Computer Security, Spyware
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Computer Security, Spyware - 9/1/2006 9:51:08 AM
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94rt10ohio
Pat & Amandas Wedding Fund Contributor
Posts: 4846
Joined: 4/26/2005
From: Northwood, OH
Status: offline
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DodgeForum and its members are not liable for any errors or crashes that may occur with our computer tips.
Spyware
Spyware is defined as software that is used to obtain information through your Internet connection, usually without your knowledge, which is then used for many purposes, most common being advertisement purposes. Spyware is usually bundled with “shareware” or sometimes called “freeware”. These are programs which you download from the Internet to use on your PC and do not pay for. Generally speaking Spyware is not destructive like Viruses, however it can slow the performance of your PC and Internet connection, especially if you have several different pieces of spyware. This is turn could lead you to believe your PC is getting slow and you need a new one. No one likes to waste money that way!
How to avoid and remove spyware
1. Do not download any free programs from unknown sites. Sites such as Microsoft, Macromedia, WinZip, Adobe and Real Networks, to name a few, would be exceptions to this rule as would other, but not all, big name sites. You really have to use your best judgment here.
2. Do not visit adult oriented sites. Many are loaded with spyware and viruses.
3. Change Internet Explorer to prompt you for cookies. Cookies are files that websites put onto your PC. Cookies are needed for any sites which you log into (like DodgeForum.com) or sites like Hotmail, Yahoo and banking sites. Cookies are also needed at sites where you purchase items online, such as our Sponsors (http://www.dodgeforum.com/sponsors/) here at DodgeForum.com. In addition some sites, like realty sites, which has a database of homes requires a cookie to allow you to search their database. Instructions for changing your PC to prompt for cookies will be outlined below.
4. Load Microsoft’s anti-spyware program. Be advised, this is a beta program, meaning it is not a fully tested program. Microsoft is still working on the final product, which is likely to be bundled in the next version of Windows which will be called Windows Vista. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=435bfce7-da2b-4a6a-afa4-f7f14e605a0d&DisplayLang=en
5. Turn on Popup Blocker within Internet Explorer. Within Internet Explorer go to Tools, Popup Blocker and click on Turn On Popup Blocker. If you see Turn Off Popup Blocker then it already is on. If you do not have the Popup Blocker option you need to upgrade your Internet Explorer and Windows, go to http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
6. If you suspect you have spyware you can download Adware, a program that scans and removes known spyware. It can be downloaded at http://www.lavasoft.com Please note, if you perform a full system scan and select all items it finds it will remove your current cookies. As mentioned before cookies are used at sites which you log in to. If you have your password(s) “saved” which you use to log into sites, such as DodgeForum.com, then please be aware that removing the cookies removes your saved password! Make sure you know your user name and passwords before doing this. With this program you can selectively remove items once the scan is finished just in case you decided to not remove your cookies but still want to remove the other items it finds.
How to change Internet Explorer to prompt for cookies
- Open Internet Explorer
- Go to the tools pull down menu, then click on Internet Options
- Go to the privacy tab
- Click on the advanced button
- Put a check in Override automatic cookie handling
- For first and third party cookies change to prompt, click OK two times.
What you will now notice every time you go to a site which you have not been to before it will ask you if you want to accept cookies. Within this window you will see the name of the site requesting to put a cookie on your PC. Watch this very closely. For an example, you could go to hotmail.com, which will want to put a cookie on your PC for hotmail.com, so you click allow and put a check in the always allow hotmail.com. Then right after you will get another popup asking about a site you never heard of before, this is because hotmail.com has ads on their site, and those ads wants to put a cookie on your PC (very bad), do not let them.
If you should block a site form allowing a cookie and you select the box to apply this to all future requests for cookies from this site, then realize it was a mistake, do not worry you can fix it!
-In Internet Explorer go to the tools pull down menu
-Go to the security tab
-Click on the sites button, in here are all the sites you have allowed and blocked. Find the mistake and remove it, then click OK. The next time you return to the site you will then be allowed to accept the cookie. If you are having a hard time finding the site in the list you could remove all the sites, but you will start over with the prompting of allowing or not allowing cookies.
< Message edited by 94rt10ohio -- 9/1/2006 5:15:13 PM >
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