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 What Is
Spyware, Adware, Grayware and Malware?
First Published: September 2005
Last Update: September 2005
Author: Darren Miller
SpyBot.com - To put it simply; spyware, adware, greyware, and malware, are files and programs, typically installed on your computer without your consent, and range from annoying to quite dangerous. If your home page changes, or your browser crashes, or your system gets real slow, this can be pretty annoying.
However, you may not realize that anything is wrong or that you have been the target of spyware. In some cases, it is the spyware that is not apparent that can be the most dangerous. Some spyware that the SpyBot - Search and Destroy program can detect can even cost you money For instance dialing pornography sites in other countries using 900 numbers, resulting in thousands of dollars in phone bills at the end of the month.
What Is SpyBot?
SpyBot - Search and Destroy (SpyBot.Com), is a free product that can locate, identify, and destroy some of the most common and most dangerous spyware and adware. The creator of
SpyBot - Search and Destroy, Patrick Kolla, has done an incredible job developing
SpyBot-Search and Destroy. This free software can detect over 24,000 types of problems,
is easy to install, easy to use, and quite frankly, is something you should not be without.
It can detect, and remove; adware, spyware, auto-dialers, key-loggers, trojans, block tracking cookies, and block threatening ActiveX and IE downloads. It performs auto-updates of new signatures, provides detailed information about problems found, can automate scans, and
even provides free e-mail and forum support.
SpyBot-S&D Advanced Features
The new version of SpyBot - Search and Destroy (v1.4), has many new features, is much faster than previous versions, is a multi-installation scanner, performs inactive registry scans, has a wide array of advanced mode features, and supports many languages.
SpyBot - Search and Destroy can also track its own usage. This can give you information about who used it and when they used it. For instance, if someone at home is trying to cover their tracks when visiting unhealthy sites.
How SpyBot-S&D Can Help You
If you are concerned about being spied on, your Internet usage tracked, computer performance problems, people tracking what you type, and the possibility of become the target of fraud, then you need a tool that can pick-up where your anti-virus software drops-off. Although some anti-virus packages can detect certain spyware and adware, there is not one that can do the whole job.
Download SpyBot - Search and Destroy from SpyBot.com, or use the authors direct site link
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/faq/index.html , and protect you and your computer. If you do not have something to protect you against these potentially dangerous, malicious software and files, you might as well expect to be a target for something nefarious. You may even become the
target of a hacker.
About the Author:
Darren Miller is an Information Security Consultant with over sixteen years experience. He has written many technology & security articles, some of which have been published in nationally circulated magazines & periodicals. If you would like to contact Darren you can e-mail him at
Darren.Miller@ParaLogic.Net. If you would like to know more about computer security please visitus at http://www.defendingthenet.com.
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