Spyware Warrior

[EllenH]

Hi everyone

Well, I'm a grad student at Strayer University, and my term paper for this semester is studying the technological and financial effects of spyware on computer systems. Soo... if some of you would be so kind to participate & help me out, I would REALLY appreciate it.

So if you'd like to help me out..... just answer these couple of questions for me.

First of all, when your computer is infected by spyware, what technological problems does it cause for your computer systems (popups, corrupted files, system crashes, etc)


and secondly.... have you been forced to spend money to fix these problems... and if so, approximately how much?

Please share based on your personal experience. Thanks!

Ellen

[Angoid]

Hi Ellen,

Hopefully you'll get a stack of replies from victims who will be able to answer from first-hand experience, as I've only had experience of removing malicious code from people's systems.

Having said that, the usual technical problems experienced are as follows:

• System slowdowns caused by extra software running that would (should!) not be there. If poorly written, they can really hog system resources and slow the machine down.
  
• Incessant popups, but be careful here: some websites will give you lots of popups anyway, but if you're getting popups from sites that never issue them (such as Google) then you know you've got something on board that should not be there.
  
• A toolbar on Internet Explorer that you never installed yourself.
  
• If the malicious code is poorly written, it can crash your system.
  
• "Adware" merely issues unwanted advertising, "spyware" can steal personal data (such as passwords, etc) as you type them in - this is usually done by a "keylogger".
  
• Viruses differ from worms in that a virus will corrupt files on the same system whereas worms work by transmitting themselves from system to system via email. Usually they contain their own SMTP engine for this purpose.
  
• Massive Internet slowdowns are the result of malware incessantly "calling home" or transmitting your files to its controller! This is especially noticeable where the Internet connection is slow (such as dial-up).
  
• The computer system is unresponsive, hangs frequently, or just dead slow.
  
• Any malware can cost companies a LOT of money in terms of lost data (corrupted or stolen because of the malware) as well as time taken to get the infected systems clean again.
  
• We have seen some malware prevent access to certain websites (such as this one) where there is expertise available to get victims completely clear.
  
• Home page being redirected from Internet explorer; any attempt to reset it to the desired home page proves futile as the malware simiply sets it back again.
  
• Dialers may drop your dial-up Internet connection without you knowing about it and then secretly call a premium-rate server somewhere abroad where anti-spyware laws are weak. This results in huge phonebills for the victims.

Hopefully that will get you started, anyway!!

[herbalist]

Depending on what specifically infects a PC, the effects can be anything from severe slowdowns, unending popups, hijacked home and search pages, blocked access to specific sites, security apps killed, to no visible effects at all. Spyware is a term that's used very loosely, meaning different things to many people. In common usage, it can mean anything from adware, malware, browser hijackers, toolbars, unwanted software, and true spyware.

True spyware will seldom have any visible effects on a PC. It just runs silently. It's most commonly used to steal personal, financial, or business data, passwords, etc. Keyloggers are one of the most common real spyware's.

More often in common usage, spyware referrs to adware and malware (malicious software). It's often very visible. Popups that won't stop. Web pages that take forever to open. Software that keeps coming back after you remove it. Adware and malware are a PC repairs shop biggest business.

Then there's malware that makes use of your e-mail handler, turning your PC into a spam spreading zombie. A very common type of pest that most users don't know is there, until the bounced mail arrives.

Spyware hasn't directly cost me anything. My system is secured by freeware and Open Source software. Removing spyware has been quite profitable for me, if I don't put a value on the time spent online trying to keep up with the new threats and ways to counteract or remove them.

The costs for users is hard to total up. If that piece of spyware is a keylogger, and it gets access info for a users checking account, the cost can be very severe. How do you put a value on the time lost from system slowdowns and crashes, or time wasted cleaning out spam?
Regarding the cost of securing a PC, that can vary from nothing to hundreds of dollars. IMO, a lot of commercial security-ware is very overpriced. Worse yet, much of it is of limited value in regards to the protection it gives users. Too much hype and too little security on top of a "charge as much as the market will pay" philosophy. Then to make it worse, enter the rogue security apps. They often look like spyware detion and removal software, but vary from nearly useless to actually being spyware apps themselves.
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm
At the opposite extreme, there is Open Source and freeware security apps. Open Source is often high quality, effective software. Some security-ware vendors offer free versions of software that is very effective. This can be anything from anti-virus and firewalls to host intrusion protection systems (HIPS). Some of the best security software is free, but isn't known to the average user. Often it isn't suitable for a typical user as it requires them to have a working knowlege of how their PCs or the internet itself actually works. Most users want software that can configure itself or one where the vendor takes care of that, example: firewalls with automatic rule creation. These are seldom free. So users basically have a choice between paying a vendor to secure their PCs or using freeware and using their own skills and knowlege to secure it. One costs money, the other costs the user in time, time needed to learn how their PCs work and what does and doesn't belong there, time to learn about internet protocols, ports, and IP addresses so they can write meaningful firewall rules. Choose your cost, time or money. I chose to pay with time. That way, I learned more from it and get to make a few bucks fixing PCs for others, plus volunteering at forums like this one, which pays well in its own way.
Rick