's home page to display an ad every time you open it. Some spyware redirects your Web searches, controlling the results you see and making your search engine practically useless. It can also modify the dynamically linked libraries (DLLs) your computer uses to connect to the Internet, causing connectivity failures that are hard to diagnose. At its very worst, spyware can record the words you type, your Web browsing history, passwords and other private information.
Certain types of spyware can modify your Internet settings so that if you connect through dial-up service, your modem dials out to expensive, pay telephone numbers. Like a bad guest, some spyware changes your firewall settings, inviting in more unwanted pieces of software. There are even some forms that are smart enough to know when you try to remove them in the Windows registry and intercept your attempts to do so.
The point of all this from the spyware makers' perspective is not always clear. One reason it's used is to pad advertisers' Web traffic statistics. If they can force your computer to show you tons of pop-up ads and fake search results, they can claim credit for displaying that ad to you over and over again. And each time you click the ad by accident, they can count that as someone expressing interest in the advertised product.
Another use of spyware is to steal affiliate credits. Major shopping sites like Amazon and eBay offer credit to a Web site that successfully directs traffic to their item pages. Certain spyware applications capture your requests to view sites like Amazon and eBay and then take the credit for sending you there.
Legality
So is it legal to install difficult-to-remove software without the user's permission? Not really. There's an increasing body of state legislation that explicitly bans spyware, including the Spyware Control Act in Utah and the Consumer Protection Against Computer Spyware Act in California. But even without these new state laws, federal law already prohibits spyware. The Computer Fraud and Abuse Act covers any unauthorized software installations. Deceptive trade practices of any kind also violate the Federal Trade Commission Act. Additionally, the Electronic Communications Privacy Act makes it unlawful for companies to violate the security of customers' personal information.
Just like anti-spam legislation, these spyware laws can be very difficult to enforce in practice, and the perpetrators know it. It can be tough to find hard evidence connecting individual companies to their spyware products, and, as with all Internet-related lawsuits, there are often battles over which court's jurisdiction applies to the case. Just because it's illegal doesn't mean it's easy to stop.
Protect Yourself
How can you protect yourself against spyware, and what can you do if you think you already have some on your computer? Here are a few suggestions.
Use a spyware scanner.
There are several applications you can turn to for trustworthy spyware detection and removal, including Ad-aware, Spybot and Windows Defender. All three are free for the personal edition. These work just like your anti-virus software and can provide active protection as well as detection. They will also detect Internet cookies and tell you which sites they refer back to.
Note - Once you know which spyware is on your computer, in some cases you'll need to seek specific instructions on how to remove it. Links to some of those instructions are listed in the "Spyware Help" section, below, and more are included in the Lots More Information section at the end of this article. Here are a few more solutions:
Use a pop-up blocker.
Many of the current browsers, including Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, have the ability to block all Web sites from serving you pop-up windows. This function can be configured to be on all of the time or to alert you each time a site wants to pop up a new window. It can also tell you where the pop-up is coming from and selectively allow windows from trusted sources.
Disable Active-X.
Most browsers have security settings in their preferences which allow you to specify which actions Web sites are allowed to take on your machine. Since many spyware applications take advantage of a special code in Windows called Active-X, it's not a bad idea to simply disable Active-X on your browser. Note that if you do this, you will also disallow the legitimate uses for Active-X, which may interfere with the functionality of some Web sites.
Be suspicious of installing new software.
In general, it pays to be suspicious when a site asks to install something new on your computer. If it's not a plug-in you recognize, like Flash, QuickTime or the latest Java engine, the safest plan of action is to reject the installation of new components unless you have some specific reason to trust them. Today's Web sites are sophisticated enough that the vast majority of functionality happens inside your browser, requiring only a bare minimum of standard plug-ins. Besides, it never hurts to reject the installation first and see if you can get on without it. A trustworthy site will always give you the opportunity to go back and download a needed component later.
Use the "X" to close pop-up windows.
Get to know what your computer's system messages look like so that you can spot a fake. It's usually pretty easy to tell the difference once you get to know the standard look of your system alerts. Stay away from the "No thanks" buttons if you can help it, and instead close the window with the default "X" at the corner of the toolbar. For an even more reliable option, use the keystroke combination for "close window" built into your software. You can look in your browser's "File" menu to find it.
Spyware Help
Microsoft DLL Help Database - Download original DLLs
http://support.microsoft.com/dllhelp/
SpywareGuide: List of Spyware - Find information on a specific piece of spyware
http://www.spywareguide.com/product_list_full.php
Browser Hijacking: Hijack Removal - Find detailed instructions on removing a browser hijacker
http://tinyurl.com/l2j59t
http://www.spywareremove.com/remove-BrowserHijackers/index.html
Lots More Information:
Spyware Guide
http://www.spywareguide.com/
HowStuffWorks: How Computer Viruses Work
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm
Forbes.com: Fighting Spyware For Profit
http://www.forbes.com/technology/enterprisetech/2005/01/17/cx_ah_0117spysales.ht ml
ZDNet.com: How to fix spyware
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-5535478.html
InformationWeek: A Look At The Law: Can the government have an impact on spyware?
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=57701329
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Question: Windows Vista: Turn Off IE Sounds
Question: Every time I click on something in Internet Explorer, it makes an annoying clicking sound. Can I change the settings to get this to stop?
Answer:
Yes, you can disable the clicking sound. Here are the steps:
Click on the Start button and open Control Panel. Open Hardware and Sound. Click on Sound. At the top of the window that you now see, click the Sounds tab.
In the Program area, scroll down to Windows Explorer. Under Windows Explorer, look for Start Navigation. Click on it to select it.
Further down in the window, you will see the Sounds area. Click the down arrow to the right of the current sound. A very long list will display; scroll to the top of the list and select None. The Sounds area will now display None.
Click the OK button and close any open Control Panel windows.
You will no longer hear any clicking sounds when navigating in Internet Explorer.
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Question: System Sounds
I like to listen to music CDs on my computer while I work but the other sounds can be annoying. The sounds I’m referring to are the beeps and pongs that play when programs do things, error messages, etc. Can I turn those sounds off but continue to listen to my music?
Answer:
Yes, you can. Here are the steps to do so:
Right click on the little gray speaker icon that is in the System tray (that’s the bottom right corner, next to the clock). A menu will open.
If you are using Windows XP, click Open Volume Controls. The Volume Control window will open; look for the Wave area. Below that, you will see a slider, and below that, a Mute button. To turn system sounds off completely, click the Mute button. A checkmark will appear and you will no longer hear anything other than your music playing. Click the X button to close the window.
If you are using Windows Vista, click Open Volume Mixer. Look for Windows Sounds. You will see a slider below that. Below the slider is a button with a picture of a speaker on it. Click that button. A small red circle/slash will appear indicating that the system sounds are turned off. Click the X button to close the window.
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Question: Windows Vista: Turn Off Startup Sound
Question: How do you turn off the sound when the computer starts?
Answer:
Click on the Start button and open Control Panel. Open Hardware and Sound. Click on Sound. At the top of the window that you now see, click the Sounds tab.
Click the checkbox to the left of Play Windows Startup Sound. This will remove the checkmark.
Click the OK button and close any open Control Panel windows.
You will no longer hear any sounds when your computer turns on.
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Question: Turn Off Web Page Sounds
Can you please help me with something I find very annoying? When I visit some websites, music starts blaring out of my speakers. I usually listen to my CDs while I work on my computers which is nice, quiet music. But this website music blares right through. Is there some setting I can change to make that stop?
Answer:
We agree, that is very annoying. And yes, there is a setting you can change. Here are the steps:
Open Internet Explorer.
Click Tools on the menu and then click Internet Options. (If you cannot see the menu, press the Alt key on the keyboard). A window will open.
Click the Advanced tab at the top. Scroll down to the Multimedia section. Click the checkbox to the left of Play sounds in webpages. Click the OK button.
You will no longer hear any sounds or music in webpages.
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Websites of Interest:
Aging in the Know
Created by the American Geriatrics Society Foundation for Health in Aging, this website provides information on health and aging.
http://www.healthinaging.org/agingintheknow/
Hoax-Slayer
Ever get an email from a friend with a dire warning you about a scam, email chain letters, phishing emails, charity giveaways, celebrity death news or any other type of hoax? Before forwarding it on, take a moment to verify if it is real or just some nonsense. Visit the website and see if it a legitimate store.
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/
Lgdtxtr
Online translator for translating teen text messaging lingo to regular English. The tool can come in handy for parents to keep in the know of what kids are texting about
http://www.lgdtxtr.com/
Fifteen Ways to Save Money Online: 15. Free Spyware Remover
From Wendy Boswell of about.com
No matter what your financial situation may be, it is always a good idea to learn new ways to save money. Find out how you can utilize the power of the Web to save money, find good deals, and improve your financial status.
15. Free Spyware Remover
If you've ever had weird pop-up windows that just won't go away, hijacked browser settings, internet preferences inexplicably changed, or a very slow web search experience, than you've most likely been the victim of spyware, adware, or malware. All three of these terms mean pretty much the same thing: a program that monitors your actions, generates unwanted ads, and is installed on your computer without your explicit permission or knowledge.
If you are not careful, spyware, adware, and malware can take over your system, causing it to slow down and even crash. Here are a few programs that you can download for free from the Web that will remove spyware and adware from your system.
* Adaware. I use this myself almost every day. It cleans your computer of adware and spyware, and is updated frequently. If you are on the Web for significant amounts of time (which I am), or have a constant uninterrupted connection such as cable or DSL, I suggest you sweep your computer using this tool at least twice a week. More would be better.
http://tinyurl.com/at3fhx
* Spybot. Another good adware removal program that I use almost every day as well. SpyBot Search and Destroy is a great way to remove adware and spyware from your system.
http://tinyurl.com/dehwhd
* Spyware Doctor offers a free trial and then is available for purchase for $29.95. Although I haven't tried this particular spyware remover, it has received high ratings from C-Net.
http://tinyurl.com/bjuf2t
Tip: Some websites may require you to register to use their features. When you register at websites, you may be signing up for spam (junk mail) if the recipient sells email addresses to spammers. There is a way to avoid this and still be able to take advantage of the great things that site has to offer. Read our article, Minimizing Spam – Registering Online, at our newsletter archives, to learn how use websites without getting junk mail.
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/111608.html
This is the last article in our series: Fifteen Ways to Save Money Online. We hope you enjoyed it! Here are the previous topics we covered in this series:
1. Find Cheap Gas Using the Web
2. Looking for a cheaper cell phone plan?
3. Mapquest Road Trip Planner
4. Organize your Travel Plans with TripIt
5. The Best Sites for Cheap Flights
6. Check for Amazon Coupons
7. Shop Online, Online Shopping Search Engines
8. Shop Online, Online Shopping with Comparison Shopping Search Engines
9. Shop Locally
10. Look for Free Printable Coupons
11. Check Out RetailMeNot
12. Watch Free Movies Online
13. Free Music Downloads
14. Read Free eBooks
15. Free Spyware Remover
To read these articles, please visit our newsletter archives.
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/savemoney.html
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