Spyware
What are spyware and adware?
Although they may sometimes be confused with one another, spyware and adware are different. Spyware is a program or technology that aids in gathering information about a person or organization, often without their knowledge, and includes programs like hijackers and keyloggers. Adware is typically a program that displays advertising through pop-up or pop-under windows while you are surfing the Web. You may have unknowingly installed spyware or adware when you downloaded programs from the Internet or installed software from disks. Spyware is easy to install but often difficult to remove without downloading specialized anti-spyware programs.
Checking for Spyware and Adware
Your computer may be running spyware or adware if you see pop-up advertisements on many web pages you visit, if your browser home page has been changed, or if your computer is unusually slow when you are online. It is Cyber Logic Host™ policy not to show pop-up advertisements on the Cyber Logic Host™ network, although we may present you with a customer feedback survey in a pop-up format and you may see "floating ads" on some of our services. If you see pop-up advertisements in separate browser windows while you're on Cyber Logic Host™, you may have spyware or adware installed on your computer.
The best way to identify whether or not spyware or adware is installed on your computer is to run and regularly update anti-spyware programs, such as the anti-spyware feature of Microsoft or Spybot from Safe networking Limited. Similar to anti-virus software, anti-spyware software identifies and helps you remove spyware and adware.
Cyber Logic Host™ highly recommends using Microsoft Windows AntiSpyware and Safe networking limited's Spybot - Search & Destroy together to keep your computer clean from spyware and adware (please note: both these software should be updated regularly; its also a good idea to Auto schedule scanning at regular interval)
How Spyware Gets Installed
Here are a few potential ways spyware and adware may find their way onto your computer. Please keep in mind, this is not a comprehensive list:
Unintentional Download
You may intentionally download and install spyware or adware without realizing it has an unrelated, secondary purpose that isn't always clearly disclosed. For example, you may be told a program will keep your computer clock synchronized with the atomic clock . If it is spyware or adware, the program may also send information about your browsing habits or display advertising pop-ups whenever you are online.
Software Bundle
Spyware and adware may be included (bundled) with programs you download and install. For example, many file-sharing programs require you install additional, unrelated programs that may be considered spyware or adware.
Involuntary Download
You may voluntarily but unintentionally install spyware or adware while surfing the Web. Often times, spyware or adware appears to be corrective software or a special plug-in that will help you view a site. If you don't know the source of the download or aren't sure what a program does, you can generally learn more by searching on the name of that program in Google Search
Other Users
Someone else who uses your computer may also install spyware or adware on your computer. They may do so unintentionally in any of the ways mentioned above, or they may maliciously install a program with keystroke logging, to capture passwords or other personal information.
Computer Virus or Worm
A computer virus or worm can also install spyware that could allow someone remote access to your computer, turn your computer into a pornography or spam server, log keystrokes to steal passwords or credit cards, or perform other malicious acts.
Automatic Installation
Some unscrupulous companies use advertisements to automatically begin the installation process for their programs. By default, most browsers will prompt you with a security warning to either continue or stop the installation process. Typically, these warnings don't offer a description of the program or tell you what it will do.
Browsers that allow programs to install without a prompt are security threats and make your computer more susceptible to computer viruses and hacking attempts. Please review documentation for your browser to learn more about how to protect your security. Remember to carefully read pop-up warnings . If you don't expect to install a program or if you aren't sure what the program does, cancel the installation process. Here is an example of one such warning, given in Microsoft Internet Explorer:
In this example, the company name and the program name have been modified. There is no information about what the program does.
Note: The browser provides the security warning, and the same message is shown during the installation of many different programs.
It is Cyber Logic Host™s policy not to accept advertising that deceives consumers into installing software. If an advertisement on Cyber Logic Host™ appears to start installing software without your consent, write down the details from the Security Warning, click "No," and then scan your computer for spyware and adware. If no spyware or adware is found, please contact us and include the details from the Security Warning.
Avoiding Spyware
Here are some steps you can take to avoid spyware:
Regularly use anti-spyware software in conjunction with anti-virus software to give your computer maximum protection against spyware and other malicious computer programs.
Verify the security settings on your browser do not allow programs to be installed without your permission. By default, most browsers will prompt you with a security warning to continue or stop the installation process.
Carefully read pop-up warnings . If you don't expect to install a program or if you aren't sure what the program does, cancel the installation process.
Before downloading and installing programs, investigate them and their publisher . You can generally find more information by searching for the name of the program in Google Search.
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