A “sick” computer was recently brought to me by a co-worker who thought it was performing so poorly because the hard drive was full. My initial diagnosis revealed numerous strange processes running in the background of this Windows XP machine, meaning one thing to me – spyware!
After uninstalling as many “free” software applications as I could (a large percentage of software available for “free” on the internet is known to contain adware and dangerous spyware), the computer began to run better but was still not performing as it should. My friend was running antivirus software, but failed to renew the update subscription and as a result the PC had been unprotected for the past 12 months. In addition, she never installed any of the security patches that Windows Automatic Update service had downloaded for her. This computer was in bad shape, and my co-worker obviously had no idea why.
I explained to her that hundreds of new computer viruses are introduced onto the internet every month and that the purpose of anti virus software was to find and destroy this malicious software as it comes into the PC via email, downloads, and file sharing. Anti virus software can only identify viruses that it knows about, and the purpose of an automatic update subscription is to protect against old as well as new viruses. Since her computer had not received an antivirus update in a year, she had no protection against any virus that had been introduced within the past 12 months.
I also explained that spyware has become just as prevalent as viruses, and that antivirus software will not protect against the majority of spyware. Unlike viruses, which pose a danger to the computer and it’s data, spyware is perhaps more dangerous because it is designed to steal personal information (leading to identity theft and monetary theft) and/or secretly hijack your PC and use it for spamming or illegal activity (all without your knowledge). Adware is similar to spyware, but is normally used to track your online activity and target marketing campaigns toward you (based on your browsing habits). A large percentage of spyware and adware is secretly installed when you download “free” software, screensavers, pictures, etc… In order to protect against spyware and adware, it is necessary to use anti-spyware software.
After discussing the security threats that exist on the internet, my friend agreed it was time to purchase a good “all in one” computer security suite that would protect her computer and her family. Since her teenage son uses her PC, she asked me if I knew of a good application that would also enable her to keep him off of unsavory websites, and prevent him from downloading more spyware. I recommended that we set her son up with his own user account with limited credentials. This would prevent him from installing any software. I also recommended that she use Panda Internet Security, which is affordable and easy to use, and would provide her with the necessary parental control software to limit her son’s access to unsavory websites.
Panda Internet Security includes anti virus software with daily signature updates, automatic spyware and adware detection, an anti-phishing plug in, privacy protection, parental control software, and a software firewall. Another advantage of Panda Internet Security is that you get three licenses for the price of one, which will allow her to install this security suite on her other computer as well. I use Panda Internet Security myself, and have been very pleased with it. She agreed that Panda was the best choice for her situation, and purchased it through a special Panda Internet Security 2007 - $15 Discount Coupon
After purchasing and installing Panda Internet Security, it automatically downloaded some updates and scanned her computer. As I thought, the computer was severely infected with spyware, adware, and viruses. Panda found 76 instances of spyware on the PC (seven keyloggers – very dangerous), and 18 viruses. It cleaned everything up nicely, but the viruses had already done some irreversible damage to the operating system registry files. I recommended that we reformat the hard drive (erasing everything) and reinstall Windows and Panda Internet Security. This will get the system back to “normal” and provide a “clean slate” for Windows to run properly.
I’ll take care of reformatting and reloading everything tomorrow, and advised my co-worker to change all her online account passwords immediately. The spyware keyloggers that Panda Internet Security discovered are designed to capture logon credentials, allowing a cyber-criminal to access personal accounts. If her logon credentials were captured, a thief could easily steal all her money or her identity. Because thieves are clever, I advised her to make her new passwords very hard to guess. She took my suggestion and created new passwords that were at least 6 characters long, and included a combination of upper and lower case letters, and at least one number or symbol. Fortunately, all of her money is still intact and it doesn’t appear that anyone has accessed her accounts yet.
My co-worker thanked me for helping her out with this issue, and for teaching her about internet security and how to protect herself online. I advised her that simply using a good internet security suite (and keeping it updated) was not enough, and that she really needed to develop some new “safe computing habits”. For starters, she needs to download and install Windows Updates on a regular basis (these updates “plug” security holes that cyber criminals take advantage of). She (and her son) also should avoid downloading any “freeware” due to the potential spyware it contains, and must also stay away from unscrupulous websites (where spyware can instantly be installed without your knowledge). I also advised her to turn off her computer whenever it is not being used, because a computer that is left “on” with an active broadband connection is like leaving a door open for uninvited guests.
There are several easy things that home computer users should do to protect themselves from internet security threats, and most are very easy for the “average user” to implement. Here is a
computer security checklist that should help get you started. There are many good
computer security suites to choose from, that will provide you with an excellent “blanket of protection” from viruses, spyware, adware, hackers, and spam. They all cost around $70, but renewal subscriptions are a lot less. This is a small but necessary price to pay for the tremendous amount of protection you get.
Save to Del.icio.us
