Adventures in Malware
Software news.
Back again!I have been investigating two new malware software options (well, new to me, anyway :-)). One is AVG Anti-Spyware, which is available as a trial version with full functionality, and then some features turned off for the post-trial free version. During the time of the trial, I didn't notice any great drain on my system from the monitoring service running in the background and didn't find it too obtrusive while it did updates. And it tended to download updates at least once a day. Which is helpful. The automatic updates and background monitoring are two fo the features switched off in the post-trial version. I have had no false positives with any scan done, either. And I actually enjoyed configuring and using it.
Another method of avoiding infection from all types of malware is the use of sandbox software. This type of software creates a virtual pc on your existing computer, like a double, and you can use all the software you want inside it without the real computer being affected. You can go to suspicious websites and open email attachments with impunity and glee, secure in the knowledge that your computer will not be compromised at all if the worst should happen. If malware is a real problem for you and you really don't want to risk a lower level of security, then this might be the way to go. I haven't tried sandboxing myself and don't feel a need to, but maybe if you want to find out more, Section 1.1 of this newsletter has a discussion that might help. It also mentions a Donationware program.
Hope you all stayed malware-free over the Christmas break and wish you all a Happy New Malware-free Year!
National Anti-spyware Campaign
Again from the Internet Industry Association: The National Anti-Spyware Campaign is on!"With the support of the Department of Communication, Information Technology and the Arts, the IIA aims to empower all Australians on the internet, from corporate employees right through to home users, to better understand and control their exposure to spyware." - From the website
There is a long list of Anti-spyware product links and information sheets about spyware, as well as a white paper from Facetime about the rise of greynets. I'm going to be off now for a big read.
Stay malware free, now!
National Antivirus Initiative
{ 12:22 PM, 17/7/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
The National Antivirus Initiative in Australia aims to increase the number of people using anti-virus software on their computers following on from the findings that one in four people do not have any antivirus software installed on their computer. Quote:"The IIA National AntiVirus Initiative aims to empower all Australians on the internet, from corporate employees right through to home users, to better control the situation. As far as we know, this is the first project of its kind and scale to be undertaken anywhere in the world." From the website.
Yahoo and hooray, I say! I note that no free antivirus products are included in the list. I can add Avast and AVG to the list of user-friendly, free for non-commerical use products. Both have had good reports on use and effectiveness from my own experience and that of other users. A drawback of these products is the lack of technical support for the free versions, but if you are happy to navigate the user forums you will usually find answers to questions. Both have commerical versions available as well and some Australian contacts.
One thing that was not mentioned on the site is that one should only use one anti-virus program on a computer at a time, so that if you want to trial a number of products before deciding on one to use, you will have to do the trials seqentially.
Webcast: The Money in Malware
I've just been listening to a really informative webcast by Mark Harris of the company Sophos, hosted at TechRepublic.There might be a few technical terms in it but it's accessible enough to get some good info on just what Malware, including viruses and trojans, can do to you. Good advice on how to avoid problems and some background on what the people at Sophos do. Lasts about an hour, needs RealPlayer installed to run, and you might need to login before you can hear it. Oh, and it comes with a load of useful slides to download, view and keep for future reference. Perhaps you could share the slides around and point others at the webcast site to help get the word out. There's always something we can do to block the efforts of those who wish to spoil our fun! Enjoy...
Would you try this at home?
{ 2:12 PM, 27/6/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
18 days of Reckless Computing from Wired News.
NoAdware?
I came across the name NoAdware as a super progam for removing spyware while reading a forum on another topic. Thought I'd give it a go, but before I installed the free version, I decided to follow my (becoming much more) usual approach and did a search for reviews of the product on the web. Well, as well as finding the poor rating at AdwareReport (see previous posting) I also found this in the search results: NoAdware.net Scam. You be the judge, but going on the long list of mostly negative feedback, not only about the program but the company's customer service, I will certainly be leaving that one alone. Sorry, you NoAdware people. Better luck with your other software!Adware Report Website FYI
Along with SpywareWarrior, there is this website I found today: AdwareReport. A useful collection of well-written reviews of malware removal products, with comments by people who have tried them. They do not appear to be selling anything themselves. I was also impressed by the good quality of English used!!! Sorry, that's one of my pet things :-). They used "you're" in the correct way in the review I first read for NoAdware (which got a poor rating for what seem to be very good reasons). The website also includes fact pages such as Beginner's Guide To Securing Your Computer and What is Spyware?. A list of Rogue Products is included and worth a look. The latest news listed a few heartening reports of spyware producers who have been nabbed and fined. A bookmark and regular trip to that page will keep me from getting too depressed about the prevalence of malware!More Interesting TechRepublic Content
Well, TechRepublic has come up with some more interesting anti-malware information sheets to download and digest. The first one can help with prevention of some common mistakes: 10 dumb things users do that can mess up their computers. Catchy title, and part of a series of "10 things" lists on the site.Another one that could be of help is this one: Learn to surf the web anonymously, which I haven't had a good look at yet, but thought it wise to place here. It includes a link to an online anonymity scan, but I got a "page not found" error when I tried to access it. The products for sale may be worth investigating, if you want to invest in some software.
Just a thought: I don't think you have to be very paranoid to see the point in doing the work to keep your computer secure. I just want to have a good time, get the work done that I want to do and avoid risking loss of my data and privacy.
MyWebSearch Toolbar
I have a second computer that I got the use of from my partner the other day. It's been acting up and I started my search for solutions with a look at the startup settings (msconfig). Found MyWebSearch Toolbar listed and unchecked all parts of it. I did a scan, then, with Adaware. Nothing came up in the report. I then checked the Add/Remove Programs list, found and uninstalled the program, which appeared to happen cleanly. I still have the same problems with Windows Explorer, but at least the startup is quicker! A look on the net came up with this from Computer Associates' Spyware Information Centre, saying that the toolbar is not spyware but is still something that installs without your knowledge, covertly bundled with other stuff you do want. What I don't understand is why, if a product is okay and not harmful to anyone, you would want to hide its existence from consumers? Wouldn't that be a "selling" point, that you get this other great freebie ("But wait: there's more!") when you download their product? Perhaps the product is not so good!??? I'm going to ask my partner where he thinks he might have got it, but I don't think he has downloaded it intentionally.Recent useful finds
{ 3:31 PM, 10/5/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
Well, it's been a few days. Got a sprained ankle three weeks ago and am just getting back into the swing of things. Have found a few bits and pieces on the net lately: 1. Signing up with Techrepublic seems like a really good idea, especially if you are looking for info that's a bit more than basic. They've had some helpful downloads lately, some of which you need to be a member to access, but some not. I've lately added: Tools of the Trade: Security Products You Should Own (a chapter from: Absolute Beginner's Guide to Security, Spam, Spyware & Viruses) by Andy Walker; Ten things you should know about fighting spyware in Windows XP by Greg Schultz; Ten internet threats your users should ignore by Debra Littlejohn Shinder; Anatomy of Spyware by John McCormick (a chart you can put up on the wall for easy reference). When you get to the site, do a search on the titles or authors in the downloads section. A subscription to the chapter downloads newsletter is also worthwhile.
2. Found the website for the Antispyware Coalition. From their About info on the site: "The ASC is a group dedicated to building a consensus about definitions and best practices in the debate surrounding spyware and other potentially unwanted technologies. Composed of anti-spyware software companies, academics, and consumer groups, the ASC seeks to bring together a diverse array of perspective on the problem of controlling spyware and other potentially unwanted technologies." The list of members on the same page gives me a sense of their commitment and reliability, as well as forming a guide to choice in products and assistance with spyware issues. There are some helpful leaflets and brochures there about the spyware issue and how to avoid problems, along with other information of a supportive nature. Add to your bookmarks!
Happy Easter, everyone!
{ 10:07 PM, 15/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
Techrepublic article
{ 10:07 PM, 15/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
I have been a member of the Techrepublic site for a number of years now. Can't even remember how I got onto it! Anyway, it's aimed mostly at people working in IT but has some great inside information for those of us who do our own system admin at home or at work and haven't got round to getting our MCSE or other system admin qualification. I subscribe to a few of their free newsletters and there was an entry in today's mail to this article, giving a list of internet hoaxes that we can all ignore. Some truth about what cookies can actually do to counter some of the myths and scaremongering that's been around for years. There are some other good related articles to view here, too. I just did a search for the term "spyware" on the Techrepublic website and it came up with over 600 hits in a variety of formats. Will try malware, adware, phishing, trojans, keyloggers and anti-spyware and see what comes up there, too.
PCPitstop
{ 12:45 PM, 15/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
Well, ran into this page on PCPitstop while researching something else on the net. A great little reference tool for overall problem solving. Haven't had to try it out, thank goodness! Great to see the list of sites that go into particular malware "brands" at the bottom of the page. Basis for adding to my list of places to avoid on the net.
Castlecops
I found out about Castlecops a few months back while I was searching for ways to get me out of the misery of having what was listed as spyware by one of my detection programs confirmed. I am loath to ask my programs to delete some entries until I confirm that they are in fact spyware and not just false positives. So I do a search to find out whether the file identified is actually listed in at least three places as known malware. See, if I delete an entry from the Windows Registry, and it is not connected with any malware, I might have a problem with Windows not being able to function properly. Usually a good spyware detection program will make a backup of any changes, which you can undo later if necessary, or allow you to quarantine files. However, I prefer to search for confirmation first. Castlecops is one of the places you can bookmark to help with many computer security issues, apart from spyware.Why do they do it?
{ 10:55 AM, 11/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
If you ever want to know why the spyware makers do what they do, have a look at what Ben Edelman knows in his article Pushing Spyware Through Search. You may never click on a sponsored link again! The rest of his blog is a mine of information about internet advertising and advertisers.
Reflection
{ 10:55 AM, 11/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
I'm feeling pretty good about my progress in working with anti-spyware issues. I've gained a lot from reading websites about the problem and am happy to see that there is so much more help around now on the net and in magazines than when I first started my adventures. It still amazes me that other people I know can get infected, and that complete beginners will buy a computer with no idea about the spyware thing. I hear that they just have antivirus software that comes with the computer and that's all they know. I'm not sure they even know how to update the antivirus software in most cases.
I'm glad to have been able to help spread the word and get others out of trouble and back to using their computers for their intended purpose. And I'm glad that there are some very good products to help with spyware problems, especially the ones that are free for personal use. I don't think I would have bothered using the net and got the rewards I have if I hadn't found out how to remove malware. So here are links to the software I have used to clean up spyware. All I'm saying is they have worked for me and suggest that you try a few to see if they work for you:
Ad-Aware Personal
a-squared personal
Ewido Anti-Malware
Webroot SpySweeper
Spybot Search & Destroy
Spywareblaster
If you're happy to look at purchasing Anti-Spyware software, I have happily trialled these:
CounterSpy
Keeping up-to-date
{ 10:55 AM, 11/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
I found this site today after following links from the download.com anti-spyware ratings article: It looks like a good place to bookmark and refer to often. The Spyware Horror Stories department is a good place to start if you are not familiar with the kind of damage some of this spyware can do. Good advice from the cnet people regarding each story makes it really helpful! I have used their stories to make the following list of activities that are most likely to get you into trouble: - 1. Using peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing
- 2. Not having a reputable firewall running 24/7. Zonealarm keeps getting recommended in the reading I have done on the subject
- 3. Not paying enough attention when your protective programs report unusual program activity, and so letting something in that shouldn't get in
- 4. Using a rogue piece of software that purports to help you with problems by scaring you into thinking you have some and then installing real problems itself. There seem to be a few of these around....see Spywarewarrior's site for a list. There is such a thing as trusting too much! :-)
- 5. Not running antivirus and anti-spyware programs regularly (once a week is nice!).
- 6. Not updating the above at least once a week when you have them installed.
- 7. Visiting some porn and gaming sites
- 8. Not knowing enough about spyware
- 9. Not scanning downloaded files before installing them. Advisable if you do not know much about the source of the file. Scan with anti-spyware and antivirus
- 10. Not using a popup blocker
- 11. Other users of your computer who don't know enough about the spyware problem
- 12. Not keeping up with OS patches and updates. Some have found that using Internet Explorer is a mistake, regardless.
- 13. Mistyping a URL
- 14. Not reading the End User Licence Agreement (EULA) that comes with all programs that you install on your computer. If the agreement states that other programs will be installed with the program you want, leaving the program and finding something else is your best bet, as these extra programs are most likely spy or adware
- 15. Not having at least three anti-spyware programs installed and up-to-date on your computer
A test of the ware
{ 10:55 AM, 11/4/2006 }
{ 0 comments }
{ Link }
I discovered this page some time ago and felt it gave some useful information about how to gauge the quality of anti-spyware: Spyware Obstacle Course. I have used some of the products mentioned in the article and was already familiar with some of them through my adventures. I found that the article suited me as a person with some experience already. Some of the software I was using was not on the list, e.g. a-squared. So I stuck with what I had but made sure that future decisions about what to run on my computer where made with reference to the criteria used to make the rankings in this article. There were some times when the software I had came up with false positives, but I figured that it would help the makers of the product to improve if I sent feedback. Possibly the least I could do in return for a free product!
Since the rankings published in this article, I have read others that indicate that the top-ranked software has gone down a little in quality.
About Me
My Profile
Archives
Friends
My Photo Album
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 | ||||
Links
TechrepublicCategories
AdwareAntiMalware Programs
Antivirus
Malware
Phishing
Spyware
Websites to visit
Recent Entries
Software news.National Anti-spyware Campaign
National Antivirus Initiative
Webcast: The Money in Malware
Would you try this at home?