Protect your privacy

Protecting your privacy online

Privacy is the number one concern of Internet users, and a top reason why non-users still avoid the Internet. One of the greatest threats to online privacy comes from spyware, a general term for malicious software installed on your computer for the purpose of gathering and transmitting personal information without your consent.

Spyware is frequently an unwanted component of free software, but you can also receive a spyware program from an email attachment by visiting a deceptive Web site or through file sharing. Once the software is on your computer, information about you can be collected and distributed.

Hackers use spyware to gain access to your computer by creating a backdoor through which they can steal or corrupt your personal information.

How prevalent is spyware?

Recent reports suggest that nearly 50% of users have found spyware on their computers. What that figure leaves out, however, is the many users who are unaware that their computers are infected. In fact, any computer that is connected to the Internet and running without regularly updated anti-spyware software is very likely to be infected by numerous spyware programs.

What does spyware do?

Sometimes spyware will change your home page or system files to promote a particular Web site, a process called 'browser hijacking'.

Still other spyware will secretly dial 1-900 telephone numbers via your modem and rack up enormous bills on your telephone account. These malicious programs are called 'dialers'.

This can all be done without seeking your permission. But it's just the beginning. Spyware can also:

• Cause endless pop-up ads to appear, often with pornographic content, or falsely claiming that you have won cash prizes.
• Replace legitimate banner ads with offensive or pornographic ads.
• Illegally redirect or reconfigure online transactions. This is called click fraud.
• Open backdoors in your computer that give hackers covert access to personal information such as your credit card and banking data, potentially resulting in identity theft.

What damage can spyware cause?

• Invasion of privacy by tracking every movement you make online, then sell the results to marketing firms.
• Theft of personal data by recording every individual click and keystroke, including passwords and financial data, which can then be secretly sent to anonymous spyware authors via hidden network backdoors.
• Severe computer degradation, resulting in disastrous effects on performance, slowing computers to a crawl.
• Exposure to offensive material, especially pornographic materials. Hijacked browsers and unwanted pop-up ads often expose users to offensive images and language, especially pornographic materials.
• Increasing your computer's vulnerability to viruses, worms and Trojans, all of which can lead to potentially disastrous consequences.

Is spyware on your computer?

Spyware may not always make itself known. This is one reason why regular scans of your entire computer by anti-spyware software are important. Alternatively, watch for warning signs that may indicate the presence of spyware within your computer. These include:

• Unusually slow performance
• Unfamiliar applications running in the background
• Regular intrusion of unwanted/offensive pop-up ads
• Strange browser behavior, for example your home page keeps getting reset or your toolbar looks different
• Unexplained email activity
• Unusual charges to your telephone or credit card accounts
• Use of your modem when your computer is not in use

Protecting yourself

Here are the most important things you can do to ensure the safety of your computer, protect your data and identity, and  minimize spyware-induced disruptions.

• Install anti-spyware software and ensure that it is up-to-date and scheduled to scan your computer on a regular basis.
• Do not open email attachments from strangers and unknown sources.
• Make sure that you only download software from companies that you trust. File sharing services and pirated software can be a source of infection.
• Close unwanted pop-ups or dialog boxes by clicking on the X in the top corner, or by pressing Alt + F4 in Microsoft Windows.
• Scan your files for viruses then make back-ups of your important files by regularly copying them to a CD or DVD, external hard drive or memory stick.
• Install a personal firewall that blocks access to and from uninvited sources. If you already have a firewall installed on your computer, make sure it is turned on.