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Adware and Spyware
USEFULL URLs
Note: There are two sections on this page:
- 1. A list of URLs mentioned in a three-evening course on Viruses, Spam and Spyware. They are approximately in the order of presentation during the classes.
- 2. A list of URLs mentioned in a one-hour presentation on the same topic.
Please be aware that websites change over time, so some of these links may no longer work properly.
CERT at Carnegi Mellon University
http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/
List of security threats from Symantec - Search for "Types of Threat"
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/refa.html#t
Microsoft's free AntiSpyware - Follow the links to get to the download button
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx
Report on the prevalence of spyware
http://news.com.com/EarthLink+finds+spyware+running+amok/2100-1032_3-5397333.html
A site that provides a simple test for common spyware and
- a description of the effects of several varieties of spyware
http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/
Microsoft list of common symptoms of spyware
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827315
Microsoft's free AntiSpyware - Overview of the beta version (50 ways)
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/about.mspx
A Source of many free programs and purchased programs
http://www.download.com
A listing or rogue programs, web sites and other deceptions
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#top
A source of several backup programs
http://www.Ajsystems.com
A source of definitions of all sorts of things
http://www.webopedia.com/
Symantec's glossary
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/glossary/index.html
Symantec's source of FAQs, glossary, and common computer threats
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/
A source of a free antivirus program
http://free.grisoft.com/freeweb.php/doc/2/
Firewall information from Microsoft
http://www.Microsoft.com/security/protect/windows2000/firewall.asp
A source of a free firewall program
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp
TrendMicro - a well-reviewed Internet security program
http://www.trendmicro.com/en/products/desktop/pc-cillin/evaluate/overview.htm
Windows Update page - Remember to view with Internet Explorer not Firefox
http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/v5consumer/default.aspx?ln=en-us
Adjusting Microsoft Internet Explorer security settings
http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/settings.mspx#XSLTsection127121120120
A source for Firefox - a more secure Internet browser
http://www.mozilla.org/
An Excellent source of computer-related tutorials
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorials.html
All about Phishing
http://www.anti-phishing.com/index.html
http://www.antiphishing.org/
http://www.antiphishing.org/consumer_recs2.html
Another source of how-to information
http://groups.msn.com/TeMercInternetSecuritySite/malwarecountermeasures.msnw
NOTE: The link to the Spybot Search and Destroy tutorial on Bleeping Computers is/was broken.
The correct URL of the tutorial is:
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial43.html
And last but not least, an article on recent tests on anti-spyware/adware programs (Like Microsoft AntiSpyware, Ad-awareSE Spybot Search and Destroy)
The conclusions are:
- you should be using two or three anti-spyware programs to keep your computers free from infection and
- prevention is better than cure - some blocking programs and techniques are mentioned.
http://windowssecrets.com/050127/
Scroll down about a page or so to find the start of the article titled:
Anti-adware misses most malware
Please let me know if any of these links are broken.
Thanks,
Paul
Other Hints, Tips, and Pointers
Tips
To open a command window go:
Start-> Run -> and type in cmd or command and hit Enter.
A small black window should open into which you can enter many commands, for example:
ping followed by the URL and tracert followed by the url. For example:
ping google.com
tracert google.com
Pointers
Suggestions for protecting your Internet security - Electronic Frontier Foundation
http://www.eff.org/Privacy/eff_privacy_top_12.html
Review of antispyware products by Eric Howes
http://spywarewarrior.com/asw-test-guide.htm
Outfitting a NEW computer - Microsoft - a good How-To
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/update/newcomputer.mspx
Security Tests by Gibson Research "Shields-UP"
Plus some interesting information about browser requests to the web server
https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2
Internet “Nasties” - Presentation Notes
January 2005
These notes were prepared for people who attend a live presentation of about one hour, so that they can later easily refer to the web sites mentioned in the presentation.
Many of these sites are included in the above list of sites that are used in the evening class course that lasts three evenings.
For a list of the threats as described by Symantec, the company that provides Norton Antivirus, Norton Internet Security and other products.
http://securityresponse.symantec.com/avcenter/refa.html#t
Scroll down to “Types of Threat”
Why is Adware/Spyware so important? Because it is:
- Insidious – it invades without your knowledge or permission
- It does bad things to your computer and the internet infrastructure
- It is the devil to get rid of – needs knowledge – tools – time
How do you know you’re infected? – 10 Symptoms, provided by Microsoft:
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;827315
What does it do? Visit this site: http://www.doxdesk.com/parasite/
Visiting this site will cause a small, benign program to be installed onto your computer which will do a simple scan for some of the more common parasites and report to you what it finds. The scan in NOT exhaustive and this quick scan will not remove the offending parasites.
To read what a respected academic in the field has to say, click on this link:
Site1 http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/default.aspx
From the drop-down - Select your OS (for example, Win98) and go to the first point, Firewalls.
Learn more from the FAQs. Also note that software firewalls are NOT so easy to configure. Browse the other two points.
Site 2. http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/twc/privacy/spyware.mspx
Note the reference to Ad-awareSE and Spybot Search and Destroy. Both detect and remove parasites. However, blocking further infection is more complicated for both products.
It is generally accepted that anti-virus vendors products do NOT do a good job of detecting and removing Spyware/Adware.
Recently Microsoft started offering a FREE anti-spyware program and a free Malware removal program. For details on the new antispyware program and a link to the download page, visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx
For details on the malware removal program visit:
http://www.microsoft.com/security/malwareremove/default.mspx
Site 3 http://www.cert.org/homeusers/HomeComputerSecurity/
This is a site at Carnegie Mellon university. A wealth of information is provided about Interent security and a number of "How-Tos" to help you secure your computer.
Site 4 http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm#top
There are a large number of rogue anti-spyware products that are not free, and many will bring in spyware of their own to your system. Click on the links to see details of:
- Rogue or Suspect PRODUCTS and TRUSTWORTHY products
- If your PC is infected
- Google Traps
Site 5 http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/tutorial82.html
Gives “Cook-book” Solution to Internet Security
Site 6 http://mvps.org/winhelp2002/
Easy-to-read How-To (See the pull-down list)
Site 7 http://www.microsoft.com/security/incident/settings.mspx#XSLTsection127121120120
Microsoft Site – Includes instructions for setting up secure email – this is critical to overall security. Note: Set up your email reader to use high security (Restricted) when reading HTML messages. AND check that the security level for the restricted zone is set to high
Site 8 See: http://www.anti-phishing.com/index.html
Phishing and Hoax Email
Site 9 https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/ftc-comments.htm
(REFER TO end of section 5 and conclusion)
This page references a FTC Spyware Workshop - Recent news regarding Efforts by the perpetrators of Adware/Spyware to prevent users (you and I) from using anti-spyware to remove their garbage from our own machines!!
Site 10 http://www.broadbandreports.com/forum/remark,11723816~mode=flat
A business agreement between a well-known Anti-Spyware software vendor and a purveyor of Adware/spyware. (That's like the cops “in bed” with the robbers)
Site 11 http://www.ccmostwanted.com/topics/sc/scams.htm
All about Scams, Hoaxes and the like.
Site 12
http://groups.msn.com/TeMercInternetSecuritySite/malwarecountermeasures.msnw
7th February 2006.
See May UPDATE BELOW.
MICROSOFT LIVE ONECARE
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