Spyware Removal

Spyware is notorious for slowing down or stopping your internet connection as well as interfering with the correct operation of other programs. If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you should use a spyware removal program to clean your system. Because spyware programs are well hidden in your system, and most users find that they often have multiple infections, these inexpensive utilities are well worth the expense.

Recommended Spyware removal programs:

• Spware Doctor – Winner of Best Anti-Spyware. Free Scan
• SurfRight Antispam Trial version
• Spyzooka
• STOPzilla – link offers a $30 rebate ($9.95 price)
• PC Pitstop – includes PC optimisation tools. Free scan
• AVG PC TuneUp 2011

Free Spyware Scan: think your PC might be infected? Click here to Check for Spyware

What is Spyware?
Spyware is type of program that captures information about a user’s activity without their knowledge. While some computer owners may install this type of software on purpose to monitor the online activity of their employees or children, the majority of spyware is designed to be loaded without the owner’s permission. Once installed, the spyware keeps track of activity such as keystrokes and sites that are visited. Some spyware is designed to capture your personal information and can lead to identity theft, while other software will control your internet usage by changing your home page or periodically flooding your screen with pop-up advertisements.

How Does Spyware Get Installed?
Anyone that uses the internet or opens email is a potential spyware victim. However, if you run Microsoft Windows and use Internet Explorer, you computer is particularly vulnerable. Internet Explorer is tightly bundled with the operating system which makes some of the crucial system files vulnerable to changes when the spyware is installed. In a way, spyware actually becomes part of your computer’s core system.

The most common way for spyware to find its way onto your computer is trickery and deception. You may come across an advertisement for a free web accelerator or security program that is actually spyware in disguise. Some tricky spyware authors will create pop-up messages that look like a normal system alert message that may tell you that you’re infected or that you’re running out of storage space. If you click any button on the window before thinking, the spyware will be installed. Many people find that the latest new song they’ve downloaded for free doesn’t play correctly. Often, the MP3 that was delivered is spyware in disguise.

Bundling is another method that spyware developers use to gain access to your computer. Some spyware distributors will pay freeware programmers to bundle their spyware along with popular software downloads. If bribery won’t work, some crafty spyware creators have learned how to re-bundle freeware with a new installer module that loads their program along with the free software. Next, they will begin marketing this new package as a valuable free offer.

The most insidious way that spyware finds its way to your machine is through suspicious websites. You may find yourself on an odd page by clicking on a search result or misspelling a popular website address. Without any further action on your part, the spyware will load as soon as you land on the page.

Common Types of Spyware
Spyware programmers use many different techniques to create their malware. The following list includes a few of the more frequently used methods:

• Browser Session Hijackers change your browser settings and redirect you to sites that pay a commission to the spyware author.
• Cookies are used by many legitimate companies to store your user preferences and password information. They can also be used by spyware to track your browsing habits and gain access to your personal information.
• Browser Helper Objects are installed within Internet Explorer and use the unlimited access to track your browsing habits.
• Bots or Zombies allow a remote user to take control of your machine and look for personal information.

Spyware, By Any Other Name
Spyware is also known as adware, thiefware, and trackware. Adware tracks a user’s surfing habits and displays advertisements based on the program’s interpretation of their preferences. Some users download adware on purpose to assist them with their shopping efforts; this is not spyware. However, any adware that is installed on your computer without your knowledge or consent is spyware. Thiefware is a type of spyware that copies your personal information to another computer for use by someone else, while trackware monitors your internet habits and passes that information back to a third party.

Famous Spyware Programs
You might recognize a few of these well-known spyware modules. Maybe you’ve even loaded one or two.

• CoolWebSearch has over fifty versions and embeds in your browser. When you try to surf the internet, it will redirect you to online gambling and porn sites.
• The Internet Optimizer will take you to advertisement sites whenever you attempt to login to a site that requires a userid and password.
• The Adware.Hotbar changes the functions behind your toolbar buttons so that they open advertisements.
• Gator is offered as a free tool to store your personal information and automatically fill in online forms. While performing those functions, it also tracks your browsing habits.
• Kazaa was a popular peer-to-peer file transfer service that loaded spyware to your computer.
• Bonzai Buddy was a popular animated character that was targeted to children and came with bundled spyware.
• and more, continued at the end of this list

Dangers of Spyware
If you’ve been infected with spyware, it won’t take long for your frustration to reach the breaking point. Your connection slows, or stops completely, for no reason you can easily find. No matter how many times you reset your home page, it continues to change itself back to a site that you would never visit. You’re certain that you typed the website name to your favorite site correctly, but you keep landing on a different page. Let’s not even talk about all those pop-ups that were never a problem before. Maybe you’ve even reset enough options to allow your browser to function somewhat normally only to restart your computer and have everything happen all over again.

In the meantime, your CPU is overworked, your disk space is disappearing, programs are freezing, and your system is crashing. Some people don’t realize their problems are created by spyware and will eventually buy a new computer. They assume their problems are due to hardware issues. Others spend numerous hours trying to rid themselves of spyware and often find that they have multiple infections. The problem can usually be corrected by a complete system reinstall, but many people will soon re-infect their machines as they begin loading their favorite online programs.

If this wasn’t enough, maybe someone out there in the cyber-world is capturing your personal information. An online thief can quickly steal your identity with only a few pieces of information. Before you know it, they could be opening new credit lines or cleaning out your bank account. Once your identity has been stolen, it takes time and money to get it back. The culprits are rarely caught and many victims spend years trying to recover their good credit rating.

Think your PC might be infected? Click here to Check for Spyware

Top 10 Nastiest Spyware

Spyware Name	Type	Aliases	What it does to your computer
Win32/Zwangi	Browser Modifier	Mal/BHO-S Spyware.Screenspy	Win32/Zwangi hijacks the users ability to visit websites by falsely redirecting the user to a fake page of search results each time a URL is typed into the browser address bar. The fake page of search results is typically at http://www.zwangi.com By using their search functionality, innocent users are likely to click on ads that earn the network provider money. Win32/Zwangi can also replace valid pages with false error messages reporting that a particular webaddress is unavailable.
Win32/FakeSpypro	Rogue	FakeAlert-C.dr SpywareProtect2009 Troj/FakeAV-LS Win32/Adware.SpywareProtect2009 Trojan.Win32.FraudPack.kho Spyware Protect 2009 Antivirus System Pro Barracuda Antivirus Security Central Antivirus Soft Antivirus Suite Antivirus Live Antispyware Soft AV Security Suite Antivir Solution Pro Trojan:Win32/FakeSpypro	Win32/FakeSpypro is a rogue security program that falsely claims that the affected machine is infected with malware and encourages the user to buy a promoted product for cleaning the alleged malware from the computer.
Win32/Hiloti.gen!D	Trojan	Trojan.Zefarch	The trojan monitors URLs browsed by the user and sends related information to a remote host. Captured data includes, but is not limited to, search-related information. It does this by searching for substrings in the URL
Win32/Renos.LX	Trojan	W32/FakeAlert.GZ.gen!Eldorado (Authentium (Command)) W32/Suspicious_Gen2.AZDBE Trojan horse FakeAV.BUU TR/Renos.ewc.18 Gen:Variant.Renos.24 Trojan.Win32.Generic.52074B69 Mal/FakeAV-CX VirTool.Win32.Obfuscator.hg!b Trojan.FakeAV!gen24	Win32/Renos.LX is a generic detection for a family of trojans that connect to certain websites in order to download arbitrary files. This may include other TrojanDownloader:Win32/Renos components, and rogue antivirus software such as Trojan:Win32/FakeSecSen or Trojan:Win32/FakeXPA. This trojan has typically been hidden in video files that then cause fake alerts prompting you to clean infections from your PC.
Win32/BaiduSobar	Browser Modifier	Adware-BDSearch W32/BaiduBar.A ADW_BAIDUBAR	Win32/Baidu.Sobar is a Web browser toolbar that delivers pop-up and contextual advertisements, blocks certain other advertisements, and changes the Internet Explorer search page. BrowserModifier:Win32/Baidu.Sobar may also prevent removal by the user by protecting its installed files and registry keys.
Win32/Bredolab.AA	Trojan	Trojan-Downloader.Win32.Piker.jk Trojan.DL.Piker.CJ Win32/Kryptik.BIK Trj/Downloader.MDW Trojan.Win32.Bredolab.Gen.1 TROJ_PIKER.Q	Win32/Bredolab.AA is a trojan that downloads and executes other malware from a remote server.
Win32/Unruy.D	Trojan	Trojan-Clicker.Win32.Cycler.ajnr Trojan.CL.Cycler.BY TR/Click.Cycler.ajnr.2 Win32/TrojanDownloader.Unruy.BP Trojan-Clicker.Win32.Cycler	Win32/Unruy.D is a trojan that is capable of connecting to certain remote servers to download and execute arbitrary files. It can also delete files, schedule tasks, and perform other actions. Depending on the computer's Internet Explorer settings, TrojanDownloader:Win32/Unruy.D may also disable third-party browser extensions and BHOs from running.
Adware:Win32/DoubleD	Adware		Win32/DoubleD is an adware program that displays pop-up advertising, runs at each system start and is installed as an Internet Explorer toolbar.
Win32/FakeVimes	Rogue	FakeAlert-CQ Extra Antivirus Ultra Antivirus 2009 Malware Catcher 2009 Virus Melt Windows PC Defender Live PC Care Security Antivirus Cleanup Antivirus My Security Wall Security Guard My Security Engine Paladin Antivirus Security Master AV My Security Shield	Win32/FakeVimes is a family of programs that claims to scan for malware and displays fake warnings of "malicious programs and viruses". They then inform the user that they need to pay money to register the software in order to remove these non-existent threats. Reports of Rogue Antivirus programs have been more prevalent as of late. These are programs that generate misleading alerts and false detections in order to convince users to purchase illegitimate security software. Some of these programs may display product names or logos in an apparently unlawful attempt to impersonate Microsoft products.
Win32/ClickPotato	Adware	ADSPY/AdSpy.Gen2 AdWare.AdSpy Pinball	Win32/ClickPotato is a program that displays pop-up and notification-style advertisements based on the user's browsing habits.

Special thanks to Microsoft for providing the Microsoft Security Portal Threat Library, a primary source of the information above.

Think your PC might be infected? Click here to Check for Spyware