Where does spyware come from/What does it do?

These programs/applications can come from Web sites that download music or offer free software, or even from certain popup ads if you click anywhere inside ad instead of hitting X button to get rid of it.

Cookies are almost inevitable (most websites use them, and some won`t even work without them), and rarely a problem as they are very easy to clean up or even not accept, but threat posed by key loggers, diallers and Trojans is much greater.

A key logger can record anything you type, including your passwords, e-mail messages,and credit card numbers, and even your online chats. Diallers will secretly hang up your Internet connection and redial premium services that can run up your long-distance bill. Trojans can embed programs which will open "backdoors" into your computer to allow hackers to steal data or make your pc unusable.

These types of spyware can prove very costly to people unaware of them.

How do you know if your pc is infected with spyware?

Well, for definite, if you`ve never checked before, you can bet your bottom dollar that you WILL have some spyware on your computer.

Here are some common traits:

1. Changed IE favourites. 2. Homepage changes without you changing it. 3. Popup ads popping up even when you`re offline. 4. New desktop icons appear for programs you did not knowingly install. 5. Some trojans will cause changes to icons of your normal programs. 6. Prolonged System start-up after a reboot (takes a long time to load user settings). 7. You have to refresh a webpage multiple times before you can see content. 8. Your pc may seem uncommonly slow or sluggish. 9. A program may not operate correctly. Some examples of this are Windows Media Player will not work. Notepad will not work, Task Manager, MSConfig or Regedit may close immediately after opening. 10. Unexplained loss of internet access (worst case scenario).

To eliminate spyware you should keep it from being installed on your computer in first place. You could always just never install anything and never visit websites, but then you might as well throw away your internet connection altogether, huh? A better option might be to turn OFF install on demand option in windows. This can be done by following these steps:

1. Open a new browser window. 2. Click on tools. 3. Click on internet options. 4. Click on advanced. 5. Scroll down through list of advanced options and UNCHECK "Enable install on demand". 6. Click OK.

Before we get into convincing hard numbers and business cases, let’s do something a little fun. I propose that brand is so pervasive that you can actually use it to identify where someone is from. Kind of like an accent or inflection of speech. It is, after all, our experiences with a brand that shape it.

Take this “From Where In U.S.?” quiz:

Let’s start with something near and dear to most of us: food. What mayonnaise would you swear is best and search for in market? A. Hellman’s B. Best Foods C. Miracle Whip D. None of above

If you answered A. You’re likely from east coast states and refuse to call it Best Foods, even if you move to California. B. You are from one of states west of Rockies. You’ve never even heard of Hellman’s, so why does they’re label look same? Because they are. C. You’re likely from Midwest, Missouri in particular, and you make really sweet potato salad. (Sorry Grandma) D. Can’t tell where you’re from. Maybe you hate mayonnaise.

As a kid, one of your favorite sweet snacks after school was: A. Hostess Ding-dongs B. Drake’s Ring Dings C. Moon Pies D. Scooter Pies E. None of above

This tells me that: A. You’re from St. Louis all way west to California. If you know them instead as King Dons, then east coast. If you recognize name Big Wheels, you’re from someplace else. B. You’re from east coast – NY/NJ – and think that DingDongs are rip-offs. C. You grew up in south, especially Tennessee, and typically ate these with an “RC Cola” to wash it down. Talk about sugar overload… (http://www.moonpie.com/hist_text.asp) D. You’re from eastern seaboard, and wondered what in heck a “Moon Pie” was. E. You’re from Canada and ate something called “Wagon Wheels”.

And for a non-food one that gets so specific you’ll think I’m psychic… You need to get new clothes for whole family, something nice to wear to Grandma’s birthday (where you will not mention too-sweet potato salad), and you want reasonable selection, affordable prices. You head to nearest: A. Famous-Barr B. Robinsons-May C. Filene’s D. Kauffman’s E. Foley’s F. Hecht’s G. Meier & Frank H. The Bay

And I will gaze into my crystal ball and pinpoint your location as: A. Specifically Midwest – WI, MO, IL, IN, KY B. The Wild West only – CA, NV, AZ, UT. Showdown, anyone? C. New England. And don’t let any of your friends drag you into Filene’s basement in Boston…you won’t come out alive. D. The industrial belt - NY, PA, OH, WV E. The Texas, NM, OK, LA kinda’ south F. Mid-Atlantic states where they have soft drawls and soft-shell crabs – MD, VA, NC, and parts of TN G. Northwest Territory– WA, OR H. Canada – where they eat Wagon Wheels

(Maps available at: http://www2.mayco.com/common/index.jsp)

How was that for brand identification? All of these brands started locally, without war chests of advertising dollars that people think are needed today. They are memorable because of experience we had with them – which was consistent and positive - so we told our neighbors. And we developed strong loyalties.