Spyware Trickery

We have covered adware and spyware in previous issues of this newsletter.  Both of these types of programs are parasites on your computer.  They get installed by tagging along with something you downloaded, or by tricking you into thinking they are something worthwhile.   Adware and spyware infestations can take hours to clear up, and that can get expensive.

Here are some quick definitions:  Adware is software that is used to generate pop-up ads or redirect your web browser to advertising sites.  Some adware tracks what websites you visit and targets ads to your interests in hopes of getting you to click on the ad or buy something.  Spyware collects information from your computer and sends it over the internet to the server belonging to the group that created the program.  It could be collecting information on websites you visit, or sending back credit card or bank account numbers or usernames and passwords of your accounts - whatever information its creators want to obtain.

Why do people write adware and spyware?  Unlike virus writers, it is to make money, of course.  Adware writers (or the companies that pay them) get a commission from every sale linked to the adware.  Spyware writers (or the people who pay them) can make money by fraudulent use of your bank or credit card information or other thefts of your identity.  Virus writers, on the other hand, do it mostly for the notoriety.

A recent article in the Windows Secrets Newsletter discussed what they call "rogue spyware".  They define this as spyware that promotes itself deceptively as software that will get rid of spyware for you, then runs a "scan" that turns up false positives (the program says it found spyware on your computer when in fact it didn't, and makes up the list of spyware it "found").  After that, the screens that show up try to convince you to buy their software, frequently using threats or scare tactics, so you are really spending money on something that you don't need and may actually be worse than worthless - it may cause harm to your computer.

Also, some of these programs, while saying they are antispyware programs, are actually spyware themselves, and downloading and installing them will only cause you more problems, not less.  They "install the very problems they claim to cure, generate false positives to trick users into buying a 'remedy', and use aggressive or misleading advertising".

According to the article, some of the popular search engines, including Yahoo and Google, accept paid placement ads from some of these "rogue spyware" companies and products, so that when you type a search for something related to spyware these misleading ads show up under Sponsored Ads or Sponsored Links, making you think they are really legitimate.

You may also see pop-ups that warn you that you have spyware on your computer, or your web browser may be redirected to a page that warns that your activity is being monitored or that your are infested with spyware.  Such messages use scare tactics to entice you to click on their links to download or purchase their software, which is, of course, spyware.

So, how do you know if you really have spyware?  And if you do, what programs are safe to install to help get rid of it?  If you are getting lots of pop-ups, if your browser is being redirected to strange search sites, or if your computer is getting very slow, you probably are infested with adware or spyware.  Don't ever click on a link or purchase anything until your have checked it out by doing a Google search on it and checking many of the results.

The two most often recommended adware and spyware removers are AdAware from www.lavasoftusa.com, (make sure you have the usa in the website name - a copycat site called lavasoft has look-alike junk software that is not free) and Spybot from www.spybot.com.  Both are FREE, so they won't cost you a dime.  You should install them both, and run them weekly, making sure to update them each week first.  You'll find information on these programs by clicking on the Master Software Website menu item for Windows Tips.

To help protect your computer on an on-going basis, we recommend AVG AntiMalware.  A 2-year license (with updates) for 1 computer costs $44.95, and it runs in the background like a typical antivirus program protecting your computer from both viruses and ad/spyware as you use it.  (Be sure to uninstall any other antivirus / antispyware programs before installing AVG.)

And of course, if your computer gets infested, you can always call on us to clear up the mess.

Now that summer is over and the Christmas rush has begun (!), you might be thinking of choosing a digital camera for yourself or someone else less deserving.  Roxio recently published an article on choosing a digital camera that you might find interesting.  Even if your digital camera is only a few years old, you might be surprised at the new features that are available for a reasonable price.

The first camera spec that most people talk about is megapixels, which determines the resolution of the pictures you take.  Anything in the 6 to 10 megapixel range should provide you with enough resolution for reasonable cropping and up to 8 x 10 enlargements.  The higher the megapixels, the more you can enlarge your picture if you are going to print it.  If you want to make 16 x 20 prints, you should have at least 8 megapixels, maybe more.

When comparing cameras, look at the specs on the lens.  The 'f' # (like 2.8, 4, 5.6) tells you the maximum amount of light the lens allows into the camera.  A lower number is better. Each of the numbers above lets in twice as much light as the following number (f2.8 lets in twice as much light as f4, etc).  The zoom range tells you how much the lens magnification changes between wide angle and telephoto.  Only look at (and use) the optical zoom.  Digital zoom is like enlarging the picture a lot.  The picture gets very fuzzy or blocky.

Look at the type of memory card the camera uses to determine how easy it is to transfer images to your computer.  Do you have to use a special cable?  Does the memory card come out easily so you can use a card reader?  Will it work in the card reader that may be included in your computer or printer?  What size memory cards are available?  For a 6 megapixel or greater camera, you should use at least a 512 MB or 1GB memory card in order to have room for enough images.  The number of pictures that will fit on the memory card depends on the number of megapixels in the image (the resolution you set on the camera:  higher resolution pictures take up more memory).

Other factors to consider are how fast you can take picture after picture, whether it uses a viewfinder or LCD display (some LCD's are hard to see in the sun - check it out), battery size and how long it lasts, how it handles flash, and what picture (and movie) modes it has.

You can read the complete article from Roxios's website by clicking here.

Digital cameras are economical and fun to use, so get one, or get a new one, and snap away.  Staples and CompUSA have an assortment of digital cameras to choose from.

Print Your Pictures?

Ritz, Kodak EasyShare, and Photoworks are great places to have your digital photos printed.  You can upload your pictures and pay by credit card, and your photos arrive in the mail in a few days.  Kodak EasyShare has a special this month every Wednesday, and 40% off of photo products (see the ad in the left column of this newsletter).

Can't wait a few days?  Ritz lets you upload the pictures to their server and pay for the prints online, and they are ready for you to pick up when you get to the store.  What could be more convenient?

Let us know if you have any questions about digital comers, ordering prints, or installing the digital camera software on your computer.