Detailed Information About Spyware

What is spyware?

Spyware programs (also called malware, scumware, and adware) are software programs that install themselves and run on your computer without your knowledge or consent.

Typically, spyware gathers information about you by monitoring your computing activities and then transmits this information across the Internet for advertising purposes. Spyware can also download files, run programs in the background, and change your system settings. In addition to violating your privacy and potentially damaging your system, spyware can slow your computer down by stealing processing time from the CPU.

To some, writing spyware is considered a quasi-legitimate tool valued for marketing, with users' privacy concerns downplayed or ignored entirely. To others, such as Marketscore, writing spyware is simply an opportunity to illegally harvest user names, passwords, credit card information, and more.

Windows computers are most heavily targeted by spyware writers, just as they are most heavily targeted by virus writers.

How do you get spyware?

The main culprits in spyware transmission are:

• Unprotected web browsing
  Many advertising companies send tracking files, called "cookies," along with their banner ads, or provide "special offers" that, when clicked, install extra software without your consent.

• Peer-to-peer applications
  Kazaa Lite is a notorious carrier of spyware installation packages. Many other MP3-sharing and file sharing programs also cause spyware problems.

• Opportunistic “freeware” or “shareware” programs
  WeatherBug is among the programs known for collecting more information than authorized. Some freeware is legitimate, and others are spyware-ridden -- be careful if you install any software you're not familiar with.

  Information on preventing the installation of spyware can be found later in this document.

• Web browsers using cookies
  Internet Explorer is the most vulnerable to spyware, but any web browser can permit spyware to be installed if you click on a page that sends it.

• Some legitimate commercial software
  Windows Media Player and America Online are considered sources of spyware by Ad-Aware and other anti-spyware programs. Each installation of Windows Media Player includes a uniquely identifying number that is provided to Microsoft, and America Online installs additional software packages that report usage data to advertising companies. Some anti-spyware programs also protest the actions taken by eBay toolbar software or Amazon.com's persistent cookies, objecting that they gather too much data unrelated to your use of eBay or Amazon.

How do you get rid of spyware?

• Install good anti-spyware software, such as McAfee VirusScan 8.5i or later (site-licensed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for use by faculty, staff, and students).

• Scan your system regularly. If you install the campus site-licensed software, your system will be automatically scanned for viruses and spyware on a regular basis.

How do you prevent getting more spyware?

• Secure your computer.
  Use antivirus software that also offers anti-spyware protection. Keep it up to date and allow it to scan your computer regularly. Also use a personal firewall on your computer.

• Avoid questionable software.
  Make sure that any software you install comes from trusted sources, and make sure to read the End User License Agreement. Avoid using peer-to-peer file sharing programs or spyware-laden “freeware” such as WeatherBug.
  • For more information about the different types of file sharing and the different security risks of each type, see File Sharing.

• Set your browser to block third-party or session cookies.
  Third-party cookies are most commonly used to track websites that you visit and report about them to other ("third-party") websites (usually advertisers). To properly protect your privacy, cookies should only report about your activity on the individual site that sent them.

• Internet Explorer (5 and above):
  Go to Tools -> Internet Options -> Privacy. Raise the setting for each zone to Medium or High. Alternatively, you can use the "Advanced..." button to enable the "Override automatic cookie handling" option and set "Third-party Cookies" to "Block."

• Netscape (6 and above):
  Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Privacy & Security -> Cookies. In the field "Allow sites to set cookies," choose the "for the originating web site only" option.

• Firefox:
  Go to Tools -> Options -> Privacy -> Cookies. Under "Allow sites to set cookies," select the "for the originating web site only" option.

• Delete temporary Internet files and set History to 1 day.
  If you visit a website that tries to search your history or your cache of temporary files for information, restricting the amount of time that information is stored will reduce the amount of data they can gather about you. Deleting temporary Internet files also helps remove any sensitive information (such as online banking or credit card information) that may be left on your hard drive.
  • Internet Explorer (4 and above):
    Go to Tools -> Internet options -> General. Reduce the number of days displayed in the History section.

  • Netscape (6 and above):
    Go to Edit -> Preferences -> Navigator -> History. Reduce the number of days displayed in the History section.

  • Firefox:
    Go to Tools -> Options -> Privacy and reduce the number of days displayed in the History box.