November Meeting

MCCC November 2005

Types of Spyware

The term “spyware” covers a wide range of malicious software (sometimes called malware). Your anti-spyware tool will find all sorts of things that it considers spyware to be removed. Here is a small field guide to what you might find.

COOKIES
These are small text files placed on your computer via your browser by a web site. They are used to track website usage, remember settings, track ad views and make ecommerce shopping carts work. Cookies can’t crash your computer and don’t slow it down at all. Don’t be concerned if cookies are detected. They are a normal result of using the web. If you are concerned about privacy, you can have them deleted.

ALEXA
This is an Amazon.com owned web browser plug-in that gives you data about site popularity. However it also tracks your web usage and reports it back to a central server. It declares what it does and is not really a spyware threat. You don’t have to remove it if detected. If concerned you can uninstall it with the included uninstaller that comes with Alexa.

GATOR/CLARIA
Gator (renamed Claria) almost invented spyware. It has made efforts over the years to legitimize it business, by declaring what info it gathers on your computer as you use its software. Microsoft AntiSpyware is recommending that it be ignored. If you get utility out of Claria and are ok with your web habits being anonymously reported then leave it.

AD SUPPORTED
Some companies - like Claria - release software that is free in return for allowing information to be gathered about you. It explicitly states this upfront in the user agreement. Even though it is painful, scan user agreements of free software that you download to see if they are going to install other programs to show ads. Just about all free programs offer a paid version that has no ads. Removing the ad software may cause the free software to stop working.

BROWSER HIJACK
Also called Browser Helper Objects, these are the nastiest pieces of spyware going. They install on a browser either locking the homepage so it can’t be changed from the one it is set to by the hijacker or installs an un-removable toolbar. Sometimes browser helpers are truly helpful, so keep ones that you actually use. It certainly needs to be removed if your homepage is set to something inappropriate. It is sometimes very hard to do and often requires the use of the program Hijack This. Users of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installed can see what browser helpers are installed and can turn them off.

More Spyware tips:

• It has been shown time and again that no one anti-spyware program finds and removes everything. Try using more than one program to detect and clean out a heavily-infected computer.
• Some anti-spyware programs, like the free version of Ad-Aware, don’t have a part that tries to prevent you from getting infected. It only detects and removes infections.

Free Anti-Spyware

• Ad-Aware Personal 1.06: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
• Spybot – Search & Destroy 1.4: http://spybot.safer-networking.de/en/sybotsd/
• Microsoft AntiSpyware (Beta version), soon to be Windows Defender: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

More Shortcut Keys

Did you ever get a window stuck where the title bar was off the top edge of the screen so you couldn’t reach it with your mouse to move? Use the keyboard to move your window, even if you can’t get to the system menu with your mouse:

• Hold down Alt and the Spacebar and then release. You’ll see the system menu appear.
• Press the M key to select Move from the menu
• Use the arrow keys to move the window.
• Press Enter when you are finished moving the window.

Make your own shortcut keys! You can assign shortcut keys to your favorite programs so you can start them quickly without having to go to the Start menu.

• For example, let’s make a shortcut key for the Calculator. Find the Calculator on the start menu (it’s under accessories) and right-click it.
• Choose Properties from the pop-up menu
• Click once in the Shortcut Key box, and press the C key. You’ll note that “Ctrl + Alt + C” appears in the box. All of these shortcuts will start with Ctrl + Alt.
• Click OK to save your change.
• You can press the combination Ctrl + Alt + C and the Calculator appears.

Free Programming Tools

Ever wonder were programs come from? You can make your own programs using free tools from Microsoft. They recently released free versions of their Visual Studio product called Visual Studio Express. Go to http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express for more information and downloads.

Now that you’ve got some free tools, what should you program? Get some ideas and guidance from the Coding4Fun site at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/coding4fun.