Remove Spyware Free | Spyware | Remove Spyware For Free

Title:
Why Do I Feel Like Somebody?s Watching Me?

Word Count:
1041

Summary:
Spyware is one of the fastest-growing internet threats. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, spyware infects more than 90% of all PCs today. These unobtrusive, malicious programs are designed to silently bypass firewalls and anti-virus software without the user?s knowledge. Once embedded in a computer, it can wreak havoc on the system?s performance while gathering your personal information. Fortunately, unlike viruses and worms, spyware programs do not usually s…

Keywords:

Article Body:
Spyware is one of the fastest-growing internet threats. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance, spyware infects more than 90% of all PCs today. These unobtrusive, malicious programs are designed to silently bypass firewalls and anti-virus software without the user?s knowledge. Once embedded in a computer, it can wreak havoc on the system?s performance while gathering your personal information. Fortunately, unlike viruses and worms, spyware programs do not usually self-replicate.

Where does it come from?

Typically, spyware originates in three ways. The first and most common way is when the user installs it. In this scenario, spyware is embedded, attached, or bundled with a freeware or shareware program without the user?s knowledge. The user downloads the program to their computer. Once downloaded, the spyware program goes to work collecting data for the spyware author?s personal use or to sell to a third-party. Beware of many P2P file-sharing programs. They are notorious for downloads that posses spyware programs.

The user of a downloadable program should pay extra attention to the accompanying licensing agreement. Often the software publisher will warn the user that a spyware program will be installed along with the requested program. Unfortunately, we do not always take the time to read the fine print. Some agreements may provide special ?opt-out? boxes that the user can click to stop the spyware from being included in the download. Be sure to review the document before signing off on the download.

Another way that spyware can access your computer is by tricking you into manipulating the security features designed to prevent any unwanted installations. The Internet Explorer Web browser was designed not to allow websites to start any unwanted downloads. That is why the user has to initiate a download by clicking on a link. These links can prove deceptive. For example, a pop-up modeled after a standard Windows dialog box, may appear on your screen. The message may ask you if you would like to optimize your internet access. It provides yes or no answer buttons, but, no matter which button you push, a download containing the spyware program will commence. Newer versions of Internet Explorer are now making this spyware pathway a little more difficult.

Finally, some spyware applications infect a system by attacking security holes in the Web browser or other software. When the user navigates a webpage controlled by a spyware author, the page contains code designed to attack the browser, and force the installation of the spyware program.

What can spyware programs do?

Spyware programs can accomplish a multitude of malicious tasks. Some of their deeds are simply annoying for the user; others can become downright aggressive in nature.

Spyware can:

Monitor your keystrokes for reporting purposes.

Scan files located on your hard drive.

Snoop through applications on our desktop.

Install other spyware programs into your computer.

Read your cookies.

Steal credit card numbers, passwords, and other personal information.

Change the default settings on your home page web browser.

Mutate into a second generation of spyware thus making it more difficult to eradicate.

Cause your computer to run slower.

Deliver annoying pop up advertisements.

Add advertising links to web pages for which the author does not get paid. Instead, payment is directed to the spyware programmer that changed the original affiliate?s settings.

Provide the user with no uninstall option and places itself in unexpected or hidden places within your computer making it difficult to remove.

Spyware Examples

Here are a few examples of commonly seen spyware programs. Please note that while researchers will often give names to spyware programs, they may not match the names the spyware-writers use.

CoolWebSearch, a group of programs, that install through ?holes? found in Internet Explorer. These programs direct traffic to advertisements on Web sites including http://coolwebsearch.com. This spyware nuisance displays pop-up ads, rewrites search engine results, and alters the computer host file to direct the Domain Name System (DNS) to lookup preselected sites.

Internet Optimizer (a/k/a DyFuCa), likes to redirect Internet Explorer error pages to advertisements. When the user follows the broken link or enters an erroneous URL, a page of advertisements pop up.

180 Solutions reports extensive information to advertisers about the Web sites which you visit. It also alters HTTP requests for affiliate advertisements linked from a Web site. Therefore the 180 Solutions Company makes an unearned profit off of the click through advertisements they?ve altered.

HuntBar (a/k/a WinTools) or Adware.Websearch, is distributed by Traffic Syndicate and is installed by ActiveX drive-by downloading at affiliate websites or by advertisements displayed by other spyware programs. It?s a prime example of how spyware can install more spyware. These programs will add toolbars to Internet Explorer, track Web browsing behavior, and display advertisements.

How can I prevent spyware?

There are a couple things you can do to prevent spyware from infecting your computer system. First, invest in a reliable commercial anti-spyware program. There are several currently on the market including stand alone software packages such as Lavasoft?s Ad-Aware or Windows Antispyware. Other options provide the anti-spyware software as part of an anti-virus package. This type of option is offered by companies such as Sophos, Symantec, and McAfee. Anti-spyware programs can combat spyware by providing real-time protection, scanning, and removal of any found spyware software. As with most programs, update your anti virus software frequently.

As discussed, the Internet Explorer (IE) is often a contributor to the spyware problem because spyware programs like to attach themselves to its functionality. Spyware enjoys penetrating the IE?s weaknesses. Because of this, many users have switched to non-IE browsers. However, if you prefer to stick with Internet Explorer, be sure to update the security patches regularly, and only download programs from reputable sources. This will help reduce your chances of a spyware infiltration.
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And, when all else fails?

Finally, if your computer has been infected with a large number of spyware programs, the only solution you may have is backing up your data, and performing a complete reinstall of the operating system.

NOTE: You have full permission to reprint this article within your website or newsletter as long as you leave the article fully intact and include the “About The Author” resource box. Thanks! :-

Title:
Learn About Windows Vista Registry Cleaner

Word Count:
556

Summary:
Just keep in mind, you can keep your vista system is perfect operating state by regularly cleaning it up and Registry Cleaner is one of the tools that will help you do so. Application error messages are reduced hence increasing the speed of the Vista operating system as well as its performance. Adware and Spyware leave behind a whole plethora of errors that the Registry Cleaner removes. Therefore, for a complete and secure Vista experience, get a Windows Vista Registry Cleane…

Keywords:
Windows Vista Registry Cleaner

Article Body:
Just keep in mind, you can keep your vista system is perfect operating state by regularly cleaning it up and Registry Cleaner is one of the tools that will help you do so. Application error messages are reduced hence increasing the speed of the Vista operating system as well as its performance. Adware and Spyware leave behind a whole plethora of errors that the Registry Cleaner removes. Therefore, for a complete and secure Vista experience, get a Windows Vista Registry Cleaner.

Microsoft Windows Vista is the most sought after operating system now-a-days. What is most fascinating about Windows Vista is its interface. The interface is comprised of an animated see-through window that has a touch of graceful and subtle color along with a brand new Start menu. While this many be the case, keeping the system efficient and effective is still the key interest of users and computer professionals. Windows Vista Registry Cleaner is one such utility that is needed to maintain the operating system in good shape.

The registry is catalog of all information about the software, hardware and preferences of the user along with all the settings details. A registry key in Vista operating system is created or modified or deleted every time new software program has been installed or uninstalled. This is the case even when software programs are used.

Any error that occurs during installing or uninstalling of software in Windows Vista is also stored along with the error application in the registry. This causes the registry to be crammed with orphaned or corrupted entries. The registry also gets stuffed with invalid programs that you may have removed from your system long ago. This causes the resources of the system to choke and this considerably slows down the Windows Vista computer.

Registry Cleaner is, often, used to counter software problems in Windows Vista based computers as well as to optimize the system performance. It basically removes the invalid entries from the computer. But the problem that goes with badly developed Registry Cleaner is that it may remove useful programs keys, which may be useful for running your favorite software. Hence a good Registry Cleaner would scan the system for any dubious entry that may harm your system. It would also make sure that the suspicious entry does not affect any software that has already been installed and ones that are in use.

If any problems are detected by the Windows Vista Registry Cleaner after it analyzes the vista system, you can view each of these issues and ask for a detailed explanation of that particular problem. On the other hand, you can choose for an automatic correction of the errors. But you must remember to take a back up of all registry keys that you require to delete before you run the Registry Cleaner to make sure you are always safe.

Just keep in mind, you can keep your vista system is perfect operating state by regularly cleaning it up and Registry Cleaner is one of the tools that will help you do so. Application error messages are reduced hence increasing the speed of the Vista operating system as well as its performance. Adware and Spyware leave behind a whole plethora of errors that the Registry Cleaner removes. Therefore, for a complete and secure Vista experience, get a Windows Vista Registry Cleaner.

Title:
What’s The Snag Behind The Spyware

Word Count:
553

Summary:
The concept behind the technology of spyware is that, a number of advertising companies take interest to install tracking software into the computer system, that illusions to call it host with aims to use all internet connections, get statistical or other information data to what they will claim “home” attesting assurance of company’s security policies not to collect sensitive data for confidentiality, and with full promise to establish continuity of anonymity.

However, …

Keywords:
What\’s the Snag Behind the Spyware

Article Body:
The concept behind the technology of spyware is that, a number of advertising companies take interest to install tracking software into the computer system, that illusions to call it host with aims to use all internet connections, get statistical or other information data to what they will claim “home” attesting assurance of company’s security policies not to collect sensitive data for confidentiality, and with full promise to establish continuity of anonymity.

However, it is an establish fact that the PC functions as a “live” server that is open for any kind of information disseminations with or without the consent of the server; bottom lining the fact, there is always a risk for any transfer of any information even those covered by protection policies between the advertiser and the so called “mothership.” In the end just as nobody would wish, it will be sending assimilated data that might escape the benefit of payment from the PC database.

Although spyware and adware could be two in one to front probable interference to the server’s privacy, spyware could stage sole manipulation to indulge deeper in affecting the users privacy, prompting slow-down computer’s effectiveness, windows’ pop-ups of undesirable ads, and spam e-mails http://www.articles7.com

Several media companies are perennially seeking ways to eliminate large expense for web development and internet costs; but instead, tend to pay part of their revenue solicitations from reputable brands’ banner sales to host servers by installing reputable piece software by way of so called “piggybacking,” or tricking methods as the Trojan horse technique, installing some “rogue” anti-spyware program, eluding detection of its being a disguised security software.

A spyware no adware technology is an advertising copyright itself, can stand without having to do with any adware’s vulnerability threats. The so-called “Web accelerator” or helpful software agents: Example, the Bonzi Buddy (quoted from: Wikipidea), targeted to children: “He will explore the internet with you as your own friend and sidekick. He can talk, walk, joke, browse, search, e-mail and download like no other friend you’ve ever had! . . Best of all, it is FREE.”

This piece of copyright text is so deceptive for unknowingly, motives behind depict to pursue some ends in order to evade something that will disrupt the mobility of cash flow of the mother host.

Why is Spy ware Deceptive?

1. It does not self-replicate; instead, it invades infected computers for commercial gains purposes.
2. It monitors Web browsing activity (sales strategy) and routes of all HTTP to advertising agencies.
3. Delivery of pop-up advertisements
4. Theft of Credit and Identification card numbers in relation to the notorious identity theft around.
5. Spyware gets into the system by exploitations of other software vulnerability.

The Effects of the Spyware upon the Use of the Computer

There are so many complicated effects that are induced by spyware. It may not even be detected as an obvious virus infection, but comes in, a core factor of ineffective results of computers’ performance; like network traffic, disk usage, CPU malfunction which may be mislead to be a PC crash, and finally resolving to replace the whole system with a new one.

The demand for technical support and assistance is another recourse for badly spyware-infected computers. Another option is to have a thorough “cleanup” of the whole system. It needs massive reinstalling on software in order to revitalize as new.

Title:
Top Ten Facts About Spyware

Word Count:
740

Summary:
Unless you’ve been on another planet for the last five or six years you have surely heard of Spyware and I would hope you are taking precautions against your PC being infected. But do you know that the precautions you take may be ineffective in protecting your PC? Here are my Top Ten Facts about Spyware – some of them may shock you!

1. The average home PC contains 30 pieces of spyware according to an audit carried out in 2006 by security company Webroot Software. The type …

Keywords:
anti-spyware, spyware, pc security, adware, spyware removal, spam, trojan horse

Article Body:
Unless you’ve been on another planet for the last five or six years you have surely heard of Spyware and I would hope you are taking precautions against your PC being infected. But do you know that the precautions you take may be ineffective in protecting your PC? Here are my Top Ten Facts about Spyware – some of them may shock you!

1. The average home PC contains 30 pieces of spyware according to an audit carried out in 2006 by security company Webroot Software. The type of infections range from the relatively harmless adware programs to malicious system monitors and trojan horses. Adware programs are software installations that display advertisements. System monitors are much more malicious and track a computer user’s Internet activity and capture personal information. Trojan Horse is the name given to malicious software which, although harmless itself, opens the way for more malicious software to be installed. Webroot Software found that, on average, the 30 pieces of spyware would contain at least 1 system monitor and 1 trojan horse.

2. Your identity can be a few mouse clicks away for criminals. Spyware can gather and report all the personal information about you including credit card numbers, bank account details, user names and passwords. According to The Identity Theft Resource Center, 13.3 people in the U.S. become victims of identity theft every minute. Although not all of these are due to spyware, it’s still a chilling thought that it can happen so easily if your PC is infected with this kind of malicious software.

3. Spyware can slow down you computer. Any computer has a limited amount of system resources. Every time another piece of software is run the computer must share out its resources ever more thinly. Malicious software infections result in longer boot times and an overall slowing down of the PCs performance.

4. Spyware can dramatically slow down your Internet connection. Every Internet connection has a limited amount of data it can transfer at any one time. All spyware communicates with the Internet thereby using up some of your available Internet communication. The more spyware, the more Internet communication will take place and the less space on your Internet connection for your own use.

5. Spyware can turn you into a ’spammer’. Some spyware can download other software on to your PC that can relay Spam. In some cases this may lead to your Internet connection being blocked altogether if your ISP (Internet provider) traces instances of Spam to you.

6. Spyware can easily be installed on your computer without your knowledge. In some cases just one piece of Spyware can lead to many, many more as the initial infection downloads and installs other malicious software stealthily in the background.

7. Spyware can allow hackers to control your PC. Some versions install ‘backdoors’ to your PC that can allow someone from the outside to connect to your PC over the Internet and take full control of its use. Your PC can then be turned in to a ‘zombie’ that sends out spam, Trojan horses and computer viruses in their millions.

8. Some Spyware removal programs install Spyware. Why would they do that? In order to hide their own spying software. Think about it. You install an Anti-Spyware program to protect yourself against Spyware. The bogus Anti-Spyware program sweeps your PC for all Spyware except it’s own secret list of allowed spy software. You think it’s doing a great job and feel secure in using your PC when all the while secret spy software is sending out spam or monitoring your use looking for personal details. See spywarewarrior.com for a list of bogus Spyware removal software.

9. The best Anti-Spyware program only finds 90% of Spyware. Check out the review of Anti-Spyware software in any PC Magazine and you’ll find that none of them detect any more than 90% and most cannot remove more than 80%. Don’t be fooled in to thinking it’s not worth using any Anti-Spyware programs, after-all 90% is a whole lot better than 0% which would be the detection rate without the Anti-Spyware software.

10. Many computer users resort to wiping their PC and re-installing everything again in order to rid their system of Spyware. While this will do the trick, there is no guard against re-infection and can be a waste of time or lead to a loss of important data. After the system is back in use it may only be a matter of minutes before it’s infected again (see the BBC ‘Honeypot’ report mentioned on my website).

Title:
Phishing with a Net

Word Count:
1258

Summary:
Being hacked or being cracked makes little difference to those on the receiving end. Understandably, their first impulses are to get mad and want to vent. The Cyberiter’s contention is that, most of the time, they’re lashing out in the wrong direction. After all, crooks are crooks; that’s their job. Prevention is your job, so know the fundamentals of diligence.

Keywords:
phishing, hacking, cracking, internet scams, internet fraud, spyware, computer security, Cyberiter

Article Body:
When geeks gave us the Internet and the means to use it, they also gave us a new segment of vocabulary …

I’ve often thought it a shame that a few of them didn’t make their way to a campus literature or marketing department and see if a student of poetry or sizzle could assist them in assigning names to their innovations. For example, did the manual cursor operator have to be called a ‘mouse?’

Geeks have overtaken sports-speakers when it comes to coining bad phrases. I’ve never understood why basketball types say a player ‘kicks out’ a ball to a teammate on the perimeter when his feet never touch it. Worse yet, I’ve always wondered if a gridiron football player would really want to dive on the ball if the carrier truly ‘coughed it up!’ That bit of literal imagery is more revulsive than handling a mouse. Do these guys really think about what they’re saying?

There is one instance, though, where the geeks thought it through and got it right. ‘Phishing’ is a perfect connotation for cyber-cons who troll for prey.

The word’s spelling distinguishes this nefarious activity from a sporting endeavor, but it’s still a game. The definition that’s been developed for it is “a technique used to gain personal information for purposes of identity theft, using fraudulent e-mail messages that appear to come from legitimate businesses. These authentic-looking messages are designed to fool recipients into divulging personal data such as account numbers and passwords, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers.”

Another term that alludes to the emotive consequences of cyberobbery is the perjorative sense of ‘hacker.’ That bit of etymology seems to be a work in progress. The accepted definition refers to “individuals who gain unauthorized access to computer systems for the purpose of stealing and corrupting data.” However, the added qualifier is, “Hackers, themselves, maintain that the proper term for such individuals is cracker.”

Being hacked or being cracked makes little difference to those on the receiving end. They just know they’ve been had. Understandably, their first impulses are to get mad and want to vent. My contention is that, most of the time, they’re lashing out in the wrong direction. After all, crooks are crooks; that’s their job and they’re out there in numbers. That’s not going to change anytime soon.

These victims need to take a hard look at themselves.

The economics of law enforcement — in cyberspace or elsewhere — limits what can be investigated and prosecuted. Thus, smart spoofers often keep their ‘take’ per scam campaign at levels sufficiently low that the cost of prosecuting them is not viable. Then, they change their coordinates, plus their identities, and do it again.

So, obviously, the most important factor in cyber-diligence is self-precaution. Most steps are basic, as evidenced by the checklist on the USA government’s Federal Trade Commission website:

“If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don?t click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don?t ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company?s correct Web address yourself. In any case, don?t cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser ? phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but that actually send you to a different site.

“Use anti-virus software and a firewall, and keep them up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.

“Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.

“A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It?s especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Operating systems (like Windows or Linux) or browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) also may offer free software ‘patches’ to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.

“Don?t email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization?s website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser?s status bar or a URL for a website that begins ‘https:’ (the ’s’ stands for ’secure’). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.

“Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.

“Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer?s security.

“Forward spam that is phishing for information to spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. Most organizations have information on their websites about where to report problems.

“If you believe you?ve been scammed, file your complaint at ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC?s Identity Theft website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Victims of phishing can become victims of identity theft. While you can’t entirely control whether you will become a victim of identity theft, you can take some steps to minimize your risk. If an identity thief is opening credit accounts in your name, these new accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. You may catch an incident early if you order a free copy of your credit report periodically from any of the three major credit bureaus.”

If you use e-currency or e-payment services, be aware that they are usually not liable for any of your losses if you’ve been hacked or cracked due to identity-theft issues. All reputable services have support divisions that investigate any complaints of spoofing — for example, Paypal asks you to mail them at spoof@paypal.com if you receive a suspicious message using their name — and if anyone is going to pursue, or at least keep on file, complaints of any amount, it will be them.

Virtually all e-currency services offer options of ‘virtual’ keyboards for logging in to accounts. They may be a bother, but they are very effective at adding a formidable obstacle for cyber-invasion. Then, whether or not you took this step to access your account, make sure you take the time to actually log out of your account, as opposed to merely clicking away to your next site.

I note that the Longer Life site has two very good preventive products as sponsors, Kaspersky Labs and Identity Guard. They are first-class products and well worth your while to consider.

This stuff doesn’t take long to research or to implement and you don’t have to be a geek to do it. You don’t even have to know their their terminology. Instead, when you’re done, you can confidently refer to a familiar term in both sports and banking:

Safe.

Title:
I Thought It Was An Innocent Download!

Word Count:
523

Summary:
It all started out as a fairly normal day, even though I was getting ready to go on a great vacation. I was really excited about the trip that was about to go on and had packed about a week earlier so that I wasn’t rushed around at the end. I was just moving around the house doing some last-minute things when I decided that it would probably be a good idea if I were to back up my hard drive before I left. I really haven’t been paying as much attention to my backups as I shoul…

Keywords:
computer security,trojan,spyware

Article Body:
It all started out as a fairly normal day, even though I was getting ready to go on a great vacation. I was really excited about the trip that was about to go on and had packed about a week earlier so that I wasn’t rushed around at the end. I was just moving around the house doing some last-minute things when I decided that it would probably be a good idea if I were to back up my hard drive before I left. I really haven’t been paying as much attention to my backups as I should, so I went online to download a program to help me to move all of my files to my external hard drive. I downloaded the program and set it to transfer all of the files from my C drive over to my external. As soon as I finish transferring the files I turned my computer off and left for vacation.

A week later I returned from vacation refreshed and ready to get back to work. I turned on my computer and walked away to put some things into the laundry. When I returned to my computer I realized that it hadn’t started up at all. No matter what I tried I could not get Windows to load and that’s when I realized that the backup program I had downloaded contained a Trojan horse virus.

I don’t know how familiar you are with Trojan horse viruses, but they are small programs that are loaded in with other programs or pictures. They really don’t do any harm when you download them to your hard drive. Once you activate the program that you downloaded, however, the Trojan horse virus becomes active as well. In this particular case it immediately went and erased some vital system files that prevented me from starting Windows normally. But this isn’t all that the Trojan horse viruses can do to your computer.

A Trojan horse virus, once it becomes active on your computer, can take many different forms. It can do tricky things to you such as opening your CD tray or causing your cursor to disappear. It can also open up a port on your computer and allow other malicious programs to enter in. These other programs can do everything from stealing passwords and personal information to taking control of your computer and locking you out of it entirely. In the case of my computer, it had corrupted files enough that I was unable to start it at all. To me this was devastating as I use my computer for work every day.

Although it took me quite a few days, I was able to successfully restore my computer. I lost a lot of data in the meantime as I needed to format the hard drive and reinstall Windows and all of my programs. Fortunately for me, my computer was in need of being formatted and cleaned anyway. I ended up with a much smoother running machine in the process. The moral of the story? Be cautious of any download and if you don’t completely trust the file then don’t run it.

Title:
Adware And The Case Against Bundled Software

Word Count:
396

Summary:
Bundling software applications together is a practice much abused by purveyors of adware. The potential for sneaking unwanted software into a bundle of desirable software is obvious. The benefits of bundling software aren’t so obvious. Isn’t it time to consider dumping the practice of bundling software altogether?

Bundled Software: When Is It Not Adware?

If a user wants a piece of software, why can’t he or she be allowed to install it separately? If the bundled softwa…

Keywords:
adware,malware,spyware,software,technology,internet,security

Article Body:
Bundling software applications together is a practice much abused by purveyors of adware. The potential for sneaking unwanted software into a bundle of desirable software is obvious. The benefits of bundling software aren’t so obvious. Isn’t it time to consider dumping the practice of bundling software altogether?

Bundled Software: When Is It Not Adware?

If a user wants a piece of software, why can’t he or she be allowed to install it separately? If the bundled software were essential to the functioning of the original software (excluding generic functions such as install, un-uninstall, and documentation), why wouldn’t the developer build its functions directly into the original software?

Sure, sometimes there’s a software application that clearly complements another application. But for users who do not want the complementary software, having it just means a bloated install file and a needlessly long installation process.

Does the chance that users will want the bundled software ever outweigh the risk of the bundled software being installed without the user noticing? In the case of adware, the technology community is increasingly willing to put the burden of proof on the adware bundlers:

* Cnet’s download.com website recently removed any and all software that comes bundled with another piece of software that shows advertising, regardless of how well informed the user is of the bundled software.

* Affiliate networks such as Commission Junction and Kolimbo have either cautioned advertisers against accepting adware distributors into their affiliate programs or kicked them out altogether.

* Many technology law experts are saying that the click-wrap license agreements that supposedly legitimate adware are not proof of informed consent. Some experts even say that such agreements amount to unconscionable contracts: the burden imposed by adware is so great and the benefit offered so negligible.

Adware and Bundled Software: A Modest Proposal

If the spam arms race is any indication, we may soon face even more aggressive attempts to get adware on our computers. There will be even more tortured arguments that bundled adware is installed with users’ informed consent. Why not head off any of those arguments right now? Let’s push for an industry standard that reputable developers do not bundle software (with a few highly specific exceptions such as documentation, installation, and error reporting).

In the end, by getting rid of bundled software, what do we have to lose except adware?

Title:
Adware spyware both have nasty intensions

Word Count:
524

Summary:
Adwares are some of the most derided objects in the web alongside viruses, spyware and other malicious softwares and programs. Although adwares are alleged to be the most benign form of spyware they can in fact do damage and yes you can beat them.

Keywords:
adware spyware,adware removal,adware,adware spyware,adware free,adware remover,anti virus,adware software,antivirus,

Article Body:
Adware removal is actually one of the most important aspects of keeping your computer running safely,securely and free from all outside intrusions. There are many people who think that adware and spyware does not indeed cause a great deal to worry about, this could not be further from the truth. The plain fact is that anything that infiltrates the inner workings of your computer must without fail be treated with the upmost distrust and caution.

Adware or spyware by its very nature will mainly be placed on a computer for reasons that are clearly financial. Nine times out of ten this is for tracking purposes in order to give the big companies as much consumer data as possible. They use it in order to gain information regarding your consumer activities and in what ways you carry out your online activities. At the other end of the scale there are those darker entities that have a far more sinister purpose and it is these folk that we truly need to be protected from and keep as far away from our personal computers as possible.

If you wondered just how these nasty adware parasites manage to infiltrate the inner sanctum or your computer then you may be surprised to learn that you yourself were probably the one that invited them in the first place. These hidden programs that are the plague of the internet community actually hide themselves in what most of us think to be some very innocent software’s. From instant messengers to free software downloads you can be assured that you are downloading a little more than you first intended to invite.

One of the biggest sources of unwanted scumware are the numerous music download sites that are springing up all over the internet. Does anyone actually wonder why these folk are so kind and so willing to give away such a vast amount of free music programs and software’s? Data is worth money and there are plenty of corporations in existence who are more than willing to purchase your data and dig to the inner most soul of your activities.

No matter if you suspect that you have been infected or not it is absolutely vital the regular system scanning is carried out. The cool thing is you do not even have to pay for such scans. Download a scan for free and if you are in the clear you will not have paid anything at all for the service. If however you are infected then you can rest assured that paying a small amount for computer cleansing by far outweighs the risks of having your computer carry a spy who is both watching,recording and submitting your private information for the bad guys to use.

As has been pointed out computer adware / spyware can have some extremely nasty purposes. Don’t ignore the possible implications and ensure that you at least get a scan. For those of you who are extremely security conscious why not go all the way and purchase a full blown adware software protector, this way you will never need worry again.

Be safe, Not sorry.

Title:
Free Music Downloads: Is it still a big deal?

Word Count:
412

Summary:
If you have a website for business purposes or even a personal endeavor of some other kind, you might want to look into Web Optimization Services. These types of industry services can help web-based businesses increase their sales.

Keywords:
free music downloads, free music downloads sites, free music download sites, free music

Article Body:
We?ve heard about the controversy surrounding Napster.com and the artists in the music industry who do not want their music downloaded for free. With all of the debates over downloading music for free off of the internet, it might interest you to know exactly what is going on in this arena.

On the original Napster site, people could upload whatever music they had and it share with each other for free, or download whatever music they wanted to add to their library for free. The musicians argued that not only was this process a copyright violation, but also that one of the reasons they are out there working so hard to make music for us, is to in turn, reap some monetary benefits from their efforts. The free music downloads that Napster was supplying in the past, were hindering the public from going out and purchasing CDs because they could get all of the music they wanted, for free, from the website.

Napster.com now offers a free seven-day trial if you register with them on their website. You can listen to as much music as you want during that time, for free, however you can no longer download the songs you want unless you pay for them. After the seven-day trial period is up, it costs between $9.95 and $14.95 per month to be able to utilize their download service. There is no contract to sign, its all on a month-to-month basis, and they also offer discounts for multiple downloads. That price seems pretty reasonable if you think about how much it costs to buy one CD.

Of course, many people are still actively downloading music for free off of the internet. There are quite a few free music download services out there, but you have to be careful. The music downloads might be free, but they are not always legal. Additionally, if you install the downloading software onto your computer, you are running the risk of letting in a ton of spyware, adware and even viruses, which can be harmful to your operating system and in some situations, cause irreversible damage to your computer.

Downloading music, free or otherwise, off of the internet is a convenient and easy way to build your song library. But even though we all want to enjoy our favorite music, whatever genre it may be, its better to be informed and know of the facts before you download in order protect yourself and your computer.

Title:
How a Personal Firewall Helps to Protect Your Home Computer From Hackers

Word Count:
555

Summary:
Understand how a personal firewall works and how it can protect your computer from attack by hackers.

Keywords:
firewall, firewall personal

Article Body:
There are two types of firewall available to the home computer user. A hardware firewall is a device which sits between your computer and the internet. At home for example it could reside on a broadband router which is used to share your internet connection with a number of computers. One of the advantages of a hardware firewall is that it can be used to protect more than one computer at a time. For this reason hardware firewalls are deployed in corporate networks. For home users who own just one computer a personal firewall is more commonly used and more cost effective.

A personal firewall is a software application that monitors and can block the flow of data between the internet and your computer. The firewall is a key part of your computer security set up. It prevents hackers from gaining access to your computer using an internet connection.

Hackers gain access to your computer through open ports that are used by your computer to communicate with the internet. The most basic firewall programs, like Windows XP’s firewall, monitor and can block ?inbound? traffic by closing these ports. If theses ports are closed a hacker cannot access your computer directly via the internet.

More advanced firewall programs like products from ZoneLabs or Symantec also monitor and can block ?outbound? traffic. This extra level of security is important and is worth investing in. For example, if malicious software like a Trojan Virus or spyware were installed on your computer without your knowledge the firewall would alert the user when it tried to connect to the internet and prevent it communicating with its host.

A firewall usually works at two basic levels. Firstly, packets of data are analysed based upon IP address and content to see whether they comply with a set of rules which a user can input to. The second level the data is analysed is at the application level. The firewall determines whether an application can send and/or receive data and the port which it should be communicating through.

The firewall ?learns? through continuous interaction with the user. It seeks user approval from programs when they first come in to contact with the firewall. Most firewalls also allow the user to allow or block applications through a stored list of program which can be accessed through the firewall?s user interface.

There are a number of sites which will help test your firewall?s effectiveness. A number of these sites are run by security software vendors so it is recommended you test using an independently run site to double-check any results. One of the best independent test sites is run by The Gibson Research Corporation. They offer a free test called ?Shield Up!? which can be found at their website – http://www.grc.com. The test checks a number of well-know and vulnerable ports on your computer and then provides some useful additional information to help improve your security while online.

It is important to remember that the firewall is only part of your computer security and does not negate the need for a good anti virus solution, a spyware removal tool and a degree of caution / common on sense on the type of websites a user visits. For example, the firewall will not scan for viruses or remove them from your computer.