Spyware Protection and Removal

 

What is Spyware?

In general, spyware is a software that can secretly gather personal information from the user's computer without their knowledge. The spyware can usually run in the background gathering information about anything you do on your computer and upload that information back to their internet server.

Spyware can get into your computer by installing a new program, such as a P2P or other freeware, through a virus, or even by simply visiting a website

When you install Kazaa Media Desktop, for example, you agree to the terms found here:  http://www.kazaa.com/us/terms.htm

Section 8 of this "agreement" allows Kazaa to display pop-up ads on your computer at will:
8.1 Sharman may provide links to or frame various third party web sites or frame within such sites through the Software or on kazaa.com, including co-branding and other relationships that offer e-commerce and other services and features to users

Section 9 of this "agreement" allows Kazaa to install 4 3rd party applications (spyware) on your PC at the time of Kazaa's install, and gives Kazaa the rights to install more software as it sees fit:
9.1 During the process of installing Kazaa Media Desktop, you must install software from third party software vendors pursuant to licences or other arrangements between such vendors and yourself ("Third Party Software"), including without limitation those software components noted in Section 9.4  These programs (all identified as spyware) include Cydoor, Bulldog, TopSearch and GAIN Adserver

The problem with Spyware:

While spyware is not illegal for the most part, it certainly has MAJOR drawbacks.  Aside from the obvious infiltration of your personal information, spyware will continuously send data back to their internet server using your internet connection.  This can and will slow down your connection.  And, if there are multiple spywares running on your computer, this constant flow of information in the background can bring your network connection to its knees.  Now imagine 500 computers on the MC network all with just 1 piece of spyware on them, continuously sending information back and forth to the internet.  It is this sort of "unwanted" traffic which the MC IT department tries hard to rid the network of.  While not every computer has spyware installed, we have seen instances of computers running 30 to 40 pieces of spyware/adware without the user's knowledge.  Also there maybe some spyware that contains bugs and causes your computer to lock up or malfunction.

How to protect against Spyware:

Users can protect themselves in several ways from spyware/adware.  One of the easiest ways of doing so is by always reading the license agreements that pop up when installing a program.  If the agreement indicates that a piece of software other than the one you are intending to install will be added to your PC, you may want to decline installation.  Also, users would be wise to always read any pop-up boxes that may appear when surfing the web.  Many less-than-reputable websites will try to automatically install pieces of software on your PC.  They only require to click the "Yes" box in order to do so.

Go to http://www.spywareguide.com/product_list_full.php to retrieve a list of all currently known Spywares.  If any of these programs appear in your Add/Remove Programs area under Windows Control Panel, you may want to uninstall them

Additionally, you can get Anti-Spyware software, which functions in much the same way as Anti-Virus software does.  While the IT department does not provide software for the removal of spyware, if you think you may be running spyware/adware on your PC, we suggest you visit http://www.download.com.  Here you can download free software which will scan and remove spyware from your PC. 

We recommend either:

Microsoft Anti-Spyware Beta

or

 Spybot: Search and Destroy: