Potter PC Services: Computer Cleanup

No More Spyware!

Many computers, especially older computers running older operating systems, have programs running without the owner's permission or even knowledge. These programs can install themselves in the most nefarious ways, and, once there, can be almost impossible for "anti-virus" software to remove. Spyware, adware, and browser toolbars are just some of the things that can run on almost any computer, slowing it down, hijacking your web browser, and attempting to steal (or coax you into giving) your personal information.

Why You Should Be Worried

Malware, which is a word coined to represent all of the "bad" computer programs, has many effects. The most obvious is the slowdown that occurs when dozens, or even hundreds, of these programs running at once. But that's only the beginning. Once one bit of malware inhabits your computer, it can use the same entrances to bring all its friends along. Some of the most common types--and their symptoms--are described below.

Spyware

Spyware, as its name implies, spies on everything you do. What does that mean? Put simply, if you have spyware programs running on your computer, almost everything you do can be tracked. What programs you run, what files you access, what websites you visit, all can be available to spyware. Some of these programs can track your computer movements all the way down to the keyboard and mouse, and these "keyloggers" will know what you type, and where you click. That can be especially bad if, for example, you purchase something from an online shopping site, which will likely require your credit card information. Spyware, in this and many other forms, can lead--and has lead--to identity theft.

Spyware is hard to notice, simply because a spy is supposed to be stealthy. Some spyware programs even hide themselves as or among innocuous programs such as "applets" (those programs that run as a tray icon, perhaps showing you the weather). Because they try to hide, you only really know that spyware has infected your computer because it is much slower than it should be.

Adware

Adware includes most of the "active" malware, as opposed to the more passive spyware. Adware simply means anything that shows advertisements that you don't want to see. Sometimes the ads are random, but other times they may seem especially appropriate for you. These more targeted ads are often the result of spyware (see above). Some of the most insidious adware programs are the so-called "browser hijacks". These can, for example, add their own advertisements to every site you visit, or redirect you to their own (ad-infested) search engine when you type in "google.com".

Adware is usually fairly obvious. Advertisements have to be seen to be useful, so adware is designed to get in your face. So if you are seeing ads that shouldn't be there, or your browser has been hijacked, you might have an adware infection.

Phishing

Browser hijacks can also have another, more sinister, goal. Sure, replacing Google is pretty bad on its own. But a program that can redirect from that site can also redirect from any other site. Maybe, instead of replacing your favorite search engine, it replaces your favorite shopping or banking website. The hijacker in this case has taken you to a "phishing" site, one that looks similar to your original target, but is really a facade. Everything still works, and phishing sites often access the original site to retrieve your "personalized" information. It's almost as if you're talking to a middleman, and that man relays your messages to the original site, and its messages back to you. But if you aren't careful, that man in the middle can read both sides of the conversation.

Phishing sites are usually encountered in E-mail, typically spam messages that want you to confirm your bank account information, or your password at a site. These are often recognizable by the simple fact that you don't have an account at that bank, and you've never visited that site. Others can be more insidious, using font tricks or mislabeled HTML links, and these tricks can also be used on web pages. Usually, you will notice a phishing link if you're careful, but if your browser has been hijacked, then you can't be sure.

Zombies and Botnets

Some of this malware also has some nasty side-effects. Some can even turn your computer into a "spam zombie", meaning that they include their own mail program that sends out unwanted junk email from your computer to thousands of unsuspecting Internet users. Some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will turn off your service if your system has been compromised in this way. Other programs will use your Internet bandwidth to shut down a Web site by sending it more requests than it can handle, in what is called a Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDOS) attack. ISPs don't like this, either. Massive networks of computers infected in this way are called "botnets". These botnets are responsible for most of the "bad" things that happen on the Internet. Think of thousands, even millions, of PCs all sending spam, all overloading websites, all completely unknown to the owners of those systems; that's the worst possible case, and no one wants to be a part of it, even unintentionally.

If your computer has become part of a botnet, you would probably notice it. If, for example, your Internet provider (cable, DSL, etc.) has sent you warnings about "excessive bandwidth" when the only sites you visit are Facebook and Twitter, then you probably have this kind of problem. Also, if the ISP says that your account is sending out spam when your "Sent" folder only shows 5 outgoing e-mails, there's probably something fishy going on in your computer.

What We Do

Not everyone knows how to use the tools to remove malware from their system. And not everyone wants (or has the time) to learn. That's where we come in. Computer Cleanup means that we will remove any malware from your computer, and take steps to prevent it from coming back. We can't change the past, and any data that may have been collected, such as passwords, favorite sites, or credit card information, is already in the wrong hands. We can't take that back, unfortunately. But we can stop it from happening again.