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Spyware Programs in Sheep’s Clothing
With the proliferation of spyware, or malware as I like to call it because of its malicious intent and the various forms it takes, there has also been a proliferation of applications claiming to be your partner in fighting the problem. Read on and we will discuss ways to identify these rouge programs before they take you for a ride. We will also discuss some of the good guys.
I have seen many folks get into a jam worse than they were in before they started using what they thought was a legitimate antispyware program. These programs usually start out by alerting you in some unambiguous way, perhaps through a pop-up or unsolicited email (spam), that you have a spyware and or virus problem. They will urge you to buy or use their product. It may even tell you that you that it has already found (through osmosis I guess) a large amount of spyware and that by purchasing their product you will be free of the ugly vermin once and for all.
Not only are these programs digital snake oil serving no useful purpose and charging $30 and up, but it is like having a mole or insider infiltrate your computer. Once the rouge program is in your system it opens the door for other malicious programs to come in and wreck havoc on your computer. Most of these programs go by heroic names such as Error Guard and WinFixer, or other names that sound very similar to reputable, well established antispyware programs. Don’t be fooled by the name or its claim or you could be in for a long ride.
Once the seed is planted and the rouge program has opened the door for his partners in mischief the programs will work together try to ensure their survival so it is not as easy as terminating one piece of spyware. Once you get rid of one another one will take his job sometimes even regenerating the one that was just terminated. Once these guys have enough for a full team it can be an uphill battle unless you have some experience in dealing with the tactics they employ.
What you can do to protect yourself: First of all, be weary of any antispyware application that does not offer a free, fully functional, trial of their product. If you can’t drive it around, kick the tires and ask some questions through tech support, either by phone, email or website, it might not be the real deal. Like you would for an auto mechanic, painter or landscaper, ask people you know for recommendations. Don’t buy from a pushy salesman, meaning don’t buy from spam and pop-ups. You can also visit this informative site for a report -
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htmI came across the site a while back after being taken by a rouge program myselft. The site is maintained by a group appropriately called Spyware Warrior. They don’t sell anything but simply provide some very useful information in the war against malware. The site contains information about the latest spyware threats, antispyware program comparisons and even forums where individuals discuss the problem. You can also check some reviews at the Consumer Search site -
http://www.consumersearch.com/www/software/anti-spyware-reviews/reviews.htmlYou can think of a program that you pay to protect your computer from spyware like a home security system. If you were to pay a company for a home security system you would obviously want a company you could trust your home and family with. With computers becoming more and more a necessity to conduct business, do financial transactions, go to school or obtain information that we used to depend on other sources for, it is more important than ever that we take steps to secure our computers. Even with all the laws and Bills that the government is introducing I don’t see a huge decrease in spam, spyware and other computer mischief. You are your own first line of defense.
I don’t think this article would be complete without acknowledging some of the programs that do good work in keeping malware from computers.
Both of these programs offer real time protection meaning they are always running like an antivirus program checking for malware trying to insert itself into your startup menu, browser favorites or registry. They both automatically update themselves.
Don’t be fooled by the fools. Stay safe and happy computing
