The Truth About Adware & Spyware on Your Computer
By Sylvia Leong
There she was again. Popping up on screen at no provocation from myself. Sporting nothing but a cowboy hat and long, red lacquered nails. Miss Arizona Tan.
“Well hello there darling. Nice to see you, but I’m real busy right now. Maybe some other time.”
I clicked the “X” and closed the window.
I’d only hammered out one more sentence when she popped up again, dazzling in high-resolution, coloured detail.
“Insistent aren’t you, Miss Arizona Tan?”
That name reminded me of something… I peered over my office walls, freshly painted beige. My wife had insisted on Benjamin Moore and hadn’t that been the name of the colour, Arizona Tan?
“Honey?”
Ah… the sweet call of my wife. I grappled for my mouse and clicked the “X” again. Only to have tricky Miss Tan replicate herself in triplet.
“Honey.” I heard soft footfalls coming my way. “Who are you talking to?”
“Damn!” I punched the on/off button on my monitor. Then, with a pasted-on grin, I swiveled my chair around only to encounter… uh oh… the arched eyebrow!
“You’re just sitting there. And with a blank computer screen! Wasting time as usual…aren’t you? Well then, if that’s the case, I have several things that need attending to…”
*****
Don’t they pop up at just the most inconvenient times!
Where do these miserable ads come from? And why doesn’t my Anti-virus stop this scourge?
Actually, these ads have nothing to do with viruses. They’re produced through the combined efforts of spyware and adware - a.k.a. “malware”. These unwelcome guests lounge on the hard-drive like squatters who’ve recently B&E’d a newly built home and refuse to leave.
Spyware records every typed-in word and each visited web-site then sends it off to a difficult to track marketing database hiding out somewhere in cyber space. This informs complete strangers which bank you’ve chosen to deal with, which credit cards you use, which books you’ve bought, whether you like flowers, fitness equipment, word of the day, etc.
Then adware steps in – think junkmail - yet often more specific. Using spyware’s collected information; adware can then tailor its advertising based upon your interests, which have been determined by your web habits. Usually nothing nastier happens.
But it can get worse.
Like the Nanny of your nightmares. She doesn’t really work for you, it only appears that way. While you’re out she disables your alarm system, unlocks the backdoor and invites the felons in. In other words, if the Spyware is exceptionally malicious it will send all it finds to a database operated by criminals. Imagine what someone could do with your credit card if they also possessed your relevant information: name, phone number, billing address, expiry date and the three digit code from the signature bar on the back?
How does malware gain access to your hard-drive?
It’s downloaded. It will entice even the most disciplined - usually in the guise of something free - computer games, current music, first run movies or programs that will speed up your Internet connection. In the most devious cases - a free anti-malware program guaranteeing to remove spyware/adware that is in fact spyware or adware itself.
To avoid encouraging these advertisers, simply make it a policy to never buy anything that comes through unsolicited Pop-up messages. The advertiser will then say, “well this isn’t working, perhaps I’ll go somewhere else.”
To remove malware, use Microsoft Security Essentials. It takes out the trash - viruses, Trojans, Browser Exploits, etc. - and knocks out malware. Don’t worry, the price is right; it is free for non-commercial use.
Now… want to hear the real horror story?
Today, most new computers have adware loaded before you buy it. Nothing evil, just irritating ads. Why? Because the profit margin on hardware is so low that a mass-production manufacturer needs additional streams of income for a healthier bottom–line. And the advertisers are willing to pay. What’s more, it’s nearly impossible to evict the adware from your hard-drive. Manufacturers, both software and hardware, entwine this adware with the Windows operating system so that removal will either damage or cripple the computer. One tactic against adware is to rebuild a computer without using the bundled in CD-ROMs or you can go all out and have your new computer custom built. In other words, adware is here to stay because it helps to keep the price of computers down.
*****
“Honey, please, my computer’s infected. I’ve only just shut it down.”
Her delicately shaped eyebrow smoothed very slightly. A smidgen of hope?
“I need to reboot the computer, put it in diagnostic mode and scrub out the infection. Then I have hours of work ahead of me… billable hours.” (I’ve only just realised that my wife responds quite favourably to the term ‘billable hours’. I try to throw it in whenever I can.)
Ah… and there it is… the expression of pity. Whew, liberated from the Hoover.
All rights reserved; no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission. Copyright 2011.
Tony Leong / Computer Rescue
- Tony Leong / Computer Rescue
Technology touches every part of your life. Allow me to simplify technology for you. Private in-home/on-site Computer Services for home office and small business. Serving Vancouver & the North Shore. - Follow Tony on Facebook
Comments
Great hub lots of important information here love your writing style by the way you are very good, all the best mark.
Thank you, Mona & Mark!
:-)
Rated Up, useful and even funny. Thanks!
Thanks, Patty!
Wow there is so much I don't know about Adware and Spyware and about my computer altogether, thanks for sharing this well written and informative hub. Cheers.
Thanks, Ladyjane1! I'm following you now too.
Yes it can be pretty annoying. Thanks for this helpful tip esp. to a non techy like me. :)
Sylvia, I'm popping in your comment box to announce with glee that this hub is a Hubnuggets nominee! Yeehaa! Do follow this link http://bit.ly/hv3VHi or even check your email for your official notification. Enjoy the Hubnuggets!
Thank you, ripplemaker. This is exciting!
I followed the link & read your Hub. Sounds like you guys had fun!
Delightful and humorous writing style!I am not very computer savy, so your info helps alot. Looking forward to reading more from you. Maybe an article about Facebook!!!
Very entertaining. I have experienced these unwelcome intruders. Congratulations on the nomination. You have a way with words.
Thank you, DC in WV & elayne001!
An article about Facebook is an excellent idea. It's evergreen & will appeal to a wide audience. Thanks!
Congratulations on your hubnugget nomination. This was a great hub. You made it easily understandable. Now, to fix it.
Namaste.
Good article and writing. Regards from Butch.
Thanks, Deborah Demander & Butch News!
Wow, I won! This Hub is a HubNugget winner!!! I'm so excited! This is really very cool. Thanks, to everyone who voted.
:-)
This is an excellent hub. Congrats on being a HubNugget winner!
I was pleased to know that Microsoft Security Essentials works so well against such trash. While the advertising business has its right and proper place, invasive tactics, unwanted programs, or persistent popups are an unfair practice IMO.
I hope you're right about microsoft security essentials. Frankly, I'm pretty skeptical about all these products. Some virus, malware or some other touchy-feely-scoundrel is always popping up on my computer, lol.
I didn't know the ads were already there when I bought the computer. This was a very helpful hub and I appreciate the information.
As Spock says, fascinating. I had no idea adware was built into Microsoft's operating system, though I'm not surprised. Anyway, I'm hoping my Norton antivirus deals with at least most of this malicious crap about which you write. Later!
I hadn't know about all the advertising built into a new computer until I got a new Gateway laptop not long ago. it had a lot of ads that were difficult to remove. Thanks for the hub.
this hub helped me ... !
Thanks for sharing this hub
i didn't know it until i read this post..thanks.
You learn something new every day. I haven't noticed this much on my computer, but I don't do much shopping on line and hardly ever open junk mail. I can smell it by its headers most of the time.
Wow! Lots of comments for only 2 days...
Shawn Scarborough, Silver Poet, HubCrafter, Pamela99, Kosmo, MrGreywolf38, deepakkumaarr, jebat & WannaB Writer,
Thank you all so much for reading, for commenting & for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate it!
Great article to be chosen for the wannabe's. Well done, informative and a touch of humor.
After reading your comment about Microsoft Security Essentials I tried it.
Never again!
My previous protection had to be dumped so I could download this dog of a program.
Thinking I was covered and would get some warning of a serious threat, I went to a free download site. After downloading a game...I found it was corrupted and wouldn't let me remove it from my computer.
I'd highly recommend anyone considering Microsoft Security Essentials to avoid the hassles.
Now I'm back with AVG free 2011.
I hate when pre-built computers come with McAfee, Norton etc. installed in trial-mode. So if you want to keep it, you have to pay. And that is after paying for the computer itself! If you want to remove it, get ready to do a research on antivirus removal tools. Looks like antivirus vendors deliberately make uninstalling their products as difficult as possible.
It's frustrating, isn't it! Thank you for your comment, charlemont.
I'm so glad you recommended Microsoft Security Essentials. Back when my laptop was at death's door, I needed an antivirus/malware software that was free, but I wasn't satisfied by Spybot or AVG. Everyone I asked recommended one of those two and, quite honestly, they sucked. I found security essentials by accident and have never looked back. I've installed it on every computer I can get my hands on (friends and family). But It's a scary thought that computers are being built with malware already on them. I didn't realize it had gotten that bad. Thanks for the informative hub!
M.T. Dremer! You're welome!
MonaVieAileen 17 months ago
Great information to know,..especially since this has been bugging my home PC's for the longest time. Thanks for this.