How do spyware and adware usually attack?
This relatively new form of virus has one thing in mind: to take control of your online browsing experience and provide you with another alternative without even asking.
For example, these types of viruses:
- Take control of your browser’s search features.
- Show annoying pop-up ads when you start your browser.
- Take control of your “home page” to give it another home page instead.
- Disable all search features within your browser.
- Write cookies on your computer for data extraction purposes without your knowledge.
- Add tracking cookies to see your every move online.
- Slow down your computers performance.
Without proper protection against these threats, most people will never know how to find or remove these malware. The worst part is that many of these malware are designed to evade detection programs. They are actually designed to hide from the user and the protector. This is what makes these malicious programs so annoyingly deadly.
Here are some ways spyware evades detection:
Insert code:
When spyware inserts a piece of its code into a program already running inside your computer, to avoid detection by spyware protection software.
Reload script:
When it scans your computer for spyware and removes all malicious files found, this reload script detects that it just removed the files associated with its programming, so it then takes a backup file and reloads the software program. spy previously removed without your knowledge. .
Program lock:
Many larger, legitimate software programs have this feature so you don’t accidentally delete the files needed to run the program. Some spyware uses this same method to protect itself and prevent the user from deleting it.
Automatic Updates:
Like many programs, it has the ability to automatically update itself as soon as you log on online to change the mechanics of its own programming again, further avoiding detection and ultimately removal.
These are just some of the techniques these virus-type programs use to make it incredibly difficult to remove from your desktop. Prevention and awareness are the key to preventing these infectious programs from entering your computer and messing things up inside it.
Prevention tools:
- Spybot Search and Destroy
- Lavasoft Ad-Aware
- Microsoft Windows Defender
- STOPzilla Spyware Remover
Corrupted antispyware tools:
There is a whole list of removal tools out there that are actually broken and their only purpose is to do the opposite by installing spyware on your computer, instead of removing it from your computer.
Here is the list of corrupted anti-spyware tools:
http://www.2-spyware.com/corrupt-anti-spyware
Prevention Techniques: There is no technique that is 100%. At one point, you will get some kind of malicious virus that gets installed on your computer. These prevention techniques will help minimize your chances of getting them regularly.
1) Make sure you have several spyware removal tools installed on your computer.
Every anti-spyware removal tool is different and each looks for different scripts/programs within your desktop. In the past, I’ve found that running Spybot and Ad-Aware back-to-back gave me different results each time, helping to catch unwanted scripts at many different levels. Spybot gave me one set of potential files, while Ad-Aware gave me another set of lethal files. Both scans together helped me find spyware on the surface and spyware deep within my hard drive.
2) Make sure your spyware removal software is up to date.
As I mentioned in Part 1, you should make sure that your spyware removal software is ALWAYS up to date with the latest spyware definitions. This helps detect newer and more powerful spyware scripts that have gone undetected in the past. The newest definitions may be posted once a week, so be sure to check back often.
How do I update my definitions?
9/10 times you can find a button that says “Update definitions”, “Check for latest updates”, etc. This button is usually right on the main interface when you start the program. Be sure to update your definitions before doing any analysis.
3) Run your spyware removal tools AT LEAST once a week.
It seems to me that a lot of people browsing online have an antisoftware removal tool installed on their computer, but they haven’t run any scans for quite some time. Be sure to run a scan of your entire computer at least once a week. You may catch spyware today or tomorrow, you never know.
4) If a spyware program persists, try scanning via “SAFE MODE”.
If in doubt, run a spyware scan with your antivirus removal tool while in “SAFE MODE”. SAFE MODE allows your computer to run only the most essential programs. SAFE MODE will disable persistent spyware that is more difficult to remove. This allows you to effectively detect and remove persistent spyware while remaining idle and idle. In my experience, I have been able to remove a large number of spyware programs solely from SAFE MODE.
How can I scan in SAFE MODE?
If you’ve exhausted all alternatives and still the spyware you’re trying to remove keeps showing up, try this…
Works for Windows 95, 98/ME, 2000, XP, Vista
A) Shut down your computer, wait 30 seconds, and reboot.
B) When you see the diagnostic information page and memory count…
C) Start tapping F8.
D) Select the “SAFE MODE” option (Default).
Note: If when you start tapping F8 and you get an error message, please reboot again and don’t start tapping F8 so soon. Also, if your computer loads normally, reboot again and don’t press F8 too late. The key is to press F8 when you get the first initial black/boot screen.
Once in safe mode, start your anti-spyware software removal tool and run a full system scan. You may be surprised when your software finds spyware that was missed by previous system scans.
Once complete, restart your computer normally.
5) Be sure to install updates for your operating system.
Every operating system needs regular updates from the software vendor. For example, Microsoft Windows sends a small pop-up window to your computer asking you to install new security updates. Many people I know ignore all these messages or think they should only be updated once a year. This is a terrible practice for maintaining your computers. Installing security updates ensures that your computer does not have known loopholes that could be exploited by spyware, adware, viruses, worms, or Trojan horses. Security updates help prevent spyware from finding “back alleys” to play.
Be sure to select “Automatic Updates”:
PRESS: START > CONTROL PANEL > AUTOMATIC UPDATES > Select “Automatic Updates”.
This ensures that you do not neglect your duty to update your computer regularly. Prevention is the key here!
6) Do not install software you do not recognize:
Most of the rogue programs are installed by YOU! They usually enter your computer from “Free Shareware” software that you install directly from online sources. A lot of shareware software comes with a little surprise package attached to it. For the most part, all you need to do is read the “end user agreement” carefully before installing the software. Most of the agreements tell you that this software will install secondary adware, pop-up ads, etc. Don’t install anything that has unwanted plugins that don’t give you the ability to “don’t install” them. When downloading shareware, make sure you download the software from trusted sources like “http://www.download.com”.
7) Do not visit the Porn, Hare or Warrez websites:
A lot of spyware is installed directly from a compromised website that you visit online. They usually exploit their “ActiveX” controls within your browser to silently install their spyware files without your knowledge. Many of the porn websites have silent spyware downloads to “get back to people” looking for porn. This is a way for webmasters to say, “Stop looking at pornography.” These same principles apply to hacker websites and hate related websites. Anything with a negative touch online has the potential to provide you with unwanted spyware scripts.
If you feel the urge to visit these types of websites, be sure to run your anti-spyware software removal tool every time you visit these widely exploited websites. Once again, prevention is the key!
8) Make sure to activate your Firewall!
As I mentioned in part 1, a firewall can prevent hackers from getting into your computer through hidden alleyways and holes within your computer system. Be sure to activate your system’s firewall to prevent these types of attacks.
Activating your firewall:
Windows systems: START > CONTROL PANEL > INTERNET CONNECTIONS > WINDOWS FIREWALL > “On (Recommended)”.
Mac users: APPLE MENU > SYSTEM PREFERENCES > SHARING PANEL > FIREWALL > START
There you go; Your firewall is now active!
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In conclusion:
Getting spyware on your computer is very annoying. Spyware can change your browser settings, install browser toolbars, and show you unwanted pop-up ads. Prevention is the key to beating spyware. Be sure to scan your computer with an anti-spyware software removal tool. Scan your computer regularly. Update spyware definitions and security patches for your software. Scan your computer in SAFE MODE to find very deceptive spyware. Do not visit pornographic or hacker websites, and make sure you have a firewall in place.
All of these prevention techniques are the key to defeating most of the spyware out there. Failure to use these prevention techniques may mean a complete format of your hard drive or a visit to your local computer store.
This brings us to another computer maintenance tutorial:
Part 3 – Cleaning your computer’s registry