Spyware

9 out of 10 American PCs infected with spyware



Although as many as 90 percent of U.S. home computers have been infected with spyware at some time, a majority of PC owners don't know how to solve the problem, according to a poll released Friday, ZDNet reports.

The findings come in a report from the newly formed Consumer Spyware Initiative, a joint effort by Dell Computer and the nonprofit Internet Education Foundation that aims to increase awareness of spyware.

The new initiative hopes to reach 63 million American Internet users over the next year to show them how to identify and eliminate spyware infections, its backers said.

"We've been focused on arming our customers with the information and tools they need to combat this problem," said Mike George, general manager of Dell's U.S. Consumer Business, in a statement. "Through this process, we've seen that education is our best counterintelligence against the threat of spyware."

seems a little hyped up

[locustfurnace]

Originally posted by Guest@Oct 23 2004, 12:57 PM
"Through this process, we've seen that education is our best counterintelligence against the threat of spyware."

Not using Microsoft Windows would be the best 'counterintelligence'. against spyware, virus and all foistware.
This can be greatly curbed by just not using Windows Internet Explorer. & Outlook.

How would one know if their pc was infected with spyware?

[locustfurnace]

Originally posted by Squirrel@Oct 24 2004, 12:39 AM
How would one know if their pc was infected with spyware?

You get start by reading through this thread,
http://www.oldversion.com/talk/index.php?a...t=ST&f=2&t=1405
Which contains alot of programs for detecting and removing spyware.

my spybot search and destroy has found the following problems:

alexa related
whats related link
C:\windows\web\related.htm

dso exploit
data source object exploit
HKEY_users\default\software\microsoft\windows -registry change

unknown
IE search URL
HKEY_current_user\software\microsoft-registry change

i have no idea what this is all about and hasten to delete/immune these 3 items (especially as 2 mention registry change), could someone graciously enighten me as to what this all means and how to deal with it?

tks

[straight talker]

http://www.imilly.com/alexa.htm have a read regarding alexa . you have no worries really deleting these items using spybot as it makes a backup of all fixed problems which you can reinstate if it has undesired effects.

[Goslow]

Windows AntiSpyware (Beta) supports Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003. your firewall may report GIANT AntiSpywareUdater.exe wants access to the internet ,thats rewrapped gifts/betas for you.

direct <<< b.t.w. if you have Giant dont install this, it would be a downgrade. happy testing!

i have beta spyware installed it is great

Shame it doesn't work on Windows 98 SE

SpywareBlaster is the best thing I ever used (http://www.javacoolsoftware.com)