Spyware

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Spyware

• Kristi Casey
• CSC 540

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What you should learn

• What Spyware Is
• Why Its Significant
• Means of Infection
• What it Does
• How to Get Rid of it
• Legal and Ethical Issues

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What is spyware?

• Any software that covertly gathers information
  about a user while he/she navigates the Internet
  and transmits the information to an individual or
  company
• Dictionary.com

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Is it a virus?

• Spyware is technically not a virus because it
  does not replicate itself, nor does it spread
  from machine to machine.
• Spyware does have some characteristics of
  viruses

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Is it a virus? Similar Characteristics

• Spyware can cause the computer to have erratic
  behavior and even become unusable.
• Spyware can be used to steal personal information
  such as credit card numbers, social security
  numbers, etc.
• Spyware loads without permission and puts a
  strain on valuable system resources.
• Some spyware uses virus-like tactics to keep
  itself from being uninstalled. Some will run two
  processes and when a spyware remover stops one,
  the other process will immediately restart it.

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Statistics

• Nearly everyone has had spyware on their computer
  in some form.
• In November 2004, AOL and the National
  Cyber-Security Alliance conducted an Online
  Safety Study regarding issues related to spyware
  and other malware.

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Statistics
Study findings on spyware
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Statistics
Other significant findings
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Means of Infection

• Spyware does not spread from computer to computer
  like a virus.
• Spyware tends to piggy back on other programs.
• Users install a freeware program only to find
  their computers running slowing afterwards.
• Usually software that has spyware piggy backing
  on it, has more than one piece of spyware with it.

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Means of Infection

• Less common means of infection
• Uploaded through the internet browser while
  someone is viewing a website.
• Installed by programs claiming to be spyware
  removers.

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What are they tracking?

• Keystrokes
• (any data entered by the user)
• Websites visited
• Content of Sites Visited
• Data stored on the hard drive
• Anything you do on the computer!

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Privacy Issues

• Monitors your internet browsing activity.
• Spyware can gather your personal information
  which you are sending over the internet or
  information that is being stored on your
  computer.
• Associated with identity theft by use of
  keyloggers.
• Even spyware from legitimate companies can cause
  security issues if hackers gain access to their
  servers.
• Court subpoenas for that data?

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Detrimental to Functioning

• Slows down the computer significantly.
• Causes erratic behavior.
• Can make the machine unusable.
• Out of 400 users, we are rebuilding on average
  two machines per week due to unremovable sic
  spyware that rendered the computers inoperable.
• -Brett Arquette

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Legal Issues

• Gaining unauthorized access to a computer is
  illegal, under computer crime laws such as the
  United States Computer Fraud and Abuse Act.
• Defense Spyware makers claim that the users gave
  consent by clicking that they agree to the
  end-user license agreement.

Source http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware
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Ethical Issues Freeware

• Spyware came with freeware as a way for the maker
  of the freeware to make money.
• When freeware is removed, the spyware stays
  behind. Why not take it off too?

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Ethical Issues Tricking the user
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Ethical Issues False Information
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Ethical Issues Spyware Removers?

• The following spyware removers not only failed
  to remove spyware, but actually installed more
  onto the computer
• SpyAxe
• AntiVirus Gold
• SpywareStrike
• SpyFalcon
• WorldAntiSpy
• SpyBan
• SpyWiper
• PAL Spyware Remover

Source http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware
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How to Remove Spyware

• Remove it yourself
• Spybot Search and Destroy
• Ad-Aware SE Personal
• Reformat hard drive
• Best method is to install more than one spyware
  remover and use them both regularly.
• The best-performing anti-spyware scanner failed
  to detect about 25 percent of the critical
  files and registry entries...

(Without resorting to this)
Source http//www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,17314
74,00.asp
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Prevention

• Use a good firewall that will block the spyware.
• Use a spyware blocker.

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Best Way to Avoid Spyware Problems

• Dont install it!
• Read reviews for the software youre downloading
  on sites like Download.com.
• Dont install lots of programs from the internet
  just because theyre free.
• Some have switched to Linux or Mac to avoid
  spyware and other malware.

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References

• Study Tools Let Spyware Slip Through Cracks
  Ryan Maraine November 23, 2004 (Quote)
• http//www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1731474,00.a
  sp
• Wikipedia Spyware (Information and Images)
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spyware
• Magoos Guide to Eliminating Spyware (Image)
• http//guides.radified.com/magoo/guides/spyware/r
  emove_spyware_01.htm
• AOL/NCSA Online Safety Study (Information)
• http//www.staysafeonline.info/pdf/safety_study_v
  04.pdf
• Dictionary.com (Definition)
• http//www.dictionary.com
• Eweek.com - Spyware Is a Virus Brett Arquette
  November 1, 2004 (Quote)
• http//www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1683485,00.a
  sp