냐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ 栢栢栢栢昉께께굇굇굅같�|O|u|t|b|r|e|a|k|臍같굇굇굉께께栢栢栢� +-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+ Issue #5 - Page 2 of 13 냐컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� --=Spyware=-- -by `Enigma- --------------------------- What is Spyware? --------------------------- Have you ever downloaded free software such as a game or a file sharing program? If you have there is a very good chance that spyware was installed in the background. Spyware is software that sneaks its way onto your system to track your every move and report its findings back to the software's creator without the users knowledge. This information is then used for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are usually hidden in free software that you download off the internet. Lots of free software such as Kazaa and Imesh are known to install some form of spyware. Spyware is very common on Windows computers and sadly most people don't know their privacy is being invaded. At the same time spyware infected programs use your internet connection to download ads they also upload information about your computer. Several freeware applications have been know to upload very personal information about the users system, such as browser history. In addition to stealing your privacy, spyware is an executable program on your system capable of doing anything. These programs can monitor keystrokes, read cookies and even scan files on your hard drive. All data that is gathered by the spyware program can be used by the spyware's author for marketing purposes or sold for profit. Have no fear! you will no longer have to worry about your privacy being stolen from you. The first step in keeping your privacy is to find out if you currently have spyware applications installed on your system. To do this you will need a spyware removal program such as Ad-aware. Ad-aware will help you to detect and remove any unwanted spyware programs. You should also have some sort of personal firewall to help you monitor all outbound internet traffic. Also do a little research on the free software you are installing to find out if it is known to have spyware. That is really all it takes to keep your system spyware free. So, if you don't like people snooping around your computer and stealing personal information stay up to date on spyware. Each day these programs get more sophisticated and become capable of causing even more havoc on your computer systems. --------------------------- Infected Programs --------------------------- Here is a very short list of some common programs that have tested positive for spyware. iMesh 2.20 beta BearShare 2.40 Cute FTP 3.0 Go!Zilla 3.5 KaZaA (all since early feb. 2002) Limewire Media Player (suspect) Morpheus 1.3 Preview Edition Netscape 6.x Opera 5 ProtectX 3 ProxyChecker RealPlayer 7 and 8 WinXP Search Assistant More programs with spyware: http://www.tom-cat.com/spybase/spylist.html --------------------------- Other Spyware Related Links --------------------------- http://www.spychecker.com/ http://www.anti-spy.com/ http://www.lavasoftusa.com/downloads.html (AdAware download page)