What is Computer Spyware?

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What is really inside your computer?

“Spyware, like spam and the other privacy issues I have talked about today, are global challenges that require global solutions. For this reason, the FTC has undertaken a leadership role on international privacy and security issues." -- Lydia B. Parnes, Acting Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, from a press release dated October 28, 2004.

On October 7, 2004, the United States House of Representatives passed H. R. 4661, the Internet Spyware (I-SPY) Prevention Act of 2004. It was received in the U.S. Senate the following day, but no further action has ever been taken.

Will the effect of this Act becoming law (if it ever does) prevent your computer from being infested with spyware? Well, did passage of the CANSPAM Act of 2003 prevent you from receiving spam email? Same answer: No. Just as the CANSPAM Act allows email advertising that does not fall under its definition of spam, the Internet Spyware (I-SPY) Prevention Act of 2004 allows spyware that is not used for criminal purposes.

Spyware not used for criminal purposes is most of it. Why all the fuss?

Spyware is a tracking program that enters your computer from any of a number of sources and lives there until it is discovered and killed. Different types of spyware perform differing types of activities, but ALL OF THEM record information about you and send it out over the Internet.

Here are some typical signs of spyware living inside your computer:

Or, you don't detect anything unusual. You see, a lot of spyware is designed to work in secret without you knowing what it's doing.

A friend called and asked if I'd look at her computer because it was running slow and the automatic disk cleanup and disk defragmentation was not working properly. I took a floppy disk with Spybot to her house, loaded it and removed 31 spyware applications.

Don't jump to any great conclusions about Spybot. It's good, BUT. I downloaded Adaware and used it. It discovered a couple of items that Spybot has missed. I then downloaded the free version of Alluria's Spyware Eliminator which found Isearch but wouldn't get rid of it unless you bought the full program.

PC Magazine has tested a number of spyware removal programs. In March of 2004 they stated, "Let's be clear: None of the applications we tested for this roundup hit the ball out of the park in terms of detecting and removing the adware, Trojan horses, key loggers, and hosts of other assorted nasties that make up the unpleasant category of applications known as spyware."

Fortunately, software developers have gotten a lot better since then. The additional years of understanding spyware has allowed certain antispyware companies to virtually get ahead of the curve. And that's good news for you and me.

Free programs are helpful, but no free antispyware program does what you really need it to do. Another fortunately, the knock-your-socks-off programs are very inexpensive. And that's very good news when you think of protecting your computer.

Please watch for our Test Results using this highly-touted product.