How Spyware Took The Next-Gen Threat Crown (On The Internet's No #1 Threat Today MUST READ!!!)

ESecurityPlanet.com ^ | 12/20/04 | Sonny Discini

[jalisco555]

bump

[tje]

bttt

[Darnright]

Thanks for posting this. Anybody want to trade a slightly used PC for a Mac (just kidding, but the thought has crossed my mind)?

[TChris]

Until we get Longhorn...

Don't expect anything to change. MS has had over twenty years to get an operating system right. Intead, they are widely known as a malware writer's best friend. Don't hold your breath.

[RobRoy]

Moved all my machines to Firefox last week. I've been telling all my friends about it. The only downside is that my default mail is hotmail (I have four addresses) and I lose a lot of formatting capabilities, especially when replying to a message.

Tough.

[chronic_loser]

actually, I have to use IE at work alot, as I am an insurance broker, and Safeco, Hartford, Progressive, GMAC, Travelers and Farmers all have activeX scripts on their websites. Progressive actually partners with MS. For right now, I am stuck at work with MS.

We need a good, open source java so we can do away with this ridiculous crap.

[ShadowAce]

MS has had over twenty years to get an operating system right.

Believe it or not, that is actually part of the problem. They atarted working on their OS back in 1980 or so, long before the advent of the Internet, or even networked PCs. As a result of this environment, their OS was geared for one person at a time. Security, especially remote security, was not an issue then and they did not design for it.

Twenty-four years later, and a philosophy of backwards compatibility, and we get the mess we have now. If they had abandoned the issue of backwards compatibility sometime in the late '90s, and started afresh, they'd've had a much better OS today. Apple did that much too early (mid '80s) and lost most of their customers. MS went the other way and time will tell what will happen to their customer base.

[RobRoy]

8^>

I'm still using IE at work. However, during our last conference call (my team is spread all over the country) my second level boss was mentioning Firefox as some new hot thing. There was no comment on it being inapropriate here at work. I think I'll install it.

[Windcatcher]

You can run Firefox like any other program. I'm typing this in Firefox running on Windows 2000. Going back and forth is no problem at all, and I have to say it's wonderful.

[Political Junkie Too]

AD AWARE PRO

That comes with the real-time AdWatch. Do you run it?

I recently bought the Pro version and installed AdWatch. However, I still seem to have gotten infected by the CoolWebSearch spyware. I had to restore my system from a backup.

-PJ

[Political Junkie Too]

Another protection is having a good backup.

A few months ago I bought Backup MyPC from Sonic. I have a CD/DVD-ROM drive and a CD/DVD RW drive. I keep a DVD in RW drive and do daily incremental backups to it. When the incremental disk fills up, I take another full backup and start another incremental disk. I currently keep three generations of backups.

I didn't see the Intermute CoolWebShredder when I got infected, so I just restored my PC from the backups to the point where I got infected.

Even with good protection, and a spyware remover, it is still good practice to keep current backups of your system.

-PJ

[MeekOneGOP]

Doh!! Just now catching my typo - repeated multiple times due to CTRL+C / CTRL+V.

Whatca s/b "Whatcha" .....

[Eagle9]

A good discussion of the growth of spyware into a menace that can cripple your PC's performance and compromise your safety, privacy and security online. Plus advice on how to get it off and how to keep it off. MUST READ!!!

Excellent article!
Bookmarked!

[TChris]

I agree in general with your analysis. However, MS could have done a much better job with the virtualization of the single-user environment with NT than they did. Once the single-task, non-networked universe was expanded, they should have started thinking differently.

Shame on MS for not taking security seriously as soon as they dared step into the server O/S market. At that moment, there should have been a profound paradigm shift from an emphasis on prettiness and ease of use to one of stability and security. It has taken a lot of hard knocks to get them to begin to realize just how far behind they are on these issues.

Dream List of New Priorities for Windows:

1. Rock solid stability - They've made very good progress here
2. Rock solid security - This will take an overwhelming change of attitude. Not likely.
3. Software efficiency (i.e. Solid core functionality over a plethora of bells and whistles) - Better modular software design, less "swiss army knife" design.
4. Greater user/administrator control - There are still far too many things changed and controlled in the background by the O/S. And who the hell thinks its a good idea for the O/S to ever tell the local administrator "Access Denied" when he/she gives it a command!? Admin is King. Period.
5. Well-implemented, optional software features that don't change places and interfaces with every release.
6. A modular, efficient GUI that doesn't presume that everybody wants/needs a browser-like interface for every function. Rip out Internet Explorer! It's like having a tapeworm.

Just my $0.02 worth as a 15-year DOS/Windows veteran user, developer, MCSE and LAN admin.

[stainlessbanner]

bttt

[10mm]

Internet Explorer is a secure web browser (please hold your laughs and derision :^) The problem with IE is that it's default configuration is set to "Rape Me With a 2x4 Sideways".

I have never had one problem with IE, spyware or viruses. Here is what you need to do to secure IE without any 3rd party applications:

Go into Tools--Internet Options--Security. You will see four "Zones" - Internet, Local Intranet, Trusted Sites and Restricted Sites. All websites are in the "Internet Zone" by default. This is the Zone where increased security is needed.

Click the "Internet Zone" icon and then click "Custom Level". Select "Disable" for every option where you are asked whether you want to download or run Authenticode, ActiveX, Java, Javascript or Active Scripting. Then click "OK".

The "Trusted Sites" Zone is where you list URLs that you wish to allow greater freedom to run (microsoft.com for updates, your online banking site, FreeRepublic, trusted retailers, etc.).

Follow these instructions for Internet Explorer, and your computer will never see one byte of spyware.

[Musket]

O.K. I'll take your challenge.

[Pablo64]

Thanks for the info. I think when I get back from visiting relatives over Christmas I will give Firefox a try.

One other question came to mind. Do you know if downloading Firefox with XP will give it to all the users on the computer, or just my user account? I know some programs install accross the board, but some seem to be specific to the user who installs/downloads them. I guess it won't really matter, but I was curious.