How to Clean Spyware from Your Computer

Spyware is computer software that gets installed secretly on personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's contact with the computer, without the user's consent.
Spyware programs can collect various types of personal information, such as Internet surfing habit, sites that have been visited. Spyware can even change computer settings, resulting in slow connection speeds, different home pages, and loss of Internet or other programs.

To keep you computer working finely it is necessary to remove spyware. For this you need help of a spyware remover program. There are plenty of anti-spyware software available as it has become a blooming industry. You need to keep a good firewall in place as well as email virus help protection. But these two ways are not sufficient and any time these malicious viruses can get into your computer.

Anti-spyware programs can combat spyware in two ways:
• They can provide real time protection against the installation of spyware software on your computer
• Anti-spyware software programs can be used solely for detection and removal of spyware software that has already been installed onto your computer.

Some examples of such spyware removing programs are:
• Norton Internet Security
• Microsoft Windows Antispyware (Beta)
• X-Cleaner (freeware)
• Spy Sweeper
• Pest Patrol
• Hijack This
• Spy Remover
• Who's Watching Me

The other way to remove a spyware is through the Add/Remove Programs section of Windows to see if any worm, virus help or spyware help is listed. Some of the quasi-legitimate adware programs may include uninstallers, but malicious pests do not.

For a home PC a clean format can solve the problem. But for a computer which is storing huge amount of information, it would not be a good choice. You need to take back up before formatting a computer. In this case you need to keep these tips in mind.

Hard disk partitioning method:
• Shrink and hide the current infested partition, create a new visible and bootable partition, install the clean copy of Windows into this new partition.
Disk imaging method:
• The best location for the image backup is outside the infested computer, either on CDs, DVDs, an external hard disk or another computer on the LAN.

Formatting may be one of the safer methods, but you need to clean spyware thoroughly and eradicate it whenever you find it.

To keep your PC spyware free it is advised to constantly update your spyware definitions to the latest versions. Scan your system at least once a week, more often if you can, and use at least two proven spyware remover programs to clean spyware completely and keep your computer in good shape.

Source : http://www.itvoir.com/portal/boxx/knowledgebase.asp?iid=696&Cat=3

Lessons from getting hit by a computer virus

FOR the nth time, I got hit by a computer virus. This time, though, it was a nasty hit.

I was happily surfing the Internet last weekend when my antivirus software started detecting it. I am not yet sure if it is a Trojan (a malicious program that leaves a backdoor open in your system for hackers to take control), or a computer worm (self-replicating malware). But it was clear. It was annoying and it took control of my laptop.

As one saying goes, there are many ways to skin a cat. The most effective and yet desperate way to get rid of a computer virus is to format the computer. Wipe the hard drive clean, and start afresh. But that would mean losing all your important files, data, and programs — not to mention wasted man hours in reinstalling the operating system, drivers, etc. So that wasn’t an option. I had to find a way to take out the computer virus with surgical precision.

A friend who is computer virus expert told me that getting rid of a computer virus is like peeling an onion. No, it does not make you cry. You have to pass through several layers to get to the juicy part. Hmmm, I hope that makes sense. Anyway, it took me and “Ownyot” (our in-house techie) to kill da bastard . We ran full scans, using both my existing antivirus software and an online free service from Trend Micro. The software was able to detect it. It was called . It was a Trojan. But when we checked for a solution, there was none at this time. I Googled it and found that others have recently been hit, and were asking how to get rid of it.

Ownyot eventually found a two-punch solution, thanks to the Internet. He used a free trial antivirus software version from Avira and launched a Filipino-made solution called Noob Killer, which fixed Windows registries in my system. You can Google both and find a way to download the software. Noob is apparently a solution developed by Pinoy techies, according to Ownyot (that’s another story, though). The free antivirus detected 30 more infected files. They were all quarantined. The Noob Killer was then launched, correcting registries affected by the computer virus. I asked what Noob Killer did to the nasty computer malware, and our in-house techie said that it “patched” the damaged “autorun” configuration of my system, and sought other computer virus/worms that are spreading through removable medias.

Lessons: if you’re patient enough, there are free and effective fixes online. But you have to have an expert with you when using such software. Also, numerous free trial versions of antivirus software are on the Internet. You can download them and use them to scan and quarantine computer virus. Finally, it is best to update your antivirus software. If it’s a corporate account, then ask your network administrator if it comes with the latest fixes.

More lessons: be careful in deleting files during computer virus scans. It is best to quarantine them first. Also always make sure that you scan removable media you plug in to your computer. That means USB thumb drives, external hard disk drives, and other media. Computer worms are now spreading through removable media, and it can be a nasty problem.

Finally, I learned that today’s computer viruses will not necessarily render your system useless. But when not dealt with quickly, it would. In past discussions with computer virus experts, computer malwares are increasingly being launched to steal passwords, usernames, and other personal information on an infected system. So when you’re infected, it is best to seek the help of an expert. You would never know that they are just sitting in a little corner in your office. Thanks, Ownyot!

Source: blogs.inquirer.net/techaddicts/2008/04/02/lessons-from-getting-hit-by-a-computer-virus/

Protect Yourself From Computer viruses

COLLEGE PARK, Md. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you have a computer connected to the Internet, watch out! You'll be surprised to learn how often it's being attacked by computer hackers. Ivanhoe explains how to protect yourself and your PC.

It can strike at any time and can attack and destroy your computer. A virus hit Nicole Gentile's PC with a vengeance. "It was terrible," Gentile recalls. "It destroyed most of my files." And it also left her with a mess to clean up.

"It was a horrible feeling," she says. "I felt invaded and it caused me a lot of time and money to get everything fixed on my computer."

Nicole's ordeal is common. Computer scientists now reveal that computer hackers are using the internet to attack your computer every 40 seconds! "He or she will get on your computer and then see what is interesting on your computer." Michel Cukier, Ph.D., a computer scientist at the University of Maryland in College Park, told Ivanhoe.

Hackers can use disc space on your own computer and steal credit card numbers and personal info. Computer scientists also discovered hackers try common usernames and passwords to break into computers. "If you have a weak password, it will take a few minutes for that password to be found." Dr. Cukier explains.

Consumers should avoid easily guessed usernames like "test," "guest" and "info," and easy passwords like "1-2-3-4-5-6," "password" and "1-2-3-4." Instead, use longer, complicated usernames and passwords with random numbers and upper and lowercase letters.

"You try to make something as complex as possible." Dr. Cukier says. Changing usernames and passwords more often can help guard against future attacks. Also, anti-virus software may help keep computers hacker-safe.

"I bought a lot of virus protection software for my computer, so let's hope it works," Gentile says.

Hackers also break into large numbers of unsuspecting computers to control and manipulate the computers remotely for fraudulent purposes like identity theft, to disrupt networks and corrupt computer files.

source: ivanhoe.com/science/story/2008/04/415a.html